Considering Saturday’s high‑stakes visit of Chelsea Pep Guardiola was breezy when discussing the challenge of Antonio Conte’s Premier League leaders. There was a quip about still having hair “a long time ago”, when he played against the Italian in Serie A, and a playful grimace when one questioner confused the former Juventus manager with Carlo Ancelotti, a predecessor at Stamford Bridge.
Conte, it is understood, was City’s second choice behind Guardiola to replace Manuel Pellegrini and the Catalan was serious when discussing his counterpart’s quality as well as a challenging December programme which starts with Chelsea and includes Liverpool and Arsenal following a trip to the champions Leicester City.
“This month is so important. We’re going to see our level. I’m not thinking about what happens if we win or we don’t win the games,” said Guardiola. “I’m most thinking about what will be our level and if we will be able to fight until the last moments of the season. I’m curious about how we compete, how our football will be against these three, four really good teams. After that we’re going to analyse, to keep going until the end. That is what I am concerned about most in this moment.
“I’m not just thinking about three points or drawing or losing the game. I want to see how my team react against the good teams. Against Barcelona for example, in the Champions League, we were OK, we were there, we played good. I’m curious to see my team against top players and top teams.
“Conte is without doubt one of the best, maybe the best, coach in the world right now. [Chelsea] were contenders to win the Premier League from the beginning. Now, maybe more than before. It’s a good test for us; it is the first time we are going to face each other. It’s good to play against him. He did an exceptional job in Turin [with Juventus] and in the national job. It doesn’t matter if it is Serie A or the national team, you realise his strengths.
“He has started with maybe not good results but they have won their last seven games, conceding one goal. That says a lot about how good they are.”
Chelsea are a point better off than City, a surprise perhaps, given Guardiola’s pedigree and the Blues’ travails last season when they finished 10th, having sacked José Mourinho before Christmas.
The high regard is clearly mutual between coaches who have yet to face off despite their considerable experience in the dugout. Conte said: “I have great respect for him because Pep likes to study football, to find new solutions always. It’s not easy to transfer these ideas to different teams a few times. But he’s a fantastic manager doing fantastic work with Manchester City. When you see this team, I recognise his idea of football. Saturday, for us, it will be a very tough test.”
It will certainly be a contrast in styles; Guardiola’s is a ball-hogging philosophy, while Conte’s is more pragmatic, hoping to hit teams hard on the break.
He said: “Every team has its own characteristics or ideas. All Guardiola’s are about possession for many minutes, to find the ball between the lines, to find the one-v-ones on the flank. But I think that every single manager has his own idea of football. Very simply, I’m more straight towards the goal, less possession than in this case. But there are a lot of ways. For this reason I always have great respect for every idea of different managers.”
Chelsea’s results have taken off since the 3-0 defeat by Arsenal in late September. Arsène Wenger’s side were 3-0 ahead when Conte pulled off Cesc Fàbregas on 55 minutes and brought on Marcos Alonso. The Spaniard went to left wing-back as the coach switched to a three-man defence that featured Gary Cahill, David Luiz and Branislav Ivanovic. The 3-4-3 shape has been retained ever since, with Cahill, David Luiz and César Azpilicueta lining up as centre-backs. They did not concede a goal until Christian Eriksen’s in the 11th minute in last weekend’s 2-1 comeback win against Tottenham, as Chelsea reeled off a remarkable seven consecutive league victories.
Guardiola has analysed the strategy that has transformed Conte’s side. “When they have the ball, they play like a 3-4-3; but they defend with many players behind the ball,” he said. “They have conceded just one goal [in their winning run]. They are doing well. When I was at Munich a lot of teams played with four or five at the back, closing the space down in the middle. They allow you to cross the ball from wide because they have five players in the box.
“We will be cautious when they have the ball. When we have the ball we will attack as much as possible. They are so good when they arrive in the box; they score goals. They don’t need to create too many chances to score goals. They are solid but we are going to play with the quality players we have, attacking the best way as possible. All the guys are so good on the counterattack.”
Guardiola gave a trademark response when asked whether a draw would be a good result. “It depends on the way we play,” he said. “For example the draw against Middlesbrough was not good, the way we played. Sometimes you deserve a draw because you play badly. It depends on the game. But of course we’re going to play against the top of the league and it will be our level against that team.”
Guardiola’s levity even extended to Conte’s feverish touchline antics and whether these are more influential than his own. “I don’t know who moves their arms quicker, him or Pep. Does it help the team? I don’t think so. They don’t hear you,” he said. “I’m not talking about Antonio but I think I [would] confuse them. But I cannot control it.
“I don’t think it will help a lot to speak with the players; they play, not me. Sometimes you have to take decisions quickly, sometimes you are involved in the game. You want to help them to make it better, you want to see them, correct something. But you have 10 minutes at half-time. OK you can correct something if the game stops. Hopefully in the future I can improve it – be more relaxed and calm – that would be good for me.”
Photo: Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, is unsure whether Antonio Conte’s gesticulations are more elaborate than his own, having never shared a touchline with his Chelsea counterpart. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA
Source: The Guardian
