Pellegrini: Man City Yet to Recover from World Cup Break

Manuel Pellegrini believes Manchester City’s players’ exploit at the 2014 World Cup took its toll in his side’s performance in Sunday’s Community Shield loss to Arsenal.

Goals from Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and a 25-yards stunner by Olivier Giroud consigned the Etihad Stadium outfit to their first loss in the Premier League curtain-raiser.

The Chilean, 60, rested 6 players involved in the knockout stages in Brazil from his squad at Wembley, going on to make eight changes from the side that started the reigning league champions’ win over West Ham on the 2013/14 season finale.

“Some of the players are just started working so maybe that is one of the reasons for today,” Pellegrini told BBC Radio 5 live.

In the absence of Sergio Aguero, fresh from Argentina’s impressive campaign at the World Cup, and the injured Alvaro Negredo, Stevan Jovetic partnered Edin Dzeko on the front line.

Argentine Striker Sergio Aguero and New York City Loanee Frank Lampard Watches the Community Shield Match from the Stand.
Argentine Striker Sergio Aguero and New York City Loanee Frank Lampard Watches the Community Shield Match from the Stand.

Dendryk Boyata, who made just six appearances last season, was back in from the cold at centre-back in absence of club and Belgium captain Vincent Kompany, while summer signing from Arsenal Bacary Sagna, Argentine defensive pair of Pablo Zabaleta and Martin Demichelis, and Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho completed the list of major absentees on the Citizens’s team sheet.

City last failed to win the Community Shield in 2011 but went on to lift their first league trophy in 44 years the same season, providing an array of hope for the ex-Malaga and Real Madrid boss ahead of their title defence.

Asked if his side were ready already for next weekend’s Premier League season opener at home to Newcastle, Pellegrini replied: “Ready, no because this week we have only just started working with certain players. A lot of important players are out but it is the way we must start the Premier League season.

“We must start that way because of the World Cup but we are not the only team to be affected. But I am confident we will start well on Sunday.”

Arsenal outnumbered the four-time champions in the midfield with their opponent’s two up-top options, Jovetic and Dzeko, reduced to mare spectators by a rampant ‘Gunners’ in the first-half.

Many would have thought Pellegrini fed his players some tape worms during the half-time break, owing to the side’s revamped display of attacking bite in the opening 15 minutes of the second-half, but their failure to make it reflect on the scoreboard was their undoing, and allowing Frenchman Giroud to score from such a distance? There couldn’t be a better manner to welcome new goalkeeper Willy Cabalero to the English football jungle.

The manager was, as expected, philosophical in his post-game spin. He added: “During the first 45 minutes Arsenal scored two goals. We improved in the second half, we had chances to score but they had a chance and scored from it.

“These things happen before the season starts. It was not the pace we played in pre-season but I will talk with the players and I am sure we will be ready to start the Premier League.

“I think in the Premier League you have five or six teams who can win the league because all have a strong squad. We must demonstrate from the beginning why we won the title last year.”

Aside the arrivals of Fernando- £12m signing from Porto- and Cabalero, both who, took their bow at Wembley on Sunday afternoon, free-agent Sagna, and Bruno Zuculini from Racing club, Man City has had a relatively quiet summer in the transfer window.

The club’s race to sign Porto’s Eliaquim Mangala before September 2 was thought to have been won after it posted a video on its website, appearing to show the defender penning a contract after his medical at the Etihad, however, the video was immediately erased.

“Some papers are maybe missing but we continue having interest in the player, he wants to come so we will see what happens in the week,” Pellegrini said.

1 COMMENT