Chapter 352 If You Don’t Seek Death, You Won’t Die. Guardiola Starts to Fix Things!

Guardiola is very efficient. After officially joining Manchester City, he even saved time to rest.

After rejecting the Christmas holiday offered to him by the team, he quickly went to work at the club.

Manchester City's current situation is not good, and Guardiola does not dare to waste any more time.

He needs to get into working condition as soon as possible to help the team solve its difficulties.

Moreover, the winter break transfer is about to start, and he still needs to find suitable players in the transfer market to fill the holes in various positions of the team.

These tasks are many and complex, and time is very tight, so they must be handled as soon as possible.

After arriving at Manchester City's training base, Guardiola summoned the players, gave them a brief lecture, and then asked the assistant coach to arrange daily training, while he stood on the sidelines and carefully observed the status of the players.

Manchester City's injuries have been relatively serious this season. Many players on the training ground have just recovered from injuries and are undergoing restorative training.

Seeing Kroos training with the ball, Guardiola asked his assistant:

"How's Cross doing lately?"

The midfielder has always been the most important part of Guardiola's team. Many of his tactics are based on several positions in the midfield.

"The recovery is not fast, and the players seem to have serious resistance."

The assistant coach and physical therapist looked at each other and answered truthfully.

"Resistance?"

Guardiola is a little confused. He knows Cross's character. He is a very professional player.

How could he be resistant?

"Well, this is the first winter he has experienced without a winter break. Not only does the team not have a holiday during the Christmas break, but they also have to train and prepare for the game. There are even games to play on Christmas Day. For many players who have just come to the Premier League , they are not very adaptable to this kind of game rhythm."

Guardiola nodded, indicating that he understood.

Manchester City's next game is on December 26, the day after Christmas.

This kind of schedule is indeed a bit anti-human.

However, the Premier League is different from other leagues. This is a competition organized by the Premier League. In order to pursue the ultimate commercialization, they specifically chose to hold the competition on Christmas Day, when the crowds are the largest.

This can attract more fans to attend the game and seize the offseason broadcast market of other leagues.

From the perspective of event promotion and broadcast revenue, this arrangement can bring the greatest benefits.

But for the players, the idea of ​​driving fast on Christmas Day would be deeply distressing and disgusting.

While others are on vacation, they still have to play games, and it's not a normal schedule, it's an extremely intensive schedule.

The Premier League can't wait to arrange a few more games between the Christmas and New Year holidays, regardless of the life and death of the players.

It would be strange if the players don’t resent it!

British players may be okay, they have grown up in this environment and are already used to this arrangement.

But for players from other countries, especially players who have just arrived in the Premier League, it is normal and common for them to feel inapplicability and resistance when encountering this situation in the first few seasons.

Not to mention, the Christmas Express schedule is a high-incidence period for players to suffer injuries.

"If his injury is not a serious problem, give him a week's leave and let him rest!"

"ah?"

The assistant coaches nearby were dumbfounded when they heard that Guardiola waved his hand and wanted to give Kroos a day off.

Coach, do you know what you're talking about?

Our team is now full of injured players and there are few healthy players left.

Although Cross can't start and play the whole game now, he can still come on as a substitute in the second half.

This will not only help him integrate into the team as soon as possible, but also allow other midfielders in the team to breathe.

It would be better if you let him go, then there will be fewer players available in the team, and the remaining players will have to bear a heavier burden!

"Go and ask, see if anyone else wants to take a vacation. Anyone who wants to take a vacation will have three days of vacation!"

Guardiola didn't seem to want to listen to the advice. Not only did he not listen to the advice, he also extended the holiday policy to the entire team.

Today is Christmas Eve and tomorrow is Christmas Day.

As the most important holiday in Western society, it is indeed a bit unreasonable to allow players to sweat like rain on the court at this time.

"Coach, if we give the whole team a holiday, what about the game on December 26?"

"Haha, don't worry, don't we still have a reserve team and a youth team?!"

Guardiola looked confident, but ended up going to the reserve team to recruit someone.

Several assistant coaches were collectively speechless. They regarded the players from the reserve team and the youth team as the main players. Is this voluntarily admitting defeat?

The Premier League's Christmas Express has begun, and Manchester City has three tough games to fight in the next week.

This intensive schedule is the period when most Premier League teams lose points. Manchester City is now 3 points behind Chelsea in the standings.

If they cannot play well in these three games, they may be pulled further away.

At this critical moment of chasing points, Guardiola had to give up a game as soon as possible, and it was his first game.

Isn't he afraid that he will lose? Will the fans and reporters make him miserable?

Guardiola is really not afraid!

It's just a game, if you lose, you lose, no big deal.

On the contrary, if my act of giving the players a holiday can win the favor of the players, increase their support within the team, and at the same time reverse the players' current sluggish morale and state, then it will be a huge win!

Therefore, after saying these words, Guardiola turned around and left, preparing to select someone from the reserve team.

After the coaches and players of the reserve team saw Guardiola coming, they all seemed very excited, and even the training on the field became more active!

This is the team's new head coach. It is self-evident that he came to the reserve team for the purpose of inspecting the players' status and preparing to promote them to the first team!

For all the players in Manchester City's reserve team, it is their dream to play for the first team.

Therefore, such an opportunity cannot be missed easily. Each of the players performed very hard in order to impress Guardiola.

Guardiola was chatting with the head coach of the reserve team on the sidelines while observing the performance of the players on the training ground.

These young players have been working hard to express themselves since he came to the court, but the strength shown by most of them is very average. From Guardiola's perspective, these people are obviously not in his eyes.

Guardiola was filled with emotion. When he was at Barcelona, ​​there were a lot of talented players in the La Masia training camp.

But when it comes to Manchester City, it's hard to find even a decent player.

Of course, the La Masia youth training camp has a wide range of talent selection and a greater reputation. Every year, a large number of parents from all over the world bring their children to La Masia for trial training.

Only the most outstanding kids are likely to stay there, so it's no surprise that La Masia has a lot of talent.

Compared with Barcelona, ​​Manchester City's youth training has only gradually gotten on the right track in the past few years and lacks foundation, so there are no good prospects.

Youth training still needs to be addressed, after all, it is the foundation for long-term blood building for the team.

Good players in the future will only become more and more expensive. If you blindly rely on buying people to build a team, the cost will only become higher and higher, and in the end it will bring down the team's financial system.

This is obviously not a long-term solution!

There are almost no players who meet Guardiola's requirements or make him shine, but Guardiola has come and it is impossible to leave empty-handed.

So he had to lower his standards.

If players are selected according to the standards that can establish themselves in the five major leagues, there seem to be a few of these people who look good.

"Well, this striker is good. What's his name?"

Guardiola pointed to a young black forward who was just over 1.8 meters tall and asked the head coach of the reserve team.

"His name? His name is Kelechi Iheanacho. He is 18 years old and a Nigerian. He has great talent and is a good forward prospect!"

Guardiola nodded: "Move him to the first team and try to play a few games!"

After saying this, he saw another defender who performed well in defense.

"What's this defender's name?"

"Tosin Adarabioyo, his physical fitness is very good, and his defensive awareness is also good. If he plays more games in the future, he will be a good defender!"

"Well, then take him with you!"

Guardiola promoted five young players to the first team in one fell swoop, and the rest were really worthless. No matter how poor the first team was, he would not dare to use these people.

The five players who were selected were extremely excited, and each of them felt as if they were hit by happiness.

They felt like they were in a dream, and they couldn't believe that they were actually selected by coach Guardiola!

This is a world-class coach!

As for the players who were not selected, each of them seemed very disappointed.

They will not doubt Guardiola's vision of others, and it is unlikely that the other party will make a mistake.

Since they have not been favored, it means that their talent and strength are indeed not good enough.

This has made many people realize the reality. It will be difficult for them to gain a foothold in Manchester City in the future. They may consider transferring and leaving to try their luck with other teams.

By the time Guardiola returned to the first-team training base with several young players who had been promoted from the reserve team, the assistant coach had also completed registration.

There are many players who want these three days of vacation. After all, who can withstand the temptation of Christmas vacation?

Guardiola had anticipated this situation, so he seemed very calm.

But when he saw Lin Quan's name among them, the calmness on his face completely disappeared.

"Ahem, do you also want to take these three days off?"

Guardiola found an opportunity to find Lin Quan during a training break and mentioned the matter to him.

"Yes, I promised to take Maria and Valentina to the amusement park and aquarium!"

Seeing Guardiola scratching his head, Lin Quan tried his best to hold back his laughter and answered seriously.

Hearing Lin Quan's words, Guardiola hesitated to speak, and hesitated to speak.

"If someone is willing to accompany us to the amusement park, I think Valentina and the others might not be able to be accommodating and postpone the time until after New Year's Day."

Guardiola nodded repeatedly: "No problem, I have time after New Year's Day, and I will definitely take them out to play then!"

Lin Quan nodded and crossed out his name from the list of people applying for leave.

It’s really hard to drive fast on Christmas, but after last year’s experience, I can stick to it this year.

Especially the team is now in a very critical period. Although Guardiola is seeking death, he cannot really watch him die.

"So many of the team's main players are on hiatus. The next game can't be played without you!"

After seeing Lin Quan cross out his name, Guardiola let out a sigh of relief.

Lin Quan couldn't help but roll his eyes at him and asked:

"You've been working hard since the beginning, and you've made such a big deal, are you really not afraid of overturning?"

It's true that if you don't seek death, you won't die. Guardiola wants to win people's hearts, and Lin Quan can understand this.

It's just that he feels that Guardiola doesn't need to be so hasty. He can take his time step by step and there is no need to make such a big move right away.

Just like he does scientific research in the Champions League knockout rounds, this kind of thing can be done in the league. If he does it in a key occasion like the Champions League knockout rounds, he will be praised to the sky if he succeeds, but if he fails, then But you will be scolded miserably!

Guardiola nodded:

"It would be a lie to say I'm not afraid, but I have studied the opponent's game videos and have some ideas. I can try it when the time comes. Even if some of the main players are unable to play, we may not lose."

The next game will be his first game after joining Manchester City, and it will receive a lot of attention. Guardiola naturally does not want to create a false start for himself.

In the next game, Manchester City's opponent is West Bromwich Albion. This team is not strong.

He had said hello to the club staff before, asked for videos of his opponents' recent games, and done thorough research.

Guardiola thought he had a certain degree of certainty, so he dared to do this.

Of course, he cannot play with a full substitute lineup. Lin Quan, the core of Manchester City, must be on the court, because this is the key to his victory.

…

December 26, Manchester, Etihad Stadium.

This is the first game after Christmas and also Guardiola's first show since joining Manchester City.

This game received unprecedented attention. The attendance at the Etihad Stadium was so full that there was not a single empty seat in the entire stadium.

Manchester City fans have been looking forward to this game for a long time!

This is Guardiola's first game since coming to Manchester City, and the outside world is very concerned about the changes his arrival has brought to Manchester City.

Therefore, the Premier League officials specially arranged the live broadcast of this game, and also chose prime time for the game and live broadcast.

Obviously, even the Premier League officials do not want to miss such publicity and promotion opportunities.

However, when the two sides announced the starting lineup for this game before the game, both the fans who came to watch the game and the reporters who came to cover Guardiola's first game were dumbfounded!

What the hell are Manchester City doing?

Why don’t you recognize so many of the players in this starting lineup?