market to give the club some extra attacking
cutting edge alongside their young starv
Gabriel Jesus' seamless adaptation to life in the Premier
League puts Pep Guardiola in mind of Lionel Messi but
the Manchester City manager suggested he will need
further attacking reinforcements to address his team's
shortcoming in front of goal.
Brazil striker Jesus has four goals in as many top-flight
starts for City – a streak punctuated by more than two
months on the sidelines with a broken metatarsal
suffered at Bournemouth in February.
Sergio Aguero's absence with a groin problem means
the 20-year-old is expected to lead the line when
Crystal Palace visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and
Guardiola is impressed by how quickly he has settled.
"Before we got him we expected a lot of things but not
that impact as soon as possible," the former Barcelona
boss said. "He will be the future striker of the club for
the next years."
Asked for an example of players who had adapted so
well to a new challenge, Guardiola responded: "There
are many, especially the good ones. Messi, for example
– he was 18 or 19 years old and scored 40 league goals
in a year.
"The big players, the top players are top players.
Sometimes we talk about needing more time and you
have to give that time.
"Some players came here to the Premier League, in the
first year and the second season it was difficult and
then… wow, explosion.
"But the other ones, if mentally they are strong, if they
are positive, they are skilled – they arrive and, wow, it
is done."
City completed the deal for Jesus with Palmeiras last
year, with the forward completing the Campeonato
Brasileiro season and winning the league title before
arriving in Manchester in January.
Guardiola accepts that if City had waited to get the deal
done, their man might have headed to one of Europe's
heavyweight clubs.
"When we decided to buy Gabriel, he had a lot, a lot of
'girlfriends' – a lot of teams to go to," he explained.
"And he decided to come here. We were so pleased. I
am very pleased that Gabriel wanted to take that step.
"Maybe if he had waited one more year, or half a year in
Brazil, maybe the big clubs in Europe, the big clubs in
terms of playing in the Champions League every year,
with a long history [would sign him].
"And he decided to come with us. When that happens,
all we can do is help him. I love that."
Aguero is responsible for 31 of City's goals this season,
with wingers Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane producing
the next best return on nine apiece.
Guardiola maintained he would persist with his intricate
passing style next season, as City find themselves still
battling to secure a top-four spot, and insisted a sharper
edge in front of goal is needed – with the recourse to the
transfer market seeming likely.
"The reason why at home we didn't win?" said
Guardiola, when addressing a record of eight wins,
seven draws and a defeat to Chelsea in the league.
"Lack of goals. As simple as that.
"In football, the most difficult thing by far is to put the
ball in the net, score goals. In golf the most difficult
thing is putting; in basketball the most difficult is when
you shoot.
"When you want a guy who is fast, you have to buy a
player who is fast. Goals, you have to buy. It is what it
is."
0 Comments