Team selections have been a particularly thorny issue with Pep Guardiola in recent days. Nothing new there really, Manchester City‘s manager always paying close attention to naysayers online – especially hindsight merchants.
Guardiola keeps an eye on narratives, suggesting on Friday that he had read contempt for his starting line-up at Newcastle United before then claiming he doesn’t do social media, instead having offending tweets or punditry fed to him by club officials.
Whichever of those is correct is ultimately irrelevant and Guardiola generally makes a pertinent point that nobody else is observing his players train every day or knows how they’re feeling. Of this generation, there isn’t a coach that comes near him and he’s suggested that tactical tweaks that influence victories are often overlooked as the norm.
He is right about all of those things. But he must be racking his brain as to how City can fit Rayan Cherki into this team because yet again there were two versions of them on Saturday: one with him and the other without. For sheer weight of chances and danger, there was only one winner.
That he has started only two of the last six Premier League games while City operate in a system that should suit him perfectly does feel somewhat curious, even more so when faced with low blocks.
Especially given his impact at West Ham. Guardiola reasoned why he cannot offer Cherki, who he described as undoubtedly the team’s best in the danger pockets of space around Erling Haaland, a more regular start.
Rayan Cherki changed the game for Manchester City against West Ham but cannot earn a start
‘It’s for the balance,’ he said. ‘With Erling, Cherki, Jeremy (Doku), we are unbalanced. We need stability. I love to play with Rayan. His impact is unbelievable.
‘He doesn’t always have the speed like Antoine (Semenyo) or Nico O’Reilly, arriving in the box. I’m finding the best way to have the stability and consistency in the team.’
Still working his way through all of these new signings but Cherki’s ability is undeniable.
Within seconds of entering the field on the hour, he had already slipped Haaland in, forcing Mads Hermansen into smartly tipping past the post. It was the first time a forlorn Haaland had breached the home defence all night.
A tricky run and shot forced a corner shortly after in two moments that indicated the Frenchman had done more to influence this game in three minutes than many others had for the 60 beforehand.
City were revived, a freshness to their play with somebody willing to take responsibility and dictate proceedings. Cherki went close with a half-volley, producing another good save.
And really, Guardiola’s side ought to have won this game – one that while doesn’t necessarily spell the end of their title aspirations, leaves them requiring Arsenal to slip up more than anybody truly envisages.
They ought to have won the game because of the injection Cherki gave them, on a par with the league’s leader Bruno Fernandes on the assists per 90 minutes metric.
Pep Guardiola (left) has been complimentary of his man, who has had to bide his time
Given their position in the title race, and the position of the Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, Guardiola might just want to unleash him now. The strange thing is, the box midfield ought to suit either him or Phil Foden – neither of whom picked for the most important games in recent weeks.
‘He may be tougher than other coaches but he loves all the players,’ Cherki said of his manager. ‘We have a good relationship. We laugh and talk often.
‘He’s tough on me. I’m tough on him too: it’s important to me. When I’m on the bench, I’m not happy and he knows it. There are times when I get annoyed, times when I want to hug him. It’s normal.’
The pair of them are often seen having animated debriefs on the pitch after games, most notably after winning in the Bernabeu in December, and you sense Guardiola will relish attempting to get the most out of such a gifted footballer were he to stay at the Etihad Stadium beyond this season.
For now though there are few others offering such a threat in the final third. Guardiola made his exasperation with the attackers obvious in the aftermath of defeat at Real Madrid and the same at the London Stadium, clear in the belief that they are not making the correct runs and the building phase before the last bit is rendered pointless.
Haaland is too often on his heels, not darting to the front or back post. Others are squandering chances or not meeting crosses with enough gumption. This will irk Guardiola more than the galling Gianluigi Donnarumma error.
‘Unfortunately we didn’t score enough goals, and that punished us this season,’ he said. ‘We have to be better in the final third. It happened in many, many games.’
The sooner Guardiola can find that balance to harness Cherki, the better.