In the pre-match conference for Manchester City's upcoming match against Ipswich in the 2nd round of the English Premier League, City defender Stones made positive remarks, expressing his expectations and confidence in his team for the season ahead.
Stones began by emphasizing the high standards and fighting spirit that City has always had, believing that this spirit is the key to the team's ability to keep fighting and achieving good results at critical moments every year. He said that the team must continue to maintain this spirit and strive to achieve more brilliant results than ever before.
Stones gives full credit to the team's self-belief. He believes that City are capable of repeating their past successes and inspire a stronger desire each time they win a trophy. He emphasized the team's goal to win all the honors and the first trophy of the season, the Community Shield, has set a new starting point for the team.
When talking about the long-term plans for the season, Stones said there is still a long way to go ahead. But he is confident that one of the team's greatest strengths is its ability to focus on itself and not be distracted by outside noise. He specifically mentioned the end of the season, where despite all the noise that will come from outside, City will always remain respectful of their opponents and focus on the game itself.
Stones spoke highly of manager Pep Guardiola's tactical arrangements. He believes that Guardiola is a tactical genius who is always able to make targeted arrangements according to the different situations of the opponents. He revealed that in the summer, Guardiola has been thinking about how to improve the team's tactical system and came up with many new ideas. These efforts will undoubtedly provide a strong guarantee for Manchester City's performance in the new season.
Finally, Stones looks back on City's 2-0 victory over Chelsea in the first round of the competition. He felt that although the team wasn't exactly at their best, the players still deserved recognition for their hard work and excellent performance. He particularly emphasized on how well the game started, and that it was a good start to keep a clean sheet and win against such a challenging opponent. At the same time, he also said that the team still has a lot of room for improvement and looks forward to doing better in the coming matches.
