Harland was once again in the spotlight as he scored a hat-trick in Manchester City's 3-1 win over West Ham United in the third round of the Premier League. In his post-match press conference, manager Pep Guardiola gave an insight into a number of his team's key players and the intensive fixtures ahead.
Harland: an unstoppable goal machine
Guardiola was full of praise for Harland's performances, describing him as "unstoppable" and emphasizing that no central defender can stop him. He singled out Harland's habit of practicing after training as an important reason for his excellent form. Guardiola also pointed out that Harland was not in good shape last season due to physical reasons, but now he has fully recovered and has shown great intelligence and team integration in the game. Guardiola emphasized that Harland's high quality of shooting and his active participation in defense and offense bring an all-round contribution to the team.
The team's three-game winning streak: a good start to the season
Guardiola expressed his delight at his team's third consecutive win. He credited Harland's back-to-back goals as the key to his team's victory, but also recognized the outstanding performances of other players. He specifically mentioned players like Rico Lewis, De Bruyne, Gündogan and McCarty for playing in tight spaces and creating a lot of chances for the team. Guardiola also noted that there is still room for improvement in the team's passing ability and looks forward to future progress in this area.
Gralish: Aggression without the ball is impressive
Gralish had an excellent game and was named in the new England squad. Guardiola spoke highly of Gralish's running without the ball and aggression, and thought he was particularly good against Wan-Bissaka. He hopes that Gralish will return to the national team in better form and wishes all England players good health.
Foden's absence: poor health
On the reason why Foden did not travel with the team, Guardiola revealed that he was absent due to an upset stomach and a viral infection. He said that Foden's condition is not serious, but the England team has already made a decision. Guardiola hopes that Foden will recover his health and return to the field as soon as possible.
Rico Lewis: Talented young linebacker
Pep Guardiola spoke highly of Rico Lewis' performance. He believes that Rico Lewis has an uncanny ability to find openings in the game and receive passes from his teammates. He emphasized that Rico Lewis is an important pillar for the future of the team as he is able to play multiple positions and provide continuity to the team. However, Guardiola also pointed out that Rico Lewis will need to be rested and rotated in order to be at his best in the face of an intensive fixture schedule.
Challenges and Responses to an Intensive Schedule
Facing the upcoming intensive schedule and changes after the international match day, Guardiola said the team needs to make appropriate adjustments. He revealed that he has fine-tuned his squad for today's match and emphasized that every player needs to be ready to cope with the intense pace of the game from now on. He emphasized that the team will need the concerted efforts and preparation of all players to cope with the challenges of an intensive schedule from now until the end of the season. At the same time, he expects to see further changes and improvements in the squad and tactics after the International Day.
