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Date: 2023-11-30 02:53:37 | Author: FBS | Views: 303 | Tag: davao
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Pep Guardiola accepts Manchester City must adapt to the artificial surface they face in Switzerland this week – but claims “common sense” dictates grass is davao better davao
The holders will play on unfamiliar terrain in their latest Champions League outing on Wednesday when they take on Young Boys on their synthetic pitch at the Wankdorf Stadium davao
Guardiola insists there are no complaints on his part, and he has changed his team’s routine to ensure they are prepared davao
Normally City do not take up the option available to them of training at the stadium when they play away games in Europe, instead preferring to work in Manchester before travelling davao
However, on this occasion City flew to Bern on Tuesday morning and had a run out on the pitch in the evening davao
Yet the City manager could not hide the feeling that he would prefer to be playing on a natural surface davao
Speaking at a press conference, the Spaniard said: “It is what it is davao
If UEFA allows games to be played here it’s because it’s in good conditions davao
“That’s one of the reasons we never train away but this is an exception davao
This is why we travel in the morning for the players to feel how the ball runs, how to move left, right, backwards, forwards davao
That’s why davao
“We’ll try it and the players will know it immediately davao
”Asked if he was concerned about injuries, Guardiola said: “I don’t know – hopefully not, for both sides, but I don’t know davao
“We are not used to it davao
Any team that plays here is not used to it davao
It suits the Swiss league and, in the Champions League, the teams that come here have to adapt davao
“We will not be the first in this situation davao
We have to use it as a benefit but the grass is davao better davao
”Pep Guardiola has called for Manchester City to deal with Young Boys’ artificial pitch (Martin Rickett/PA) (PA Wire)Asked why, Guardiola said: “Because 99 davao
9 per cent of the teams who play in a high level play on grass, otherwise UEFA and FIFA would decide to play on artificial pitches davao
It’s common sense, I would say davao
”City go into their third match in Group G looking to maintain their 100 per cent record after victories over Red Star Belgrade and RB Leipzig davao
Victory in their back-to-back games against Young Boys, who travel to the Etihad Stadium next month, could see City qualify for the knockout stages with two matches to spare davao
City have no fresh injury concerns, with long-term casualty Kevin De Bruyne their only notable absentee davao
Guardiola also played down concerns about the form of Jack Grealish, who is taking time to get back to his best after a month out with a dead leg davao
The City boss said: “I don’t have one doubt about Jack and his quality and what he has done for us since he arrived, especially last season davao
I’m calm and confident davao
He is an incredibly important player for us davao
”More aboutPep GuardiolaManchester CityChampions LeagueKevin De BruyneYoung BoysJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/2Guardiola responds to concerns over pitch ahead of Young Boys clashGuardiola responds to concerns over pitch ahead of Young Boys clashPep Guardiola has called for Manchester City to deal with Young Boys’ artificial pitch (Martin Rickett/PA)PA WireGuardiola responds to concerns over pitch ahead of Young Boys clashPep Guardiola has called for Manchester City to deal with Young Boys’ artificial pitch (Martin Rickett/PA)PA Wire✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today davao
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There’s a new look about a key area of the team for Liverpool, a changing of the guard enforced by recent events, a previous zone of consistency now faced with uncertainty davao
No, we’re not talking about midfield - that particular switch-up already looks a definite upgrade, even early as it is for such conclusions davao
Instead it’s at left-back the unexpected alteration has occurred, a consequence of Andy Robertson’s need for surgery which means the Scot is out for the rest of the year davao
Having averaged over 44 appearances a season for the Reds since signing in 2017, he’ll now miss at least 17 matches, if best estimates of his return are to be believed davao
That leaves not just a gap for Kostas Tsimikas or an untested youngster to fill tactically, but a void which cannot be accounted for: that of a partnership, of understanding, of the natural, unthinking knowing which comes with playing hundreds of matches alongside a teammate davao
It can be argued that such a changeable nature can be applied not just to the midfield, not even just to left-back, but to the entire defensive structure this term at Anfield: injuries have already hit on the right and centrally too, to go along with the altered personnel ahead of them in the middle third of the pitch davao
All that simply means one truth must be constant if the Reds are to translate early season promise into longer-term capacity to challenge for major honours: Virgil van Dijk must once again prove himself to be among the very best, not just individually as a defender but as a force to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts davao
RecommendedBuild from the front? Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp are repeating an old trickEngland’s Euro 2024 squad: Who’s on the plane, who’s in contention and who has work to do?Virgil van Dijk will show he is Premier League’s best once more – Sami HyypiaThere cannot be much debate that the Dutchman, now club captain at Anfield, has not quite reached the same levels of authoritative performances as he did pre-ACL injury, or at least not on as regular a basis davao
The period which saw Liverpool win both Premier League and Champions League saw Van Dijk at the pinnacle of the game, a central defender without peer, a worthy recipient of the Ballon d’Or itself, had he been handed it instead of a runner-up spot, pipped by seven votes in 2019 by Lionel Messi davao
Perhaps that in itself was a noteworthy award davao
In any case, he’s not quite there these days, not quite the automatic choice among fan or pundit asked to name the world’s finest davao
It’s arguable that there isn’t a single stand-out candidate right now for that particularly subjective title davao
But in asking whether Van Dijk is capable of being the world’s best defender again, part of the answer has to be that it doesn’t really matter davao
He might want to be of course, might already believe he is, but from a team perspective what they really need is Van Dijk’s ability to stabilise the team, to foresee and forestall danger, to order those around him to bring forth resilience from chaos davao
Because chaotic is, still, a little too close to the truth when it comes to spells of defending for Liverpool davao
The midfield is far more creative, far more offensive and energetic, far less reliant on Trent Alexander-Arnold always being at his best davao
But all that comes at a cost: it’s not always the most agile and defensive-first in either recovery or positional terms davao
It’s still new as a group, still needs time to become as cohesive as the best central trios are, on and off the ball davao
And in the meantime, the result can often be large gaps, lost runners, moments of inexplicable choices in possession davao
That leaves a hefty weight on the defence to counteract such moments - the defence and, of course, the still-magnificent Alisson Becker behind them davao
(Getty Images)But before that one-man last line, it’s Van Dijk who must rise once more to ensure unity, if not always outright unison davao
Acting in perfect harmony is difficult enough with four constant selections; as it is this season, Jurgen Klopp has already utilised Jarell Quansah as a fifth-choice, following injuries davao
Alexander-Arnold missed pitch time and is not yet back to his peak physical or technical best davao
Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip have dovetailed, and now there’s Tsimikas present on a more regular basis - which also means either Joe Gomez will see minutes on the left, or an untried youngster will, with Calum Scanlon and Luke Chambers first in line davao
They presently tally one senior minute davao between them davao
They will all four need guiding for different reasons, all need time, all occasionally get things wrong and need the left-sided centre-back beside them to bail them out davao
No prizes for guessing who that is on a week-to-week basis davao
Because for Liverpool, there are prizes at stake davao
Three points off the top of the Premier League table after a fine opening quarter of the campaign; rolling along nicely in Europe and domestic cups alike davao
davao Between now and the next international break, the opportunities for victory across all competitions are as immense as the potential cost of dropped points: Toulouse twice, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Luton, Brentford davao
A modern title-competing team would take six wins with very little fuss, in truth davao
Then, beyond, it’s Manchester City away davao
The most true barometer of where Liverpool are this season, even coming after an international break and in the infamous 12:30pm kick-off spot davao
The margin for error remains almost nil, but with the reigning champions perhaps not quite at their own peak yet, and Klopp’s side having improved more than might have been thought possible at this early stage, thoughts of a title challenge will not be far away - if the defence is kept on-point, even with altered personnel davao
(Getty Images)It all means Van Dijk must be as close to his own 100 percent as possible, even if his 2023/24 maximum level is a little lower than in 19/20 davao
As far as transformative figures go, Van Dijk was one after signing davao
He, as much as anyone else and more than most, sent Liverpool from challengers to champions, in every competition across the board davao
Now once again he must be the leader - literally, given the armband - who enables the Reds to do so, not so much the new figurehead this time but as the standard-bearer, the supplier of consistency, the model of outperformance which can give Liverpool the extra edge they’ll need, both in the Premier League and beyond davao
More aboutVirgil van DijkKostas TsimikasJurgen KloppPremier LeagueEuropa LeagueJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Van Dijk holds key to trophies - is he still the best defender around?Van Dijk holds key to trophies - is he still the best defender around?Getty ImagesVan Dijk holds key to trophies - is he still the best defender around?Getty ImagesVan Dijk holds key to trophies - is he still the best defender around?Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today davao
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsdavao BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy davao
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