Pep Guardiola’s adaptability as a tactician has shone through at Manchester City with how he has dominated the Premier League.
Erik ten Hag questioned Guardiola by claiming that he failed to adjust his City side’s approach to the speed and physical prowess of English football.
However, Ten Hag’s statement came to bite him back — with Pep Guardiola winning the second-most titles in Premier League history while he lost his job at Manchester United in October.
But the Manchester City boss’ perception of the English game was also one where physicality reigned supreme at one point.
But Guardiola held his hands up in 2019 after being taught a lesson about the Premier League.
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Pep Guardiola predicted David Silva to be a Premier League flop
Pep Guardiola admitted that him foreboding David Silva to be a flop in England due to his slight stature was a grave error.
Guardiola said via The National: “He’s a tiny little player. My image of English football when I was outside, I thought, ‘Maybe he’s going to suffer’ but I was happily, happily wrong.”
“To do 400 games means many years, many bad moments and many good moments and being there day-by-day, week-by-week and I admire that. You can make a good season but he’s done it for almost 10.”
“It’s incredible. For City fans, me included, it’s a privilege to see what he’s done at the club.”
Pep Guardiola went on to break down why David Silva thrived in the Premier League.
“He’s one of the most incredible, intelligent players.”
“Moving in these small spaces he’s really good. With space, everybody takes time and makes the right decision, but he’s really good in small spaces. He’s one of the best.
Guardiola added: “He’s played well here with all the managers. Roberto [Mancini], Manuel [Pellegrini] and with us. After I spoke to the managers he had in Spain and I understood what has been realised here.”
“People believe he has quality with the ball, but it’s more than that. It’s his character. He’s a huge competitor. How he reacts to the bad moments. His specific qualities help him survive in the Premier League. He should be so proud.”
Guardiola was indeed proven wrong by his countryman, who was honoured with a statue outside the Etihad Stadium in 2021.
But crucially, David Silva managed to teach one of the greatest minds the game has ever seen a footballing lesson.
Silva instantly made himself indispensable to Guardiola at Man City
David Silva was one of Manchester City’s best players from the day Guardiola was appointed by the club.
The World Cup winner started 31 league games for the Sky Blues in Pep Guardiola’s debut campaign — instantly proving himself to be an indispensable figure in his team.
During the unforgettable ‘Centurions’ campaign, Silva was one of Manchester City’s and the division’s standout performers as he was nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award — which was subsequently taken home by Mohamed Salah.
In the following season, Manchester City accrued a remarkable 98 points while winning the domestic treble as the retired maestro was a constant feature in his side’s midfield trio — notably rising to the occasion in Kevin De Bruyne’s injury-enforced absence.
Until the former Valencia playmaker departed the club in 2020, he never featured less than 20 games in a single season.
| DAVID SILVA AT MAN CITY UNDER PEP GUARDIOLA | |
| SEASON | PREMIER LEAGUE STARTS |
| 2016/2017 | 31 |
| 2017/2018 | 28 |
| 2018/2019 | 28 |
| 2019/2020 | 22 |
If Pep Guardiola’s idea of English football continued to be reduced to merely a physically domineering environment, it would be a valid question to pose whether he would have been as successful in his early years.
After all, David Silva was arguably Manchester City’s most influential player when Guardiola first won the title in 2018, operating as one of the two advanced midfielders alongside De Bruyne — registering nine goals and 11 assists in the Premier League.
At the time, City’s alternatives in the attacking midfield position were a young Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, who struggled to impress in his first season at City.
In the 2018/2019 season, where City replicated their league triumph, David Silva took on a less creative role in the side — controlling proceedings alongside Ilkay Gundogan with Fernandinho at the base of midfield.
The Sky Blues could have undergone a fall from grace after their title triumph in 2018 had De Bruyne’s absence for the most part meant their midfield fell apart.
Bernardo found his feet as a right-winger while Foden was still being gradually integrated into the side during that season.
Yet, David Silva still managed to put up six goals and eight assists in the league despite Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero being the side’s primary answers for providing productivity in attack.
In his final campaign at the club, it would be fair to claim that Silva was past his best.
However, had David Silva failed to have been as influential for Pep Guardiola in the past, perhaps the likes of Bernardo, Gundogan and Foden would not been handed the require time to become his go-to solutions in midfield.
It goes without saying that the 38-year-old’s brilliance allowed Pep Guardiola to find his feet in his first season at Manchester City where he finished third and go on to conquer Premier League football in 2018 and 2019.
David Silva brought a level of control, execution and magic to bring Guardiola’s vision of being the mastermind behind the Premier League’s most feared team to life.
Guardiola silencing Gary Neville proved Silva right
After Pep Guardiola won his first title, he was invited on Monday Night Football where a clip of Gary Neville was brought to the table where he questioned whether such a diminutive team could become the best team in the country.
On Monday Night Football, Pep Guardiola told Gary Neville he had full belief in his methods.
“We believe so much, we believe a lot the way we want to play. I said many times, last season [2016/2017 campaign], Leicester defeat, some defeats, when we were not good, the people asked, ‘Do you believe you will do it?’ I said, I don’t know! But I’m not going to change because I believe in what we do!”
“Now, the people say it’s so fantastic, comparing the last season but what we have done this season, it’s because we started last season. Many, many of the things happened this year because we started last season.”
Pep Guardiola’s view of the Premier League had changed by that point.
David Silva’s unique footballing intelligence, sublime technique and incredible tactical understanding must surely have reinforced the belief in Guardiola to stay persistent with the profile of players necessary to execute his playing style.
Unintentionally, the City legend helped Pep Guardiola build one of the greatest dynasties English football has ever witnessed.
