Thierry Henry issued an impassioned defense of his former boss Pep Guardiola on Monday night footballbut they admitted that the Manchester City manager could be “questioned” for the first time amid their poor form.
Henry questioned why Guardiola had allowed free-scoring players like Riyad Mahrez, Julian Alvarez and Cole Palmer to leave the Etihad without being replaced, and asked where the goals came from when Erling Haaland wasn't firing on all cylinders.
City are on a run of eight defeats in their last 12 games following Sunday's 2-1 defeat in the Manchester derby, which left them nine points off the top of the Premier League table, having played a game more than the leaders Liverpool.
Although they have struggled defensively without Rodri, Guardiola's side have also recorded their lowest number of goals in any season since his arrival.
“We all know, this is the first time and we are allowed to say, that we can challenge his decisions to let Cole Palmer go, Riyad Mahrez, Julian Alvarez,” said Henry.
“Ilkay Gundogan came back and it's not the same Gundogan who scored 17 goals a season.
“You miss those goals. Erling Haaland is getting the same goals, a little less than in his first season, but he is doing what he usually does.
“I've seen him miss sitters every season but where are the goals of Mahrez, Alvarez or Kevin De Bruyne, Gundogan – where are those goals?”
Henry said he did not expect Guardiola to quit, just weeks after signing a new two-year contract to take him through to June 2027, but defended the manager he worked for at Barcelona in the first his work for the level of stability he has achieved. since then.
Please use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Pep Guardiola says he is 'not good enough' after Man City lost for the fifth time in the league this season.
“One thing I will say about this team, this is the first time this has happened to him in his career. Let's not kill this man or this team because of what is happening,” he said.
“You can never say (that he could quit) – but Pep is not that kind of coach. He's really tough, and mean and intense when you win, because he wants to keep you there.
“And he's better when he's down. You can see when the team didn't play well, he'll come out and say 'I love my team, they played really well tonight'.
“And sometimes he comes on the pitch and tries to tell his team when they won 3-0, you can see him arguing that someone missed a pass.
“I like that. You change when you're at the top, you try to change so you can stay there. Once you're here, you try to be you're a nice boy now.”
Carra: This is the first Pep rebuild that feels like one
Sergio Aguero scored 78 Premier League goals during Pep Guardiola's first four seasons at Man City
Jamie Carragher said City's problems only highlighted the level of rebuilding needed when their squad's evolution had become clearer in previous years, despite replacing club legends such as Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Vincent Kompany during Guardiola's time at the club.
He said: “It's the first time it feels like a rebuild, even though there have been but they've been so successful that they haven't lost the players you're talking about. talk
“It's something every club has gone through. You look at Jurgen Klopp a year or two ago, Man Utd under Sir Alex Ferguson where you look at it and think it will take them a year or two to get back to where they were. .
“Because Pep is so good, you never felt it was a rebuild even though it was.
