Manchester City, who once dominated European football under Pep Guardiola, are going through a turbulent season. Amid their poor form, a wave of criticism has emerged, with many fans and pundits openly calling this “the worst version of Man City in Pep’s history”.
What has stirred up public opinion even more is that Pep Guardiola is said to have deliberately “blamed” Omar Marmoush – the Egyptian striker – after a recent disappointing match. According to inside sources, Pep has hinted that Marmoush was the direct cause of the team losing important points, despite the fact that the whole team was underperforming.
This statement immediately caused controversy. On social networks, thousands of fans believe that Pep has lost his usual composure and fairness. “He can blame the whole team, but pointing the finger at a new player who hasn’t really had much chance to show his ability only shows that Pep is confused,” one comment on Twitter wrote.
Meanwhile, football experts have also spoken out. Some agree that Marmoush is not of the caliber to shoulder the big responsibility, but making him a “scapegoat” only reflects Pep’s inability to find a solution. The former England player frankly commented: “Man City did not lose just because of Marmoush. They lost because the whole system was operating poorly, from defense to attack.”
This incident further highlights the enormous pressure that is weighing on Pep Guardiola. After the glorious years with the historic treble, now any misstep of Man City becomes the subject of attack. And instead of protecting his students, Pep chose to direct public opinion towards an individual – a strategy that many people believe only further cracks the dressing room.
From a personal perspective, I think Pep blaming Marmoush is a strategic mistake. A great coach needs to know how to protect his players from media pressure, instead of using them as an excuse to hide his failures. Pep has been praised many times as an inspiration, knowing how to exploit the players’ abilities to the fullest. But in this case, he went against his own philosophy.
Moreover, Man City being called “the worst in history” did not just stem from one match. It was the result of a series of problems: the decline in form of key players, contracts that did not meet expectations, and perhaps the saturation in the playing style that Pep had applied for many years. As opponents became stronger, City’s inability to maintain a breakthrough made them easy to predict.
Omar Marmoush, in a way, was a victim of the situation. He was just a rookie, still struggling to find his place, but was pushed into the light as the “sinner”. If this situation continues, it is possible that Marmoush will gradually lose confidence, both from the coach and his teammates, causing his career at Man City to soon fall into a deadlock.
It can be said that what is happening to Pep and Man City reflects the harshness of modern football: from the peak of glory to the abyss is only a few steps away. And if Pep does not soon find a way to restore confidence and form for the team, the title of “worst team” will probably be attached to this season – regardless of where they finish.
