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‘This is precious’: Champs City eye fresh title glory
LONDON, Aug 10, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Vincent Kompany has warned Manchester
City’s rivals that the Premier League champions won’t rest on their laurels
as they aim to follow their record-breaking season with another title
triumph.
Pep Guardiola’s side swept to the title last term with a record 100 points,
amassing more wins and scoring more goals than any previous champion in the
Premier League era.
Inspired by Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and
David Silva, City’s eye-catching style earned comparisons with the finest
teams in English football history.
But no team has successfully defended the Premier League title since
Manchester United in 2008 and 2009, while City were unable to maintain the
standards of their 2012 and 2014 title wins in the campaigns that followed.
City captain Kompany admits his team lacked urgency and desire in those
failed title defences under Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini, but the
Belgian has sensed a far more focused approach from Guardiola’s group.
“Before saying anything or doing anything, you want to observe and see if
you see the same mistakes which we’ve done previously,” Kompany said.
“I’ve got to be honest, there was a feeling when we’ve won the league
previously, you came back in to the training sessions and everybody was a
little bit less intense, a little bit more smiles and happiness, but a little
bit less committed.
“Teams that actually wanted it more could hurt us. I came in to training
this time and it’s completely different.”
With Guardiola saying he is still “starving” for more success, there
appears to be little chance of a City letdown.
They have already made a positive impression ahead of the new campaign by
winning the Community Shield with an emphatic 2-0 victory over Chelsea at
Wembley on Sunday.
That was the perfect preparation for Sunday’s Premier League opener at
Arsenal and Kompany added: “Number one, we realise this is precious and we
want to hold on to it.
“Number two, we went into the game with Chelsea – we lost two Community
Shields before – and this was a strong Chelsea team. We played really well
against them and that, for me, is a great sign.”
– ‘Of course we can improve’ –
City were so strong last term that Guardiola has needed to make only one
major close-season signing — landing Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez from
Leicester in a œ60 million deal.
And City defender Kyle Walker epitomised the squad’s hunger for more
silverware by cutting short his post-World Cup holiday to return to training
ahead of the Community Shield.
Walker had just two weeks off following England’s run to the World Cup
semi-finals, but he said: “I had the option if I wanted to come back later I
could, but I wanted to be involved.
“I left Manchester City at the end of last season in a good place and I
wanted to pick up where we left off. I’m not resting on this. It is a short
career. I want to win as much as I can win.”
Guardiola doesn’t expect City to beat their points record this season, but
with a first Champions League crown also in their sights, the Spaniard is
determined to keep driving his players towards greater heights.
“People say, ‘Can you improve on 100 points?’ – I say no. We are not here
to do that,” Guardiola said.
“But individually the players can improve. Of course we can improve. If I
felt we could not improve the team I would call my chairman and say, ‘OK, I
leave’.
“We believe we can do better, dominate more and we will try to do it. Is it
going to happen? I don’t know but we believe we can do it.”
BSS/AFP/MRI/0828 hrs