OPINION
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about the challenges his side faced in retaining their Premier League title next season and couldn’t help but namedrop West Ham in the process.
The Premier League boss who guided his side to the league title in spectacular fashion last season, listed several contenders for the division’s crown in the upcoming season and mentioned West Ham quickly after doing so, seemingly due to the presence of Manuel Pellegrini.
“Last season we increased the levels of the Premier League, 100 points: the level is here, now we try to take the level, and every team tries to do better and better,” said Guardiola, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
“All the contenders – United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham – will be stronger. Other teams too. Everton took a good manager [in Marco Silva], West Ham with Manuel [Pellegrini].
“Always the expectation is high, we want to do really well and continue what we started two seasons ago. We are going to see. Nobody knows what will happen this season, nobody.”
Guardiola is no doubt very aware that the Hammers will be a different prospect next season, not just because of the many new players they have recruited but because of the presence of an experienced talented manager like Pellegrini.
Pellegrini has regularly delivered success at every club he has been at and knows all about the Premier League from his time at Manchester City where he won the league championship.
While some may question how difficult it is to win the title with the mega-spending side, everyone should just look at how many managers have failed to lift the league title with that club despite having regular access to a chequebook.
However it’s clear that Guardiola knows of Pellegrini’s qualities in order to namedrop him when assessing the Premier League ahead of the new season.
By the time the 2017/18 campaign had finished, West Ham have starved off the threat of relegation but still didn’t have positive vibes surrounding the club as David Moyes’ style of football didn’t look like taking the club forward.
Yet despite not seeing a ball kicked in a competitive game since the last league outing against Everton, just the mere arrival of Pellegrini has put every other side on notice.
This isn’t the first time the Pellegrini factor has worked in the Hammers’ favour this summer as with the likes of Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko joining, clearly his presence is attracting a higher level of talent.
In fact the Ukraine winger has already openly complimented working with Pellegrini since joining the Hammers and he was no doubt aware that he would enjoy the manager’s style of play ahead of joining.
“I am enjoying being part of this squad,” he told the club’s website.
“We have many good players and the coach wants us to play football and not long balls and play attacking football, which I like.”
Therefore it seems that given Guardiola’s need to mentioned the Hammers, it proves that Pellegrini is already have a positive impact at the club ahead of a ball even being kicked.
