“Other things I prefer” – Pep Guardiola snubs set-piece focus on Manchester City training ground | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has admitted to personally not focussing on set-pieces as much as some may expect at Manchester City this season, speaking to reporters this week.

The Premier League title chasers head into their latest top-flight outing against Nottingham Forest in strong form, having pieced together a string of consecutive victories across all competitions.

A hard-fought 0-1 success away to Leeds United last time out ensured City kept pace with leaders Arsenal, intensifying the pressure at the summit and maintaining the opportunity to stay within two points of Mikel Arteta’s side when playing an equal amount of matches.

January arrival Antoine Semenyo proved decisive at Elland Road, while the likes of Marc Guehi, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Rayan Cherki continue to maintain top level performance standards amid a demanding run of fixtures.

With an FA Cup fifth round clash against Newcastle United upcoming on Saturday night, and a UEFA Champions League showdown against Real Madrid also looming, attention to detail has never been more critical.

Speaking ahead of City’s upcoming clash with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola was quizzed on how his first-team set-up have adapted to the importance of set-pieces in the English top-flight this season.

“A little bit more [practice] than maybe last season… it’s an important factor. We have specific meetings like I’m pretty sure every team [has]. It’s not [just] corners, it’s throw-ins. Last game, [Ethan] Ampadu seven or eight times into the box like a corner, and the second ball, the chaos – it’s a dangerous action,” Guardiola highlighted.

“Today with corners, free kicks, throw-ins, it’s more often. Of course you have to pay attention,… Even Liverpool scored a lot of goals in set-pieces. They are really, really good. All the teams, the Premier League especially, I think there are a lot,” he continued.

However, while Pep Guardiola understands the importance of this particular element of the game, it is not an area he particularly ‘likes’ to work on and as such focusses his own attention elsewhere.

“Of course you have to be concerned and prepared, but at the same time always there are a lot of things you prepare for the game so be focused with that and you as a manager have to decide what you like to work with. And there are other things I prefer to work with.”

Manchester City appointed Liverpool’s James French during the summer months prior to the ongoing season, placing his mind into the role of set-piece coach at the Etihad Stadium, with Guardiola now admitting that this area of the game is left in the former Anfield man’s hands.

“Today I think all the teams have incredible masters; Arsenal is outstanding, but Brentford have been with Thomas Frank from before, and now the same [with Keith Andrews] this season, how many goals Brentford and many, many, many teams.

“All of them, it’s an incredible tool for the teams to score goals, to don’t concede, to create. After what happens there, it’s my opinion.”

Pep Guardiola’s comments highlight the modern evolution of the Premier League during its ongoing campaign, where marginal gains from dead-ball situations may swing the title race.

While Manchester City remain renowned for their intricate positional play and dominance in open phases, and have continued to improve in such areas following a significant overhaul of their playing squad, they are increasingly aware of the threat posed by structured routines.

With crucial fixtures approaching – particularly the last-16 European tests against Real Madrid – Pep Guardiola appears content to delegate specialist duties while maintaining his primary focus on the broader tactical picture.