Bernardo Silva points out the growing pains associated with this Manchester City side | OneFootball

Manchester City frustratingly drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night. Pep Guardiola’s side led twice but two quality goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson pegged City back. The result sees City fall seven points behind Arsenal in the Premier League table, although City do have a game in hand on Mikel Arteta’s side. Speaking after City’s draw with Nottingham Forest, Bernardo Silva spoke honestly and openly about the fact that this City side is learning how to deal with the pressure of dealing with and overcoming the hurdles that come late in a season. This City side, although it is extremely talented, it is learning on the job and that stood out against Forest.

Bernardo Silva pointed out that this Manchester City side is learning on the fly.

Speaking after Manchester City’s draw with Nottingham Forest, Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva explained that his team’s draw at the Etihad was a disappointing result. He also explained that this City side is a young side that does need to learn to navigate their way through high stakes scenarios. In an interview with Simon Bajkowski published in the Manchester Evening News, Bernardo explained: “It’s quite disappointing what happened today, especially at home, we didn’t want to drop these two points. Tomorrow’s another day, it will feel a bit better, and after tomorrow, even better. We’re still in four competitions so there’s no point in looking back now and crying, we need to go for the next game and hopefully we’re going to have the last two or three months, fighting for all the titles, which is our main goal.”

“We have a young team and it takes time to learn these things or to experience these things. Winning helps a lot. So hopefully if we win this year it will take away the pressure that these games carry even more in the next seasons, but it’s for sure a young team that we all together need to manage better these moments.”

There was an immaturity to Manchester City’s play against Nottingham Forest.

Bernardo Silva’s assessment of this Manchester City squad is on the money. Pep Guardiola’s side remains in the hunt on four fronts this season while learning and adapting to the challenges that come with that. Every match from now until the end of the season has huge ramifications. Such are the stakes that arrive at this point of the season. The majority of this City squad is learning how to play under that particular pressure, and against Nottingham Forest, it did seem that City at times didn’t know when to stick or twist.

Against Nottingham Forest, City had 70% possession. Typically Pep Guardiola’s side is dominant in possession. Throughout Wednesday night’s match, City routinely recycled possession rather than go for the jugular so to speak. This allowed a well-drilled Nottingham Forest side to get back into their low defensive block which frustrated City throughout the match at the Etihad. Playing in such a controlled manner is typically how Pep Guardiola wants his team to play. But there were moments to attack Forest on Wednesday, especially when City pressed Forest into error high up the pitch. But the immaturity of this City side stood out as they didn’t seem aware of when to take their moment as they would have done in previous seasons. Instead they played safe and that did allow Vitor Perreira’s side to frustrate them at times.

Bernardo Silva put out a timely reminder that this Manchester City side is still learning what it takes to play under pressure at a pivotal point of the season. That stood out at times against Nottingham Forest; if this City side knew when to stick instead of twist, they may have put Forest away. It will take time for this City team to learn this concept. It will come, and when it does, Pep Guardiola’s side will be a formidable proposition.