Man City's Performance Against Southampton Was Their Worst of the Season

Not since March 2009 has Pep Guardiola gone five matches without a victory as manager of a football club. After a 10-game winning run at the start of the season, he’s now repeated the feat after Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Southampton at the Etihad Stadium, a result that saw them fail to capitalise on their rivals’ dropped points the day before. It’s now four weeks since they last tasted victory, a most unusual scenario for Guardiola, who must quickly find a solution.

But it will be the performance that upsets Guardiola the most. Whereas in many of their previous games they have at least shown vibrancy in attack, their draw with Claude Puel’s side was defined by City’s lacklustre forward play.

They failed to produce a single shot on target in the first half—the first time that’s happened all season—and even after a marked improvement in the second period, they managed just three, their lowest tally under Guardiola. Southampton were given an easy ride, and that will annoy the Catalan manager, a man with exacting standards.

Whereas there were positives to take from the draw with Everton when City were magnificent for long periods, and the 4-0 defeat to Barcelona that was turned by a red card for Claudio Bravo, this one offered little cheer. City were somewhat laboured on the ball and didn’t move it with their usual speed. David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne, who went off with an injury at half-time, saw plenty of the ball couldn’t find their usual level of creativity.

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Man City have won 20 pts from their opening 9 games this season. That's 1 fewer than at this stage of 2015-16 under Manuel Pellegrini #PL pic.twitter.com/Jy1xz9Q5BJ

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) October 23, 2016"

“Yeah, we had a little bit of problems to create our build-up, it was slow and when we arrive with the players with the ball in front to make the difference one against one,” Guardiola said afterwards.

“The big difference between the first and the second half is obvious. The first half we had problems, the second half the players change their mentality, to rebuild the situation.

“Unfortunately we didn’t win. We concede a goal when the opponent did not make anything. The second half we tried again.

“It was a chance and nothing else and we didn’t create too much but we were there like a team and okay, now we are going to accept the situation.

“Five games without winning is because something happened and we have to accept that is the situation right now.”

Guardiola kept his players in the dressing room for 50 minutes after the full-time whistle as the inquest began. He denies there being angry exchanges but says there are issues that need fixing.

OLI SCARFF/Getty Images

“We were together, we spoke but nothing special. We spoke about what is the situation we have and from this situation try to go up.

“I was a football player and I know this can happen. You are able to win 10 times in a row and after you are not able to win five times. That is part of football. You have to accept that but I am not a guy who regrets. So I have to discover the reason why and I’m going to fight for that.”

It took Kelechi Iheanacho’s introduction to stir City into something like their old selves. The young Nigerian disappointed against Everton when he was given a starting berth, but this was a reminder of his quality.

The 19-year-old gave City more urgency. He scored 10 minutes after coming on and reaffirmed his status as one of the most lethal finishers in the Premier League—he has now netted 11 goals from 17 shots on target in his Premier League career. And his ability to drop off and link play brought some variability to City’s football.

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Kelechi Iheanacho has scored 8 goals in his last 11 PL apps since Apr 23. Only Sadio Mane (9) has scored more PL goals in this period #PL pic.twitter.com/NmN5fpUb3Y

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) October 23, 2016"

It’s perhaps the individual errors in defensive areas that will be concerning Guardiola the most. The draw at Celtic, the defeat to Spurs and the hammering by Barcelona each saw City contribute to their own downfall. Guardiola is a brilliant coach who has brought new ideas to the club—but he cannot vouch for his players making glaring mistakes that gift the opposition goals.

Against Southampton, it was the turn of John Stones. With 27 minutes on the clock, he played a blind pass back to Bravo that the impressive Nathan Redmond intercepted easily, rounded the City ‘keeper and slotted home with ease.

A gift. An error. Another unnecessary uphill battle.

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Standing together at full time. #mcfc pic.twitter.com/5VBaFkx3w3

— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 23, 2016"

Stones has been hugely impressive since joining City and looks a fine prospect, but this was a costly mistake. He is a wonderful ball-playing centre-half whose desire to pass the ball and take risks going forward is often exhilarating to watch. But being solid defensively is his main concern, and this was an example of Stones lacking concentration at a vital moment.

He is likely to benefit from Vincent Kompany’s return. The Belgian captain played 78 minutes against Southampton, his first league start since April.

Stones has had to shoulder much of the responsibility in City’s back line this season, but if Kompany can remain fit he will ease some of the burden. The Belgian looked a little rusty but produced enough good moments to suggest City will be a better side with him in it.

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PEP: We will see tomorrow after the players’ recovery and we will decide whether it is good to make rotations (for United game). #mcfc

— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 23, 2016"

Boos rang out at full-time as frustrated City fans cursed their missed opportunity to put daylight between themselves and the chasing pack. It’s perhaps a sign of how far expectations have risen at City that a draw at home to Southampton in a season that has seen them lose just two games in 15 matches all season. The fans should be getting behind their players as the team’s form falters, not making things worse.

City remain top of the Premier League table on goal difference, with just one point separating the top five. Dropped points in home games against Everton and Southampton over the past week already look costly, and City have now dropped more points at home already this season than they did in the entirety of their 2011-12 title-winning campaign.

There’s still work for Guardiola to do.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and follows the club from a Manchester base. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.