Pep Guardiola Reportedly Growing Impatient with Vincent Kompany

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany reportedly faces a big fight to prove to manager Pep Guardiola that he possesses the fitness and technical quality to be a part of the club’s future.

According to James Ducker of the Daily Telegraph, Guardiola has grown impatient with the Belgium international—not only because of his constant injury issues but also the performances he has turned in for the Etihad Stadium side.

Kompany played 45 minutes against Manchester United in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, and Ducker noted the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss wasn’t happy with the skipper’s showing: "The City manager cut an exasperated figure on the touchline at Old Trafford when he watched Kompany kicking the ball long on occasions and attempting to play a couple of overly adventurous passes that failed to reach their intended targets."

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Kompany is reportedly “under pressure to conform to what the manager wants from his centre-halves.”

Underpinning these stylistic clashes is the 30-year-old’s fight to stay fit. Ducker noted the defender has promised to be more transparent with the medical staff at City, and Guardiola stated the Belgian conceded he was “tired” and “not ready” at the interval at Old Trafford.

As Sky Sports Statto noted ahead of the derby, it had been a long time since Kompany has started two games in a row for City:

At his best, the Belgium captain was arguably the best centre-back in world football. Kompany was indomitable in physical battles, quick across the ground and a composed distributor. Factor in his tremendous leadership skills, and he was the heartbeat behind City’s two Premier League title wins.

However, injuries have taken their toll on Kompany, making it difficult for any manager to build a side with him as a key component. After all, according to Transfermarkt.co.uk, the centre-back has suffered eight separate injuries since the start of the 2014-15 season.

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Reliability is especially pertinent when it comes to Guardiola, who has a defined style of play and needs his squad members to be building up links all over the pitch.

The manager isn’t in a position where he can experiment much with his defence, either:

Guardiola has shown a ruthlessness in his management of this City side. Joe Hart was shipped out on loan to Torino. Yaya Toure has been marginalised, while Sergio Aguero was on the bench for a key game against Barcelona.

It’s unlikely his approach will be different for Kompany.

Ultimately, the onus is on the defender to show he can be a key part of this new version of City. Getting fit is vital, and a promise of more dialogue between Kompany and the medical department feels like a positive step. Should he establish that base, the Belgian can go about showing he has the traits needed to blossom in a Guardiola setup.