Ruben Dias slammed Southampton’s approach in their 0-0 draw with Manchester City, but his manager Pep Guardiola said he doesn’t agree.
Ruben Dias was furious with Southampton’s tactics as Manchester City were held to a 0-0 draw at St Mary’s
Pep Guardiola disagreed with his Manchester City vice-captain Ruben Dias, who tore into Southampton’s negative tactics in their 0-0 draw on Saturday.
Southampton celebrated their point which ensures they have bettered the worst ever points record in a Premier League season, but Guardiola looked frustrated at full-time along with some of his players. Dias did not hold back when ripping apart Southampton’s ‘frustrating’ and unambitious tactics, however, saying it was ‘no good for anyone.’
Dias, told BBC Five Live: “It’s frustrating, obviously in a moment like this every point matters. And it is obviously frustrating to play against a team like this.
“They don’t even try anything, they just sit and they don’t even want to win the game. They just want to be there. It is no good for the show and no good for themselves. It is no good for anyone but it is what it is.”
Dias referenced goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale’s time-wasting as one area of frustration, adding: “I saw a completely different team the last time we played. I don’t know how many times players went on the floor to try and waste time and waste time and waste time. It kills the rhythm of the game.
“We always have to do better but it is not easy to get into a team that behaves this way. Loads of people everywhere, we must be better and be more dynamic and quicker. We need to be better.”
However, Pep Guardiola defended Southampton’s right to defend deep, praising his side for restricting the hosts to zero shots on target and openly disagreeing with his vice captain.
“No, no ,no. Absolutely not,” he said in response to Dias’ eye-catching criticism. “They can do whatever they want. For many years here we faced teams in different approaches and they decided they have to play. It’s on us to break them.
“In those terms, many times teams have played five in the back or six and the striker has gone on our holding midfielder and there’s no space, it’s difficult.
“You have to break it and we had the chances, when you review the chances for nothing we could not score and it happened. Now we prepare the final and now it is next time and Fulham.
“We did not concede one shot on target and they didn’t do much but we have to accept the way they play, it belongs to Simon [Rusk] and his assistant coaches. I don’t agree with Ruben, we have to accept it.”
And Southampton interim manager Simon Rusk said of Dias’ view: “What a player. It’s frustrating isn’t it and that was our aim, we did want to frustrate them. It’s a back-handed compliment. If we go toe-to-toe with Manchester City we lose. We’ve got a fifth of their budget. We have to find our way and that’s okay.”