Football
Richard Jolly, ESPN.com writer 9y

Man City captain Vincent Kompany must accept criticism, says Pellegrini

MANCHESTER -- Manuel Pellegrini has told Vincent Kompany he will have to get used to criticism as it is part of life at an elite club.

The Manchester City captain has been blamed by pundits for his side's defeats to Barcelona and Liverpool after he was culpable for goals that Luis Suarez and Jordan Henderson scored.

But while manager Pellegrini refuses to criticise his players in public, he feels they have to be capable of dealing with life in the spotlight if they are to prosper.

And the 61-year-old Chilean insisted he is not worried when others condemn him for his tactics and team selection.

He said in a news conference: "When you play in a big team, or when you manage a big team, you must be prepared to receive all different criticism when you don't win or when you don't put in a normal performance.

"They are important players and they must be used to this happening. As a manager, you cannot pretend to be at a big team and not be criticised when you don't win."

Pellegrini believes he is more flexible tactically than his critics acknowledge, saying that he can use various formations within his attacking blueprint.

"We have a style of play that we are not going to change," he said. "It is the best way we must win. Then you talk about different tactical systems: 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1. We play with two strikers and one and with no strikers and we haven't any problems to change our style in the way we have and have a good performance."

City won two trophies in Pellegrini's first season in charge and are on course to end the current campaign without any.

The former Real Madrid manager believes his side are progressing in some respects, but regressing in others.

"I think it is different team," he said. "Last year we score very easily, especially at home. The games at home we are doing worse this season because we lose too many games here especially in the two cups and against other teams in the Premier League.

"Maybe last year all the criticism was because we didn't know how to play away. Today we are the best team playing away so there are different moments of the season so it is very difficult to compare one part of the season with the complete season. We have better things, we have worse things."

City host Leicester on Wednesday and Pellegrini can pick from a fully-fit squad after none of his players picked up injuries in Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Liverpool.

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