David Moyes has compared Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola to celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal for his tactical innovations that defy convention.
Blumenthal is famous for unusual recipes like bacon and egg flavored ice cream and snail porridge that work despite the ingredients.
West Ham boss Moyes, who wants to finish City’s 19-game run on Saturday, sees Guardiola the same way.
“Pep is the Heston Blumenthal of football,” said Moyes.
Former Barcelona coach Guardiola’s earlier move was to use Joao Cancelo as full-back and midfielder at the same time. This tactic has messed up a number of opposing managers.
“Blumenthal is going to do something stupid or outrageous that you would never dream of like mixing chocolate with eggs, and you think that will never work, it won’t taste right or look good. But it does,” added Moyes .
“Pep does things in football that are remarkable, that many other people would not have thought of. I really appreciate him. He is innovative and always on the lookout for new ideas.
“I feel like he’s in a think tank, thinking about how to make his players better or where to receive the ball in space and make it difficult for the opponent.”
When it comes to cooking, Moyes compares himself to fellow countryman Scot Gordon Ramsay, known for his fiery temperament and exquisite language: “You know what you’re getting there, don’t you?”
Stopping Cancelo doesn’t prove to be a particularly amusing pastime, however, and leaves Moyes to worry about how to get the positive result that will keep his team in the top four.
“How you deal with it takes a long time,” he said. “When the playing field is on a level playing field, you could say we will take you over and do our own thing. If your players are perhaps not at Manchester City level, it will be a fight.”
“The artists are the players”
While West Ham drove to the Etihad Stadium after beating Tottenham on Sunday (kick-off at 12.30pm GMT), Premier League leaders City continued their impressive winning run with a one-sided Champions League Triumph over Borussia Mönchengladbach in their last 16 first leg on Wednesday,
Following that 2-0 win, Guardiola said City’s current form and the club’s success since being appointed in 2016 was simply due to the money they had spent.
“We have a lot of money to buy a lot of incredible players,” he said on Wednesday. “We can’t do it without good players.”
Guardiola came back on the subject at Friday’s press conference, reiterating that “the difference is the players” and downplaying his own influence.
“I would tell you if I believed the reason [for our success] I was, “said Guardiola.” I would be grateful to say that the reason for this success is because I am so handsome and that is why. It’s not like that. It’s the players. The big clubs are incredibly successful and that’s because of the quality of the players and the mentality. “
City, who won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and three league cups under Guardiola, has made several signings during the Spaniard’s tenure.
Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte, Joao Cancelo, Rodri, Benjamin Mendy and John Stones have also arrived for a fee of more than £ 50 million.
“I came here to win in England and we already did it – but I did it,” added Guardiola. “I came to play in a special way and I did it. The job is done but I still feel like we can do better.”
“For a short time you can do it without top players, but for a long time – in an incredible organization that supports its manager so the journalists and the players know he won’t be fired – that’s so important.”
“After this, [you need] Top quality players. I’ve never scored a goal in my 12 years as a manager. I never saved a penalty. The artists are the players. We can only help them because we know that if you do the same, you can lose. ”
