Manchester City: 5 Lessons Pep Guardiola should learn from Celtic draw

2. Stones must play

Pep Guardiola may have been merely resting John Stones against Celtic, but the truth is, he couldn’t afford to rest him. The defense needed the ball-playing skills of Stones as Celtic pressed them high up the pitch like a pack of wild dogs.

Aleksandar Kolarov has been a revelation this season and Nicolas Otamendi is a warrior. But neither have the type of short passing ability in tight spaces that Stones has. The type that Guardiola looks for in centre-backs.

Stones is the only centre-back – except Vincent Kompany who is rarely fit – that Guardiola has that will calmly pass out from the back no matter the situation. Guardiola needed that bravery and passing technique in the white hot atmosphere of Celtic Park.

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Otamendi probably enjoyed the physical game as it was, but City could have made proceedings easier had they maintained possession a little more. Guardiola’s team had 61 percent possession in the end, but it could have been more, especially earlier in the game.

That would have slowed Celtic’s momentum, cut out their counter-attacks and quietened the crowd to a point. But it never happened because there were too many long balls from the defense. Guardiola brought Stones on after 73 minutes, but the defender should have been on from the start.

Guardiola can’t afford to bench Stones unless Kompany is fit, and everybody know that’s a rare occurrence these days.