In a recent interview with Sky Sports, City defender Vincent Kompany says he is relishing the huge clash with Chelsea this weekend and believes he has learnt his lessons from last season.
Kompany came under fierce criticism last term due to a number of below-par performances as City ended the season trophyless and succumbed to a 2nd place finish behind this weekend’s visitors. But during last Monday’s convincing win away at West Brom, Kompany looked like a new man as he grabbed himself a goal and looked more assured at the back for the Blues. And now he’s looking to rediscover that devastating form that helped City to the title in 2012 and 2014, starting with this early title indicator against Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea this coming Sunday.
The Belgian told Sky: ‘It’s early on in the season but it’s a game that matters, it’s worth tuning in for and, for us, worth giving everything.’
And in response to last season’s critics, Kompany did not shy away from the fact that his performances were not what City fans were expecting from him and he is looking to put that right this time around. He also hopes to focus more on his own game this campaign after seemingly looking after others last season.
He admitted: ‘I’m the kind of guy that doesn’t rest until something is right, until it is fixed. I thought, this needs to be different, this needs to be better, I went about it in the wrong way.’
‘You have to learn to put yourself first, make sure you’re at your best level and then try to fix things. With age and experience you have to realise not everything is under your control.’
Kompany has been in the Premier League Team of the Season a total of three times since he joined us in 2008, and he believes there is no stopping there, saying: ‘My aim is to be the best defender in the world, simple as that. But the best defender is always part of the best team and all my attention is on influencing that, not just as a player but also as a voice in the dressing room.
Like his City team mate Samir Nasri, the captain is known for voicing the truth, and he had only praise for this Sunday’s opponents. ‘Chelsea are the No 1 team and favourites. They are the best team in the country and still the team to be beaten.’
However, Kompany still believes that City were the better side in both of the 1-1 draws last time out, and he expects Chelsea’s difficult defensive game plan that they employ in the big matches will have to be dealt with again.
There is no getting away from the fact that this Sunday’s showdown is a huge occasion, but Kompany played down the importance of an early advantage but admitted that he looks forward to playing in games of such magnitude.’As you get more experienced you start to realise how special the whole thing is- playing in the Premier League, against the best players in the world.’
‘Just remembering the feeling you get from beating these sorts of teams makes me prepared to do everything right and for us to be the better team. I want everything from now until the end of my career to be moments to remember.’
