The boss is pleased with the overall campaign so far but accepts the long list of injuries is making things far tougher than they otherwise might have been.
He also says that players coming in are having to get up to sharpness quicker than being steadily integrated.
“Max didn’t play much; Rico didn’t play much. It’s not fatigue, sometimes the players have to be different to create problems,” said Pep.
“Semenyo couldn’t play there in Bodo [which didn’t help].
“I have a natural feeling of myself in my career that I’m incredibly optimistic, in my life and job.
“Always I think we are going to be fine. Of course we have to do better, but always I’m incredibly positive.
“When I see the team and the other ones, of course we are disappointed. But we don’t apologise, we don’t do it for not being top.
“In Bodo we missed duels and they were good. We have to accept it.”
And on a second successive season of having many players missing with injuries, Pep added: “Last season it was two months before in November. Now it’s in January,
“The reason why? The amount of games. We have incredible doctors, the best physios we could have.
“The doctors work 24 hours. They work like animals. A stupid amount of games, but it doesn’t just happen at City, all the teams. It’s the amount of games.”
Watch part 2 of Pep’s pre-Wolves press conference by playing the video above...
