Pep Guardiola has admitted to having made some mistakes since arriving at Manchester City, but believes that he is adapting to English football.
The Citizens won 10 games in a row in all competitions at the start of the season but have been beset by spells of inconsistency since, with three draws and four defeats from their 20 Premier League games so far putting them fourth in the table.
Guardiola told Sky Sports News: "We gave in the first part of the season some really, really good games and performances. But the moment we felt mistakes, especially in defence - an own-goal at White Hart Lane, our miss at Celtic in Glasgow - we lost a little of our confidence to play.
"And at times my ideas were not good, because I'm still getting to know the players, to know what is the best position, the best way to play, to adapt to them.
"Sometimes I have an idea - three at the back or play a player in a certain way, and sometimes it didn't work. When that happens, I never complain to the players - I see them training, how they suffer, and what they did in the last game against Burnley after 65, 70 minutes with 10 against 11, two days after Anfield.
"You have to look at yourself and see what you have to do to help them find each other and play to each other more fluently, not all the time with an aggressiveness. That is my job. I have to help them and I tell them that. And most of the times we were not good, it was my responsibility."
City progressed into the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday with a 5-0 win over West Ham United.
