Pellegrini is biggest critic

Manuel Pellegrini insists he does not pay attention to Real Madrid's many doubters because he is the team's biggest critic.

Having spent over Ј200million in the summer Pellegrini is all too aware that the club have set themselves up for an almighty fall should things fail to work as planned.

However the club from the capital have silenced their knockers, for now, after a blistering start to the season with four wins from their four league games - scoring 13 goals and conceding just two in the process.

That has not stopped some from having a dig at the club but Pellegrini is too experienced to let that bother him.

"The criticisms are not always the same and I am the first to criticise our own performance," he said.

"The team can improve and we are working on doing just that. Many thought we would have already had some trouble but the team has responded well.

"We know what our goals are and how to accomplish them. I think we have controlled every game.

Bad moments

"We went through bad moments, but we sought the opponent's goal right from the start. Things change and we don't make the same mistake twice.

"We need to play simple football but our players' characteristics force us to be more direct. We need to gel.

"Losing possession of the ball in some phases of the game was an isolated incident, but no team has taken control of the match against us.

"It's normal to go through rough patches in a game."

Despite their lavish spending this summer Pellegrini is quick to point out that money does not necessarily buy you success, something he discovered when he led Villarreal to top-five finishes in each of the last three seasons on a shoestring budget.

"I think there is a disparity in every league," he added. "But because you have large budgets doesn't mean you win titles.

"Villarreal finished second a few years ago behind Barcelona (2008), for example. There is always a way to build a good team no matter the size of the club."

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