Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini labelled his team's defending as "very bad" following a laborious victory over Viktoria Plzeň in the Champions League.
City were twice pegged back by the Czech side at the Etihad Stadium before Álvaro Negredo and Edin Džeko's strikes secured a 4-2 win.
Sergio Agüero, from a penalty, and Samir Nasri had both put City ahead but Plzeň responded each time through Tomáš Hořava and Stanislav Tecl.
City have badly missed Vincent Kompany and Martín Demichelis hasn't convinced
City remain prolific at home - they have struck 22 goals in their last four home games - but questions continue to recur about the defence, particularly in the continued absence of captain Vincent Kompany.
Pellegrini said: "We can attack and we can score four goals, but without giving (away) as many chances as we did today in defending.
"One of the most important things to be an attacking team is to know how to defend well. Today we did very, very bad.
"I am talking about the whole team. I think the whole team must know how to defend.
Hart vs Plzeň
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(01 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Joe Hart of Manchester City shows his frustration after the goal scored by Tomas Horava of Plzen during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(02 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Joe Hart of Manchester City shows his frustration after the goal scored by Tomas Horava of Plzen during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-MAN CITY-VIKTORIA PLZEN(03 of21)
FC Viktoria Plzen's Czech midfielder Tomá Horava (3-L) celebrates scoring past Manchester City's English goalkeeper Joe Hart (L) during the UEFA Champions League football match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on November 27, 2013. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(04 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Joe Hart of Manchester City reacts after failing to stop a shot by Tomas Horava of Plzen during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-MAN CITY-VIKTORIA PLZEN(05 of21)
Manchester City's English goalkeeper Joe Hart (C) reacts after a goal by Viktoria Plzen's Tomas Horava during the UEFA Champions League group D football match between Manchester City and Viktoria Plzen at The Etihad stadium in Manchester, north-west England on November 27, 2013. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES (Photo credit should read ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-MAN CITY-VIKTORIA PLZEN(06 of21)
Manchester City's English goalkeeper Joe Hart reacts after letting a goal past from FC Viktoria Plzen's Czech midfielder Tomá Horava during the UEFA Champions League football match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on November 27, 2013. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(07 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Joe Hart of Manchester City fails to stop a shot by Tomas Horava of Plzen during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(08 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Joe Hart of Manchester City kicks down field during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(09 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Goalkeeper Joe Hart of Manchester City claims a cross during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(10 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Goalkeeper Joe Hart of Manchester City shouts instructions as Michal Duris of Plzen looks on during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(11 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Goalkeeper Joe Hart (C) of Manchester City walks out with team mates for the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(12 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Goalkeeper Joe Hart of Manchester City shouts instructions during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(13 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Frantisek Rajtoral of Plzen shoots wide past goalkeeper Joe Hart of Manchester City during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-MAN CITY-VIKTORIA PLZEN(14 of21)
Manchester City's English goalkeeper Joe Hart stands up during the UEFA Champions League football match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on November 27, 2013. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-MAN CITY-VIKTORIA PLZEN(15 of21)
Manchester City's English goalkeeper Joe Hart (L) watches as FC Viktoria Plzen's Czech defender Frantisek Rajtoral puts the ball wide during the UEFA Champions League football match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on November 27, 2013. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(16 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Joe Hart of Manchester City during the UEFA Champions League match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(17 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Joe Hart of Manchester City shakes hands with Stanislav Tecl of Plzen after the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(18 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Joe Hart (L) of Manchester City shakes hands with Matus Kozacik of Plzen after the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(19 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Joe Hart of Manchester City shows his frustration after the goal scored by Tomas Horava of Plzen during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v FC Viktoria Plzen - UEFA Champions League(20 of21)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Joe Hart of Manchester City shows his frustration after the goal scored by Tomas Horava of Plzen during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and FC Viktoria Plzen at Etihad Stadium on November 27, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-EUR-C1-MAN CITY-VIKTORIA PLZEN(21 of21)
Manchester City's English goalkeeper Joe Hart (L) clears the ball from FC Viktoria Plzen's Slovakian forward Marek Bako during the UEFA Champions League group D football match between Manchester City and Viktoria Plzen at The Etihad stadium in Manchester, north-west England on November 27, 2013. Manchester City won 4-2. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES (Photo credit should read ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
"We didn't have the intensity or the pace today to do it and I am not talking about individual players."
Little blame for City's defensive shortcomings could be directed at goalkeeper Joe Hart, who was restored after five games on the bench.