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Premier League EFL European Football Champions League •••

Cox: What new tactics might we see

from Pep Guardiola when football
returns?

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 By Michael Cox Mar 25, 2020 43

Football managers in the modern era never switch off. The actual process of
conducting training sessions and leading a side on match day are merely two
parts of a seemingly never-ending, hugely time-consuming job.

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 These days, a large part of a manager’s week is spent analysing past
performances and using that information for upcoming matches. Such in-
depth scouting is a relatively modern approach. When Kenny Dalglish took
charge of Liverpool in 2011, after more than a decade away from top-flight
management, insiders suggested he couldn’t believe the scale of his task in the
modern game. In the 1990s, Dalglish’s work at the training ground was over
by early afternoon and he often had time for a round of golf afterwards. In the
2010s, his contemporaries would be at the training ground well into the
evening, sometimes continuing their video scouting at home.

When Roberto Martinez was in charge of Wigan, he generally spent his

evenings at the club’s training ground. On the rare occasion he managed to
get home and join his family for dinner, he would end up watching yet more
videos in his spare room, while his wife sat alone in the living room watching
television.

As revealed in Grant Wahl’s book “Football 2.0”, Martinez’s partial solution

to this somewhat unenviable domestic situation was buying an L-shaped sofa
and installing two televisions on adjacent walls. His wife would watch a drama
with the sound on, while Martinez would watch the football on the other
television, sometimes with wireless headphones.

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 When Gus Poyet found himself out of work having been dismissed by
Brighton in 2013, he obsessively watched full Premier League matches on
television over the coming months. Nothing interesting about that — no
different to the rest of us, you might think.

But Poyet specifically watched matches of the clubs battling against

relegation, in the expectation that one of them would soon sack their
manager. Poyet would be prepared for explaining his approach at the job
interview, and then could instantly set about improving a side’s weaknesses on
the training ground. Sure enough, a vacancy popped up at Sunderland. Poyet
got the job, and then took them to the League Cup final and Premier League
survival.

Football managers just can’t stop watching videos. It’s worth recalling the
speech Pep Guardiola delivered to the Catalan Parliament upon receiving its
medal of honour back in 2011.

“Before every match we play, one or two days beforehand, I go into

Barcelona’s basement — where there’s no external light,” Guardiola started.
“There’s a small office that I set up, with a carpet and a lamp. And I shut
myself in there, for about one and a half, or two hours. I go there with two or

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 three DVDs… I have a seat, I grab a pen and a sheet of paper. I play the
DVD.

“And I start watching the rival we’ll have to play against in a couple of days. I
start taking notes. Hey, their left wing! The right centre-back is better than
the left one, the right-winger is faster than the left one, this one plays all the
long passes, and so on. And there’s one moment — bloody great, terrific —
that gives meaning to this profession. Believe me, I only train for this
moment… a moment comes, that makes you say: ‘We’ve got it. We’ll win.’ I
don’t know why. I love the job for this moment.”

Why Always Us?

What will Pep do next?

Clip - Episode 12

:00 41:31

It’s hardly a revelation to learn of Guardiola’s attention to detail but it’s

striking to hear him declare that he loves football for that moment in
particular: not for the exhilaration of his side scoring goals, or the joy of

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 lifting trophies, but for the moment of realisation midway through some video
analysis, while sat alone in his office.

Guardiola is rare among current top-level managers in that he actively decided

to take a year out from football management. Having found himself drained
by four years at Barcelona, he decided to spend a sabbatical year in New York
in 2012-13, concentrating upon two things: studying German and studying
German football. It was during this period that Guardiola became fascinated
— and a little worried — by the frequency and quality of counter-attacks in
the Bundesliga.

And therefore he formulated his unique full-back plan: bringing them inside
to sit close to the central midfielders, rather than pushing them wide to
overlap the wingers. Therefore, when Bayern lost possession it was easier for
the full-backs to defend against counter-attacks — he had defensively-aware
players in the centre of the pitch, and they had less distance to retreat. He’s
used that approach on occasion with Manchester City, too, although it hasn’t
been replicated by many of his contemporaries.

Now, for only the second time in his 12-year managerial career, Guardiola has
an (unexpected) long period to sit, watch videos, analyse this side, and think.

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 It remains to be seen how the Premier League restart the 2019-20 campaign
— if they do at all. If so, Guardiola will not only go into the run-in after a
long period of reflection, he’ll also have 10 near-irrelevant matches remaining.
Statistical modelling suggests City have around a 0% chance of finishing top,
a 99% chance of finishing second, and a 1% chance of finishing third. City’s
league campaign is over. There’s only one thing that makes sense in those
remaining games — do some crazy tactical experiments. So how about some
of these?

1. De Bruyne making more overlapping runs

Throughout 2019-20, Manchester City’s most notable attacking approach has

been getting Kevin De Bruyne free in an inside-right position. Although City
trail Liverpool by 25 points, there’s still a good argument that the Belgian has
been the division’s best player, whipping in a stream of brilliant crosses. It was
most effective in City’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham, and De Bruyne had
looked on course to surpass Thierry Henry’s long-standing record for most
assists in a league campaign (he needs five more to overtake Henry’s best of 20
from 2002-03).

De Bruyne has played a variety of roles this season — as a “free No 8”, to use
his own terminology; deeper in a double pivot; and sometimes as a false nine.
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 But what we haven’t seen too often is De Bruyne popping up on the
touchline, and delivering crosses from those positions. If opponents grow
accustomed to his narrower positioning, this might be an option.

Opposition defences find it very difficult to track central players making runs
into wider positions. That’s why Atletico Madrid struggled so much against
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain recently — he was supposedly playing as a No 8,
but actually played more like a right-winger.

With the likes of Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva, both left-footed,
generally playing from the right flank, City have players who can cut inside
onto their stronger foot, drag the opposition left-back infield and create space
on the overlap for De Bruyne, who would then force the opposition central
midfielders to follow, leaving a gap in midfield, or simply let him wander into
crossing positions unattended.

De Bruyne has been incredibly effective in the right-hand channel this season
but Guardiola always wants to keep the opposition guessing.

2. Rodri as an attacking midfielder

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 One of Guardiola’s most intriguing tactical experiments came early in his
period as Bayern manager, in his first meeting with Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia
Dortmund.

Guardiola was so afraid of Dortmund’s press overwhelming his side’s

possession game in the early stages that he decided to use Javi Martinez, a
holding midfielder or a centre-back in Guardiola’s system, in a very unusual,
one-off role. He was fielded as the No 10, just behind Robert Lewandowski.
Guardiola wanted to use his height to provide an aerial threat, allowing
Bayern to go long in the early stages and bypass Dortmund’s press. It worked
reasonably well as Bayern weathered the storm, and then dominated in the
latter stages through more technical play, running out 3-0 winners.

Klopp’s approach is now more sophisticated and less reliant upon relentless
pressing. But Guardiola’s City have nevertheless struggled with Klopp’s
Liverpool side in the opening stages of matches. However, he now has a
holding midfielder who could theoretically perform the role played by
Martinez: another Spanish holding player, Rodri.

It wouldn’t be unthinkable for Guardiola to use, for example, a double pivot of

Gundogan and De Bruyne, with Rodri briefly used at the front of midfield,
acting as a target for long balls from the back. Guardiola’s City have gone
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 longer more regularly than his Barcelona or Bayern sides, partly because
goalkeeper Ederson is capable of huge kicks downfield. After a period of
going long to beat the press, Rodri could then return to his holding position,
and help City dominate possession in their usual fashion.

3. More rotation of positions in defence

One of the subtler tactical tweaks Guardiola has used this season — to good
effect — has been the unusual positioning of his defensive players. At times,
particularly towards the end of 2019, City seemed to be taking up a 1-4-4-1
shape, which caused problems for sides whose central midfielders were
concerned with City’s roaming midfielders.

That was particularly interesting away at Crystal Palace, where Guardiola

used a centre-back combination of Fernandinho and Rodri, two natural
central midfielders, in a game City were guaranteed to enjoy at least 75 per
cent of possession, and needed all the technical quality they could find to
break down a deep defence.

However, one thing City could do more regularly is rotate players in defensive
positions to drag their opponents out of shape. Guardiola has full-backs who
can shift into midfield, central midfielders who are comfortable dropping into

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 the centre of defence, and centre-backs like Aymeric Laporte and John Stones
who can take up wider positions, effectively as full-backs.

And therefore it’s perhaps slightly surprising we haven’t seen Guardiola

attempt to use more rotations in defensive positions, with players in those
three zones effectively switching position as attacking moves unfold. It might
allow City to drag the opposition midfield around to create space, making it
easier for them to feed the ball into their attackers.

4. A left-footer on the left

City’s two title-winning campaigns under Guardiola were largely based

around two outright wingers stretching the play — Leroy Sane on the left,
Raheem Sterling down the right. They dragged opposition defences apart,
which created space for David Silva and De Bruyne to sprint into, and also
attacked down the outside to combine for goals.

But Sane’s injury meant Guardiola hasn’t been able to use that approach often
this season. He’s generally used Mahrez, Bernardo Silva or, recently, Phil
Foden on the right. Sterling has played from the left, and has been out of
form — by his usual high standards — in recent months.

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 So why not experiment with a left-footer on the left? None of Bernardo,
Mahrez or Foden has much experience in that role, but City often lack
genuine width down that flank, partially because Benjamin Mendy has failed
to nail down the left-back slot. Given their place in the table, it wouldn’t hurt
to try a left-footer down the left, one who could go down the line more
frequently and stretch the play.

Sane’s imminent return from injury might make this a moot point, but then
the German might be off at the end of this campaign — whenever that might
be. Now could be a good time to experiment with existing options, before
diving into the transfer market for a replacement.

5. De Bruyne at right-back

OK, it sounds ludicrous. But imagine the situation — City are playing at
home to Burnley, who are excellent at sitting deep, narrow and compact to
deny City space between the lines, or infield. And Guardiola decides that,
since City will be crossing the ball more, he needs someone permanently
located out wide who can offer brilliant crosses — someone in the mould of
Trent Alexander-Arnold. And who is City’s closest equivalent to Alexander-
Arnold? De Bruyne.

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 Imagine how many problems it would cause Burnley. Sean Dyche’s side attack
primarily down the left — they have the second biggest imbalance in the
Premier League of passes going down one flank (behind only Crystal Palace).
Dwight McNeil, their talented left-winger, is their most dangerous attacking
threat by far.

If De Bruyne was playing from right-back, and pushed high on the overlap,
he would either go free or, more likely, force McNeil to play as a
supplementary left-back. Not only would Burnley have an inexperienced
player out of position, and forced to contain City’s most dangerous attacker,
he would also struggle to attack from that position.

You don’t want De Bruyne spending long periods in defence, of course. But at
home to Burnley, he wouldn’t need to. Besides, the Belgian has the speed to
make recovery runs, the stamina to cover the right flank on his own, and the
physical strength to do a job defensively.

It would be a wildcard move, but in a season that is effectively over, and with
so much time to plot his approach for future games, Guardiola might as well
do his favourite thing — surprise opposition managers with innovative, daring
tactical moves.

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 (Photo: Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Michael Cox has written for the Guardian and ESPN, primarily focusing upon tactical analysis.
He has written two books - The Mixer, about the tactical evolution of the Premier League, and
Zonal Marking, about footballing philosophies across Europe. Follow Michael on Twitter
@Zonal_Marking.

John D. Mar 26, 6:40am 12 likes

Brilliant piece, I think word ‘unenviable’ is a couple of letters too long in this instance though

Michael Cox STAFF Mar 26, 1:00pm 2 likes

@John D. Hahaha

Sajan R. Mar 26, 7:29am 2 likes

“He’s used that approach on occasion with Manchester City, too, although it hasn’t been replicated by
many of his contemporaries” - We have seen TAA take up similar positions at Liverpool, especially during
the second leg of the Athletico game

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 Michael Cox STAFF Mar 26, 1:01pm

@Sajan R. Mmmmaybe. I'm not too sure about that, personally. He drifts in sometimes and plays
passes from there, and the Atleti situation was about creating space for Ox, which worked really
well, but personally I wouldn't really say it was similar.

K L D. Mar 26, 5:30pm

@Sajan R. Kloppier kopy Pep? Never. Oh wait....Ball playing Brazilian goalkeeper whose name ends in
...'son'. Hmmm LOL

Michael C. Mar 26, 8:01am 19 likes

Some of these ideas sound like they could be taken directly from a frustrating Football Manager season.
So ludicrous, so Pep.

Would love to see De Bruyne's attempt at full back, arriving late with the opposition already taken up with
the rest of his teammates.

Michael Cox STAFF Mar 26, 1:02pm 6 likes

@Michael C. Yeah, I actually think this could work well against crowded, packed opponents. People
mocked Sven for putting Nedved in his all-time XI at full-back but there's nothign to suggest that
good attacking midfielders can't work well there.

Michael C. Mar 26, 2:00pm 1 like

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 In many ways nowadays, with high lines and high intensity pressing, wide forwards and midfielders
have to be just as tactically disciplined as their defensive counterparts.

There could even be an argument that full back is now the position of optimum attacking freedom.
Especially with teams employing low blocks alongside lateral compactness.

Where De Bruyne would move forward from full back, the midfielder on his side of a wide midfield
three could drop deeper providing defensive cover, much the same way as inverted fullbacks block
the channels.

Stephen M. Mar 26, 3:06pm

@Michael C. my first thought reading the article was how I was going to incorporate these ideas into
my Football Manager save!

William M. Mar 27, 2:38am 1 like

I actually think Nedved - with his power, stamina, tactical intelligence, and hard work - would be an
FB in today's game. A bit like how Zambrotta (and to a slightly less exhaulted outcome, A Valencia)
shifted back owing to traits that were becoming more relevant at FB than to RW / LW / WF.

Sean O. Mar 26, 10:09am 11 likes

All of these ideas had me screaming "Michael, are you insane?" while also loudly admitting "well, if anyone
can do it, Pep surely could"
I loved this piece!

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 Michael Cox STAFF Mar 26, 1:02pm 1 like

@Sean O. Haha that was the idea! Thanks a lot, glad you appreciated it.

Milad M. Mar 26, 11:17am

Pep has played midfielders at striker (false 9), at center back, and now KDB at fullback. Guess he’ll have
to put Rodri in goal next?

Milad M. Mar 26, 11:23am 4 likes

Also would allow him to play Ederson at left back - hes got the best left peg in the squad at the
moment. So many possibiliies

Lalit Manaswi I. Mar 26, 11:22am

Good one. But have always seen De Bryune making overlapping runs. Especially when Bernardo plays on
the right.

Michael Cox STAFF Mar 26, 1:03pm 1 like

@Lalit Manaswi I. Sporadically, but the plan this season has surely been to get him in those inside-
right positions between centre-back and left-back...?

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 Lalit Manaswi I. Mar 26, 2:55pm

@Michael Cox Sorry. Got confused with overlapping and underlapping runs. Yes he plays in that
channel between CB and LB.

Big D. Mar 26, 11:30am

Pep has flirted with a rotating defensive system in recent times.

I remember being thoroughly confused by Zinchenko’s position during the 2-0 loss to Tottenham. On
paper he was a left back but on the pitch he drifted infield to a midfield position more than he normally
does.

Zinchenko offered a valid outlet when City were in possession. He was almost doing Rodri’s job of getting
the ball from the goalkeeper and CB’s and attempting to progress play forward.

However he did pick up a red card which allowed spurs to score two goals in quick succession. Not sure if
Pep will attempt this particular experiment again.

Michael Cox STAFF Mar 26, 1:03pm 1 like

@Big D. That's one has has done a lot - and there was another one recently, against Man Utd, when
he was even more tucked in than normal. But I think that could go a little further with Laporte
drifting out wide in turn.

Big D. Mar 26, 1:44pm

Th ld d fi it l f th It’d b i t ti t L t th f l ft
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 They could definitely go further. It’d be interesting to see Laporte on the far left.

I imagine it’d be really confusing for opposition trying to figure out whether to mark Zinchenko,
Rodri and any other City midfielders.

Looks like there’ll definitely be some problems with implementing this, City lost both the Spurs
game and the Manchester derby.

Peter C. Mar 26, 12:23pm 5 likes

Our problems in defence are well documented but the fact we've had to drastically change our attacking
play from wingers on their natural side, which has been so successful for two championship winning
seasons, to inverted wingers seems to have been missed by most who don't follow City. With inverted
wingers it's made Silva less effective now he can't play Sane in, we struggle to break teams down as we
can't go round the outside of the defence and Sterling drops to only a 7/10 when he has to move from the
right to the left. We've never recovered from Sane being injured early doors in the Community final.

Michael Cox STAFF Mar 26, 1:04pm 5 likes

@Peter C. I'm pleased you said this Peter as I've been a bit surprised how much of a shift there's
been without much attention. I must say admit I probably underestimated how important Sane was
to the side until his injury. His absence means there's been a knock-on effect throughout the side
which has really changed the way City play.

Peter W. Mar 26, 1:13pm 1 like

@Michael Cox Does it mean I've listened to too many podcasts if I can hear you speaking these
comments as I read?
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 co e ts as ead?

Mark K. Mar 26, 6:11pm 3 likes

Great article, thank you. This issue with Sane is interesting Michael and now I am surprised that you
and other learned commentators have not flagged it up or emphasized the problem! Do you ever
read The Tomkins Times? Some of the comments on there seriously underplayed the significance of
the Sane injury but I wasn't so sure. My impression was that Sterling was still developing and that a
Mahrez - Sterling inverted pairing could be a potential upgrade. However, with Mendy failing to
recover from his knee injury there was no one fulfilling the "Robertson' role. 🤔 Due to the absence
of Kompany & Laporte, Kyle Walker has not been able to stay high up all the time. City have this
been both offensively and defensively diminished despite the effervescence of De Bruyne, who for
me is currently the World's best player. It is great to know that even great tactical thinkers like you
still miss some of these things. YNWA.

Peter W. Mar 26, 12:41pm 1 like

Cool stuff Michael, thank you for such in depth thought. I hope Pep tries KdB at right back!

Michael Cox STAFF Mar 26, 1:05pm

@Peter W. Me too! I won't hold my breath but I hope so...

Mr M. Mar 26, 12:45pm 4 likes

2-7-2. Ederson alongside Aguero at the back.

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 . de so a o gs de gue o at t e bac .

James H. Mar 26, 2:12pm 3 likes

City are so so much better when they have two wingers on the 'correct side' but it seems Pep is more
confident in Sterling's ability to cut inside than Mahrez or Silva's to go down the line.

For me they have to play Sterling on the right and whoever can adapt best on the left. As another left field
suggestion, why not try Mendy as the left side of a front three?

Vuk V. Mar 26, 6:02pm 1 like

Mendy is not suited to being a winger at all IMO. Way too slow post-injury, not great at taking
oppononents 1v1 and almost never crosses first time anymore. He still might get there again, but
even in his best matches for us lately he looked pretty far off.

If we're talking Monaco Mendy, maybe.

Karl O. Mar 26, 3:04pm 1 like

Great article. Really thought provoking and enjoyable, one I will read again. All good points, save for the
KDB in right-back comparison to the liverpool player, who i think is overated

Mark K. Mar 26, 6:20pm 2 likes

That is a rather silly comment! De Bruyne is probably the best midfielder in the World at the
moment. TAA is still a relative rookie yet putting in performances 2-3 years ahead of his age group!

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 TAA is the top assist maker bar KDB and he has relatively wasteful finishers upfront 🤔 The point
that Michael was making was that KDB would have more space outside and coming from depth, with
a covering midfielder (the way that Henderson & Wijnaldum occasionally drop in) would allow him to
whip in even more penetrating crosses. Of course at high RB it would mean that KDB is slightly less
directly involved in the build-up play but with his passing range, long and short he would still be
destroying teams. Big up Michael Cox.

Karl O. Mar 26, 7:09pm 2 likes

That’s your opinion.. I could as well say your opinion is silly especially since this is all fantasy.

K L D. Mar 26, 5:28pm 1 like

Walker in goal. Oh wait, he's already done that and it proved a blinder LOL

Vivaan B. Mar 26, 6:35pm 1 like

The idea I love the most is Rodri as an attacking midfielder. I think that could be wild, ridiculous and
extremely fun to watch - Basically Pep and his teams.
I'd love to see some long balls played to Rodri while still fitting Silva, Silva, Sterling and De Bruyne (or at
least 3 of them).

Sam O. Mar 26, 8:35pm

Is it me of Michael has been fiddling with Football manager? Great article as always.

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 Maxim W. Mar 26, 8:48pm

@michaelcox Wasn’t Lewandowski actually on Dortmund in that Martinez as AM game? That season he
was still using Mandzukic

Matt B. Mar 26, 11:19pm 1 like

Great piece of writing. Tactically brilliant. When Pep eventually relinquishes the reigns will the author
swap his quill for a pair of mundials?

Stanley L. Mar 26, 11:26pm 1 like

I think De Bruyne can become a deep lying playmaker in the future cause he had energy to cover the
wings,he had also capability to make Hollywood pass,and break opponents low block.Two pivot is possible
if David Silva is get older and will go.And they will not worried about Fernandinho position.Great
article.Hope you will have great product like this.Thank you

William M. Mar 27, 2:35am 1 like

The KDB at right back came to my mind a few months back too in the context of seeing how the evolving
tactical landscape has created most space for FBs and we're now seeing more and more glorified
playmakers here (D Alves at Barca was the true prototype of this in the modern game).

Thinking being that if he were to predominantly take up those deeper inside right channel positions
anyway, why not have another midfielder (Gundogan, Foden, B or D Silva) making runs into the box (as
KDB and D Silva did amazingly in 17/18) creating chaos for defences trying to track 3 forwards and 2 8s
piling in / lurking on the edge of the box.
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 piling in / lurking on the edge of the box.

Certainly seen enough Citeh games where they're so utterly dominant you'd think they would be able to
risk a little more exposure on the break (though agree on KDBs recovery capacity) - which even then
could be compensated by having Zinchenko drop in with Rodri ahead of the 2 CBs to form a relatively
disciplined double pivot instead of persisting with the inconsistent Mendy at LB.

A 2-2-3-3 of sorts as opposed to the more common 3-2-2-3, essentially.

Anyway, musings aside really enjoyed this article!

Aakash S. Mar 27, 3:26am

Can you please extend this topic of tactical suggestions for other managers in the Premier League like
Lampard, Ole, Arteta ? Will be a very interesting read just as this one. Cheers !

Callum B. Mar 27, 5:55am

Kevin Dr Bruyne is the most complete all-round midfielder in the world. There's not a midfield he wouldn't
get into.

John C. Mar 27, 6:27am

Some intriguig ideas. I do like the thought of Rodri playing further forward. I'm always concerned when I
see Fernandinho, Gundogan and Rodri in the team together. They are similar players and often seem to be
trying to occupy the same space.

But I must take issue with you on City's season being over. The League may be out of reach, but there are
still a couple of cups worth winning!
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 still a couple of cups worth winning!

Steve H. May 29, 11:14pm

Although tactics in football have evolved considerably in recent years and this, as usual, is a very
interesting article by Michael Cox, there are occasions in matches even at the highest level, when the
game's basics seem to have been neglected. I'm not saying this is the case with Manchester City, but we
must always remember that advanced tactics as described here are only possible with players of the
highest standard.
Looking at the responsibilities of a full back, I am very surprised at the number of goals which are
conceded, even by teams at the top level, when the central defenders have been out manoeuvred and the
nearest full back has failed to get round on the cover. Giving cover to the centre back on your side was
always a basic task for a full back for many years but that no longer seems to be the case with many
modern full backs. This is probably due to many defences sprinting forward in a line to spring the offside
trap. However, it was always drummed into defenders that the offside game was only to be exploited
when the player in possession for the opponents was being pressurised. If not, then the defenders must
stay with the forwards they were marking and drop back towards their goal.
Another weakness in the modern full back i feel, and I've noticed this with Alexander-Arnold, is that when
the winger he is marking backs into him and makes himself available for a quick pass into his feet and lays
it off first time, sprinting away looking for a return, the full back follows the path of the ball, allowing the
winger to sprint clear and putting himself out of the game.
But a very good article, anyway, providing much food for thought.

READ MORE

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 Wenger: ‘Strong clubs will be stronger
and the weak will be weaker after this’
By  Amy Lawrence  Jun 8

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here’s perfect squad for run-in
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 When the time comes, how will City replace Pep?
Tom Worville and Sam Lee Jun 8 82 Comments

The Brazilian who quit his job, flew to London

and persuaded Wenger to hire him
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