Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City need more versatility from Sergio Aguero

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Manchester City and Liverpool’s final match of the calendar has the potential of becoming a legitimate Premier League classic. Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola meet for the first time on Premier League soil, with the final result having huge implications on the current title race.

The former was expected to dominate the league under Guardiola’s guidance, whereas the latter’s non-involvement from European competitions suggested there would be more time for Klopp to apply his philosophy at Anfield to mount a proper title challenge. Nevertheless, both sides have fallen behind Antonio Conte’s Chelsea, and though we’re only approaching the half-way mark of the current campaign, a New Years Eve defeat would inflict a severe blow towards title aspirations.

Oddly enough, apart from the managerial rivalry formed in the Bundesliga between Guardiola and Klopp, the main pre-match talking point involves the absence of Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian’s injury is a disservice to Klopp’s Liverpool given his positive start to the season and ability to score highlight reel goals, but Guardiola being able to call upon a returning Sergio Aguero has flown under the radar.

For all of Aguero’s brilliance, the Argentine still appears to be an undervalued asset to the Premier League. Despite possessing the best scoring rate and notching the most important goal in Premier League history, one can argue that Aguero still isn’t a genuine household name to the average football follower.

Aguero has recorded 13 goals in 17 appearances this season, and it’s difficult to debate that his tally wouldn’t be greater if the Argentine didn’t miss seven-league games due to suspension. Scoring goals in patches, along with joining the league during his peak years definitely plays into Aguero’s favour, but City winning two of three potential league titles when the Argentine has scored over 20 league goals illustrates his significance to the club.

Yet, in ways, City’s success and Aguero’s individualism coincide with the club’s inability to evolve into an elite superpower. That, along with injuries is possibly one of the few reasons Aguero has never featured in a PFA team of the year XI and why his terrific goal tally – averaging a return of 0.69 league goals per game over six campaigns – was often overshadowed by the brilliance of Luis Suarez and Robin van Persie.

Where Suarez and Van Persie appeared capable of playing in various roles and offering more to their side’s buildup play, Aguero simply represents a devastating finisher, rather than an elite all-rounder. In a side built around individual brilliance and catering to their best players’ strengths, previous managers Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini always catered to maximizing the Argentine’s goal threat in the final third.

During Mancini’s spell, City operated in a 4-4-2 with two narrow wide men in David Silva and Samir Nasri moving centrally to provide incisive passes behind the defence, while the full-back maintained width and pushed forward to deliver crosses into the box. Meanwhile, Edin Dzeko’s movement into deeper positions witnessed Aguero constantly sprint behind the opposition defence into goal scoring positions.

Manuel Pellegrini rarely tinkered with City’s default formation during his tenure, but in his final season, the departure of Dzeko, combined with the arrivals of Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne witnessed City shift to a 4-2-3-1. Far from a drastic stylistic move, apart from the wide attackers operating as traditional wingers – more so Jesus Navas than Sterling – Silva or De Bruyne were positioned within close proximity of Aguero, thus providing a reliable source of creativity to the Argentine.

More so, Aguero’s role in Guardiola’s version of a 4-1-4-1 or 3-2-2-3 isn’t as dependent on partnerships, and there was always a fear that the 28-year-old would struggle in the Spaniard’s set-up. Guardiola’s methodical build-up play witnesses Aguero spend extensive periods without a touch of the ball, and the nature of the Argentine’s goals offers further evidence that he’s capable of finishing with either foot whilst posing a competent aerial threat for a diminutive striker. In short, all of Aguero’s 10 league goals stemmed within 20-yards of the opposition’s net.

And though the fear that City’s limited strike options could halt a title challenge if Aguero were unavailable, Guardiola’s men have only lost one league match during the Argentine’s combined seven game absence due to suspension. City’s current league position doesn’t do Guardiola justice, but the shift into a collective unit has decreased the reliance on Aguero’s goals, which further puts the Argentine’s future at the Etihad in question.

The biggest task Guardiola and Aguero face is the former has worked with all-rounders in Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski during Barcelona and Bayern’s peak form under the Spaniard. Aguero, on the other hand, was never challenged to improve his work-rate out of possession or offer more than simply goals to City’s attack.

De Bruyne, Nolito and Raheem Sterling have featured upfront when Kelechi Iheanacho wasn’t called upon, and though City often lacked a penalty box threat around the box, Guardiola’s men still found ways to record maximum points. Elsewhere, 19-year-old Gabriel Jesus’s arrival could elevate City’s high-pressing, though adapting to the frenetic pace and physical nature of the Premier League could require time. Even when you assess the teams aiming to challenge for the title, the first choice centre-forwards all possess various attacking traits.

Arsenal and Liverpool have transitioned between no.9’s capable of linking play and all-rounders in Roberto Firmino and Alexis Sanchez that drop deeper and vary positions to encourage runners forward. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Harry Kane are also accustomed to playing deeper to influence the match from a no.10 role, whereas Diego Costa’s linkup play with his back to goal and willingness to utilize his power to bully opponents and run the channels has been pivotal to Chelsea’s success.

Still, Aguero remains the most ruthless finisher in the league, and it will be interesting to see whether Guardiola will stray away from his preference of a natural all-rounder upfront. Against a defensively inadequate Liverpool side vulnerable to direct football when they attempt to counter-press, Aguero, as in most cases, represents the main attacking threat at Anfield this weekend.

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“We have played them [Manchester City] already and he was involved and I always thought that he is quite a talented boy, I never made a secret of it,” said Klopp.

“Now he [Aguero] is back in the team with a lot of other really good players that makes life not easier for us. But we knew it before and even when he is not playing they are an outstanding team.”

Aguero may have displayed glimpses of improved work-rate this season, but that may not be enough to be the focal point of Guardiola’s long-term plans. With City’s defence far from reliable, Guardiola’s best attempt at claiming the Premier League title may rest in Aguero’s efficient poaching abilities.

But even then, Aguero may not receive the recognition he deserves until he fully evolves his all-round game.

 

Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola battle with the BPL’s traditional beliefs takes flight

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Pep Guardiola experienced possibly the worst 20 minutes of his managerial career in Manchester City’s 4-2 loss to Leicester City last weekend.

City moved seven points behind league leaders Chelsea, and the inevitable pressure that follows the Spaniard is increasingly building at the Etihad Stadium. If the fans haven’t begun to question Guardiola’s methodology, the media is certainly relishing City’s misfortunes.

Guardiola is aware that results outweigh the overall performance, but his seismic quest since appointed Manchester City manager nearly a year ago insists the Spaniard must achieve the aforementioned traits. Trailing 3-0 to Leicester last season may have been accepted, even for a club as wealthy as City, but Claudio Ranieri’s side are currently flirting with a potential relegation battle, and were thoroughly embarrassed by majority of this year’s top sides.

But like any loss, or game for that matter, football is a learning experience for Guardiola. However, the harsh reality of modern football constantly reminds us that time waits on no man.

More so, Guardiola’s previous success abroad, which rightly generated hype across the continent is partially responsible for the scrutiny behind every City slip-up. Many regard Guardiola as the prototype manager of this generation, but the fact that the Spaniard has yet to conquer the Premier League combined with City’s current struggles, raises questions about the football displayed at the Etihad Stadium.

“I am enjoying the way that we are playing,” Kevin De Bruyne told Sky Sports. “I think we are playing good football and the way that we want to play is very positive. I think people enjoy watching us play which is a good thing.

“Obviously Guardiola is a great coach. It’s what I expected from the beginning. His style has always been there, it has little small changes every now and then because I think he also wants to evolve as a trainer by trying new things to get better.”

There’s more to the Guardiola’s philosophy than simply ball retention and high-pressing, but both traits helped the Spaniard’s previous sides excel with and without possession. More importantly, it’s about evolution for Guardiola. Wherever he’s managed there have been massive shifts both tactically and amongst the personnel at his disposal. But a move to Manchester City and the Premier League was always a risk in comparison to his time at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Over the past few seasons, majority of the top sides hovered around the same level of quality, whereas the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Spurs, and even Chelsea to a certain extent represent stable squads. Essentially, Guardiola’s arrivals at Barcelona and Bayern were much smoother transitions because he was working with flexible players that possessed a general idea of the Spaniard’s concepts.

Prior to Guardiola’s appointment as Barcelona manager, the Catalan club had finished third behind Villarreal and a whopping 18 points adrift of a Real Madrid side that lost seven games that season. Spain’s Euro 2008 triumph may have sparked a catalyst to a club side anchored by Xavi and Andres Iniesta, but Guardiola sold the egotistical dressing room rebels, and instilled possession-based system built around his obsession with ball-playing midfielders.

In that time, Lionel Messi transformed into arguably the best player ever, whereas putting faith in Barcelona B players Sergio Busquets and Pedro Rodriguez generated elite prominence for the duo. Guardiola’s departure may have been bittersweet, but he was the architect behind one of the greatest teams of all times, whom are responsible for the revolutionary tactical obsession with ball-playing midfielders, and building attacks from the goalie.

At Bayern, Guardiola’s task was difficult and he may never truly receive credit for what was achieved at the Allianz Arena. Bayern were the reigning European Champions, but three consecutive semi-final exits deprived the German club of building the continental dynasty many envisioned.

Although the transition wasn’t equally swift at Bayern, the German club were recording the highest possession percentage in the country, but sustaining their level of greatness and evolving the club for the long-term is a crucial aspect of longevity that is often forgotten. In truth, Guardiola’s pragmatism ensured Bayern still played to their strengths – the wide players – but Phillip Lahm thriving in a central midfield role, Jerome Boateng transitioning into one of the best centre-backs in the world, and full-backs operating as additional midfielders illustrates the Spaniard’s invention.

At City, however, the task of identifying and signing a new crop of players, whilst integrating his style is quite tedious. With no fear of breaking barriers, Guardiola’s move to England currently represents turbulence opposed to the trailblazing tactical dexterity that often led to success.

Although Manuel Pellegrini and Roberto Mancini won silverware at the Etihad, individualism amongst top players secured narrow title triumphs in both eras. However, Guardiola’s quest of building a cohesive unit with a clear approach has forced several default system alterations. For example, the use of Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva as deep-lying central midfielders and Aleksandar Kolarov as a centre-back ensures Guardiola has yet to change, but in most cases, including this one, it suggests the manager is unaware of his best squad, but Guardiola is renowned for aligning his side to expose the opposition’s weaknesses.

Antonio Conte’s job was already rumoured to be in jeopardy following two autumn defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal, but a change to a defensive back-three has led to Chelsea’s current 10-man win streak. City’s inconsistent run, however, also hints that perhaps adaptation or is also required at the Etihad.

“The Premier League is making Guardiola look average,” said announcer Jim Beglin during City’s loss over the weekend. But that isn’t necessarily a negative outlook to Beglin and several members of the English media that still proclaim the Premier League as the best league in the world.

There’s not one match where the cries for Guardiola to embrace the open, physical nature of English football hasn’t been mentioned. Oddly enough, while the Premier League is so dependant on foreign players to provide quality, attention, and prestige to their top competition, Guardiola achieving success would tarnish the misconception that astute tacticians from abroad can achieve long-term glory in England.

Many classify Guardiola’s reluctance as arrogance from a man who believes his way is superior to the rest.

It’s why Claudio Bravo’s difficult start to his Manchester City career is heavily scrutinized, especially at the expense of England international Joe Hart.

It’s why the ongoing innovative tactical tweaks surfacing in Premier League football won’t be appreciated until later.

It’s the fear of change – that managers like Conte, Jurgen Klopp and Guardiola are capable of bringing the league back to European prominence by deploying approaches that go against English football’s tradition. Guardiola conquering English football would not only be devastating to the diehard Premier League supporter, but it would offer a moment of reflection to a league praised for it’s competitive nature following the rapid decline of it’s traditional top four.

More so, Guardiola’s progress given the circumstances is ahead of schedule. The counter-pressing, and attacking moves in the opposition’s final third have been periodically great, but it’s the defence that’s proved costly.

City’s back-line have struggled to cope with the increased amount of space they’re forced to cover, but more importantly they lack astute defensive minded players ahead of Bravo. Defending in isolation isn’t an easy task, but basic individual mistakes from nearly every member of Guardiola’s back-line is worrying. It’s the fine margins between success and failure, and truthfully, improving the defence is most likely next on City’s agenda.

But turning to full-backs to play in centre-back roles proved costly: Bacary Sagna doesn’t look comfortable in that area, and Kolarov – renowned his attacking traits – is being targeted for his defensive deficiencies and lack of pace in transition. Despite recurring John Stones errors, the City defender is still a work in progress, while Nicolas Otamendi is constantly forced into silly errors away from the penalty box.

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Ultimately, that’s football, and failure to increase a lead and limit defensive errors comes with consequences. Guardiola may have his flaws – the persistence to constantly adjust in search of perfection, or the few minimal personal vendettas with players – but the implications that come with City’s future results can alter English football’s paradigm.

There’s a possibility Guardiola’s City won’t attain the levels his previous Barcelona or Bayern side reached, but there isn’t a better candidate capable of ending the constraints placed around the country’s football philosophy, thus equally preventing opportunities of growth and innovation.

Maybe then – and only then – football admirers will step away from the misconception that the Premier League is the superior competition the sport has to offer. Where Guardiola was once accused of being responsible for his own downfall, now, his personal battles rests in whether he could prove that tactical universalism exists – even in the fierce, high-paced Premier League.

 

Manchester City 1-3 Chelsea

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Antonio Conte’s Chelsea recorded their eighth consecutive Premier League victory at Manchester City in a fairly open tactical showcase.

Pep Guardiola made several changes to the side that defeated Burnley at Turf Moor last weekend. Ilkay Gundogan joined Fernandinho in midfield, whereas Leroy Sane and Jesus Navas operated as wingers. Opting for power against a decent counter-attacking Burnley outfit, Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva were recalled, here, for their creativity and guile in the final third.

Conte was forced into replacing the injured Nemanja Matic, and therefore turned to Cesc Fabregas to form a midfield duo with N’Golo Kante.

For large portions of the match it appeared Guardiola had conquered Conte’s 3-4-2-1, but City’s profligacy in the final third provided Chelsea a lifeline to punish the hosts with efficient direct attacks.

Guardiola’s shape

City’s flexibility following Guardiola’s appointment meant the pre-match team sheet offered no hints regarding the hosts’ default system. Guardiola tends to find weaknesses in the opposition’s set up – that could explain why Matic’s injury wasn’t mentioned by Conte in the buildup to the match –  and bases his XI on his own analysis of the opposition, but the Spaniard replicated Everton manager Ronald Koeman’s decision to also employ a three-man defensive system.

What was initially meant to be a 3-2-2-3 was actually a similar 3-2-4-1 with Sane and Navas operating as wing-backs, whilst De Bruyne and Silva floated around pockets of spaces behind Aguero. Ultimately the risk of a dull encounter was possible due to sole overloads between the centre backs and lone striker, but both sides possessed personnel issues that resulted in structural deficiencies.

Wing-backs

The key feature of the match in the opening 45 minutes involved the wing-backs. One of Chelsea weak points in the system should lie here: Marcos Alonso is vulnerable against pacy runners, whereas Moses isn’t a natural defender. Yet, the opening stages of the first half witnessed Moses and Alonso maintain advanced positions to peg back the City wide men, which made Guardiola’s shape look like a 5-2-2-1 out of possession.

More so the early frenetic stages presented an open end-to-end encounter based heavily on transitional play. But both sides enjoyed spells of dominance in the first half that was predominantly based around the individual displays of their wing-backs.

Chelsea chances

Conte’s men were positive in the opening half hour comfortably bypassing City’s occasional high press with swift passes, while Hazard’s quick combinations with Diego Costa steered the Blues towards goal. Hazard constantly got the better of Otamendi on the half turn, and quickly aimed to play quick intricate passes with the Chelsea striker, but a sole shot from distance that flew wide served as their main threat when Pedro latched onto a poor John Stones header.

But where Moses and Alonso surged into good crossing positions during this period, and Hazard’s ability to turn defence to attack with his dribbling posed danger, the away side failed to convert positive moves into goals. Majority of Chelsea’s moves stemmed down the channels behind the space of City wing-backs as Guardiola’s men were unable to contain Hazard’s transitional threat until they gained control of the overall tempo.

City overload the right

Guardiola’s men also enjoyed space behind the wing-backs, but there appeared to be a designed model that they continuously followed to exploit space in the channels. Initially, it was believed that encouraging Navas to run at Alonso would be pivotal – this did result in City’s opener – but Silva and De Bruyne’s movement were the catalyst to the hosts’ best moves.

Within the opening 10 minutes De Bruyne had already made two clever darts into space behind Alonso only to have his cross cut out after he embarrassed Cahill, and force Azpilicueta to cover ample ground to make a vital tackle. Silva and De Bruyne constantly took turns drifting behind the Chelsea midfield pair and charging down the right channel with the intent to launch counters.

The other aspect of the creative duo’s threat was their positioning. Converted to a deep-lying central midfield position under Guardiola, here, they predominantly floated around pockets of space on the right side to overload that area of the pitch. When De Bruyne held a wide position, Silva was central in half spaces to form passing triangles with Navas and vice versa.

Still, De Bruyne was often finding space deeper behind Hazard who was clearly reluctant to track back and not quick enough to close down his compatriot’s dangerous crosses – Cahill was then dragged into these positions – into the six-yard box that forced Chelsea defenders into desperate lunges to avoid potential Aguero tap-ins.

Silva, on the other hand, played two clever reverse balls over the Chelsea defence when he dropped deeper to pick up possession. First, Luiz had to recover to block Aguero’s effort, then Sane exploited Moses’ wing-back positioning and darted behind the Nigerian to receive the pass, but Azpilicueta blocked Aguero’s tap-in.

Silva and De Bruyne were expected to pose threats in these areas, but the formation change offered an element of surprise. Nonetheless, the overloads on the right and the ability to identify pockets of space throughout the final third perplexed Conte’s men in the latter stages of the first half and they were fortunate to head into half-time trailing by a solitary goal.

City fail to capitalize

The peculiar factor surrounding the final result involved City failing to increase their first half lead. Put simply, Guardiola’s men were dominant during the opening 15 minutes of the second half by forcing Chelsea players into sloppy passing via pressing.

Costa’s lazy pass in City’s third ignited an individual mazy run from Sane that eventually led to Thibaut Courtois making a key save, whereas miscommunication from Alonso and Cahill enabled Aguero to round the Belgian keeper only to be denied by a last-ditch block from the latter. Frankly, De Bruyne’s missed sitter subsequent to a swift Navas break potentially turned the tide, as it was the best chance City created prior to Chelsea’s equalizer.

Fabregas

The other key element to City’s dangerous spell was Silva’s appreciation of space behind the Chelsea midfield. Kante and Matic, two of the league’s best ball-winners and tacklers, protect the back four by maintaining their central position and quickly closing down opposing central midfielders, but they also deprive Chelsea of astute passing from deep, hence the significance of Luiz.

But with Fabregas operating alongside Kante, the Spaniard displayed the pros and cons of his overall game. Throughout the match, Silva freely roamed between the lines, often adopting positions to either side of Fabregas or behind his compatriot. Silva may have spent extensive periods in wide areas attempting to create overloads, but his best moments in open play and transition stemmed when he drifted laterally into space behind Fabregas.

However, it was extremely odd that City players weren’t wary of Fabregas’ passing range, thus allowing the Spaniard to play forward passes opposed to applying pressure. City were warned in the first half when Fabregas’ long range pass into space behind Otamendi and Navas played Hazard free to round Claudio Bravo, yet the Belgian opted to pass rather than shoot into an open net.

Fabregas may have his defensive limitations in terms of his work-rate and lack of pace, but he remains an elite Premier League passer, and City’s reluctance to close down the midfielder’s passing lanes was pivotal to the equalizer. The Spaniard received time and space to look up twice and hit a long ranged pass into Costa, who had time to chest the ball beyond Otamendi and equalize.

Chelsea were struggling to bypass City’s 5-4-1 defensive shape with patient possession, and Fabregas’ passing range provided an alternative direct outlet to bypass the hosts’ midfield block. It must be said that given Fabregas played under Guardiola at Barcelona, failing to press the Spaniard when he dropped into deep positions in the Chelsea half was an unlikely goal source prior to kick off.

Chelsea’s swift counters

It’s difficult to determine whether Pedro’s substitution was tactical or related to the minor knock he picked up in the first half, but the introduction of Willian proved beneficial to Chelsea’s counter-attacking threat. While Pedro’s threat running behind is essential, Willian’s ability to transition from defence to attack meant Chelsea didn’t have to solely rely on Hazard.

With City pushing for a go-ahead goal, and lacking natural defensive midfielders – Fernandinho and Gundogan are purely box-to-box players than ball-winning pivots – counter-attacks were always plausible outlets for Conte’s men. Regardless that both goals stemmed from this route of attack, the significant feat was the ruthless direct finishing from the Blues.

First, Costa cleverly turned Otamendi at the halfway line to play in Willian who stormed into the box to slide the ball beyond Bravo. The move from Chelsea’s box to the City goal ignited by the Blues trio (Hazard-Costa-Willian) lasted 12 seconds, further summarizing the threat they posed. Hazard’s stoppage-time goal was strictly direct, but again, it followed an identical template to the Costa’s equalizer: Alonso clipping a ball in space beyond Otamendi, and Hazard shrugged off pressure from Kolarov to secure three points.

Chelsea’s threat on the break was evident through Hazard’s dribbling in the opening stage, but Willian’s speed, and Costa varying his movement to link play and drag both City defenders out of position was decisive. The simplicity in Chelsea’s attack shouldn’t be understated, as Conte’s men quickly facilitated the attackers with the ball once possession was regained, placing them in positions to bypass one defender en route to goal.

Final 20 minutes

Now the onus was on City to push men forward and accepting the possibility of conceding more goals on the counter. Navas and Silva continued to find openings around the box but last ditch interventions ensured City couldn’t find a breakthrough inside the box.

Guardiola summoned Yaya Toure and Kelechi Iheanacho and transitioned into more of a 3-5-2 that still had Silva floating around, and encouraged substitute Gael Clichy to move forward, but even then, the hosts struggled to identify an opening. Chelsea sat deeper in a narrow 5-4-1 and eventually brought on youngster Nathan Chalobah for Costa – who couldn’t continue – to protect the centre of the pitch.

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City’s key play-makers ran out of ideas in the final third, and the Chelsea defence coped with Aguero’s threat around the penalty area, which could explain his frustration and eventual sending off for a poor challenge on Luiz. Chelsea’s “smash and grab” second half performance flustered Guardiola’s men, and once the Blues retreated deeper into their half, there was less space for Silva to exploit between the lines, and limited opportunities to exploit the wing-backs.

Conclusion

From a tactical perspective, neither manager would be pleased with the open nature of the encounter, but it vividly describes the work and additional personnel required to take both clubs to the next level. The battle, nonetheless, may have been won by Conte, but Guardiola’s approach was successful for a large portion of the match.

Though Guardiola’s philosophy is a work in progress, City are still creating ample chances, but failure to keep clean sheets is a product of the lack of balance and possibly a defensive issue amongst individuals. While Chelsea encountered issues with their wing-backs and Fabregas’ positional deficiencies, the decision to push the attackers higher and quickly facilitate balls to their feet was logical.

On two separate occasions the Blues overcame deficits against intense high pressure, and though their first half displays may worry Conte, the response following half-time represents resilience within the Chelsea camp. 3-4-2-1 vs. 3-2-4-1 was an intriguing tactical battle that’s refreshing to modern-day Premier League football, and Conte’s decision to push the floating attackers in advanced positions and encourage his men to bypass the City press with instant balls into their feet trumped what was nearly a classic Guardiola display.

 

Yaya Toure can still play a role for Guardiola’s Manchester City

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Yaya Toure’s future at Manchester City was under significant threat following the announcement of Pep Guardiola’s appointment. With the Ivorian’s performances under heavy scrutiny throughout last year’s campaign, along with Guardiola deeming Toure as surplus to requirement during their time at Barcelona, the possibility of deja-vu wasn’t farfetched.

Yet, with the Christmas period vastly approaching, Toure – following a public apology to the club and fans – has returned to the first team with vigour. Two goals at Selhurst Park earned City maximum points, and a standout display in a scrappy match with Burnley has kept City on pace for a proper title challenge.

Though Toure has played an integral role in City’s success this decade, the evolution of the squad has clearly exposed his defensive deficiencies. A player of Toure’s stature, built on strength and heavy running, was always expected to experience a decline towards his early 30’s, but City were reluctant to bolster their options in midfield until Guardiola’s arrival.

Toure and Guardiola’s relationship is mysterious, but the decision to utilize a young Sergio Busquets as his sole pivot at Barcelona didn’t bode well with the media or the Ivorian’s camp. Still, where Guardiola’s Barcelona are now classified as the best club team of our generation, Toure dominated the middle of the park in English football and guided City amongst the division’s elite.

Toure, however, is a difficult player to incorporate into a cohesive side: you can’t play the Ivorian as a sole pivot because he doesn’t possess the work-rate or defensive awareness to protect the back four.

“I’m here to take decisions. Maybe I make mistakes, but I have to take decisions and I respect that all the people cannot agree with me. That happened,” the Spaniard said.

“I spoke in the last month, many times with Yaya because he was my player with Barcelona, I know him very well. So I know how he is like a player.” “As a player there is no doubt — if there was a doubt he would not be here. He is another guy to compete with our midfield players and increase our level.”

On the other hand, Toure struggled in a 4-2-3-1 during the Manuel Pellegrini era because Fernandinho was also an identical box-to-box midfielder and equally lacked the discipline to protect the centre of the pitch when required. From a statistical perspective, Toure may have appeared to be playing well – scoring 20 league goals when City won the double during the 2013/2014 campaign – but in truth, he was partially responsible for the club’s structural issues out of possession.

Likewise, Toure’s best spell at the Etihad was when he played ahead of Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry, two ball-winners that sat ahead of the back four, therefore providing the City star freedom to push forward. Though it took City’s limitations under Pellegrini to showcase Toure’s current state as a footballer, it’s difficult to dispute that he may solely be useful in two roles.

This however isn’t an issue to Guardiola, who often doesn’t receive credit for being an astute pragmatist. The tiki-taka football played at Barcelona suited the demands of the players that grew up in La Masia, whilst adding direct players in wide positions to provide penetration.

Though Guardiola’s Bayern dominated possession in most games, the German side’s approach was the antithesis of Pep’s Barca. At Bayern, Guardiola’s side revolved around the wing play between the rampaging full-backs and wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery: when the latter was unavailable, Douglas Costa eventual arrival strengthened Bayern’s dominance in wide areas.

Pep’s possession and dynamic counter-pressing guided City back to domestic prominence, shifting between a 4-1-4-1 and 4-2-3-1. David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne have been fielded as deep central midfielders, Aleksandar Kolarov as a centre-back, and full-backs positioned in half spaced to negate counter-attacks have been introduced during Guardiola’s brief stint at City thus far.

But City haven’t been flawless under Guardiola, and several draws have led many to believe the creative, yet frail offensive-minded players required another dimension to their attack. Roughly, this is where Toure’s physical stature has proved beneficial as both a no.6 and a no.10 ahead of Fernandinho and Fernando.

Toure’s production in the final third still remains significant to a City side that can be guilty of being overelaborate. Where his goals won the game at Palace, it was the nifty intricate combinations plays around the box with Nolito that created openings against a sturdy Burnley back-line.

In footballing terms, Toure is the ideal midfielder to be appreciated, and equally thrive in the Premier League. A goal-scoring, powerful specimen that is eager to carry the ball forward, yet capable of simultaneously shrugging off challenges. However, the better teams in the league now rely on heavy pressing, hard-running and defensive organization, all areas that have prevented Toure from maintaining his world-class status following Roberto Mancini’s departure.

Incidentally, Toure’s situation is fairly similar to Cesc Fabregas’ conundrum since leaving the Emirates. Moving into a free attacking role under Arsene Wenger, Fabregas didn’t develop the tactical discipline to be effective throughout midfield. At Barcelona he often played on the flank or interchanged with Lionel Messi at the main centre-forward, because his productivity from deeper positions – specifically when the opposition applied midfield pressure – concerned Guardiola of the Spaniard’s anarchic style.

“Cesc’s anarchy is good for us. He moves down the right and the left; he is physically very strong with a lot of vision and high work rate,” Guardiola said.

“We like the fact that he is so mobile, but it has to be done sensibly. In the end, there is a ball and people who move, but they should move to where they need to be. We do not have a remote control to direct them from the bench.”

Ultimately, Fabregas failed to solidify a role in the Barcelona midfield and his move to Chelsea pushed him into a double-pivot alongside Nemanja Matic. While Fabregas’ first half of Chelsea’s title-winning campaign was impressive, performance levels decreased significantly once sides began pressing the Spaniard when he received possession.

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But where Guardiola’s constant tactical evolution has led to Toure’s recall, Conte simply doesn’t trust Fabregas’ lack of mobility to protect the back four or break up play in midfield. Therefore, apart from brief cameo appearances where his passing range proved crucial in the latter stages of matches, Fabregas is forced to improve his dynamism and work-rate to feature in Conte’s XI.

Conte and Guardiola are seemingly contrasting managers, but with Chelsea being the most in-form team in the league, the latter may be forced into making a few personnel decisions ahead of the Blues’ trip to the Etihad this weekend. Although Chelsea displayed signs of improvement in a 3-4-2-1 rejig following losses to Liverpool and Arsenal several weeks ago, Guardiola may aim to identify one of their few notable weaknesses in central areas.

N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic’s ball-winning skills offer a solid base in the midfield zone, but last week’s win over Spurs also showcased their susceptibility to midfield overloads. It’s also possible that Guardiola will attempt to match Chelsea for power in midfield as they also pose a slight advantage in that regard.

Guardiola is likely to prefer control through possession rather than sheer power at home, so the likelihood of Ilkay Gundogan and Fernandinho in midfield over Toure is the harsh reality the Ivorian will have to accept at the age of 33. It’s possible that Toure would be better suited in away games against physical opponents that prefer to disrupt opposed to pushing forward to attack Guardiola’s men.

More so, the Guardiola-Toure saga will be intriguing to assess over the course of the season because the added flexibility required from the former suggests Toure would have to adapt his game to solidify a role in the City XI. The days of the rampaging runs, breathtaking goals, and precise passing variations have influenced this club like no other, and though Toure’s best days may have passed, the Ivorian still holds a key role in City’s title quest.

 

Tactical Preview: Manchester United – Manchester City

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The 172^nd Manchester derby is set to be most highly anticipated spectacle of the current Premier League season. Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho will compete in their first competitive match in nearly four years, and appear to be title contenders following their unbeaten start to the season.

Mourinho’s record against Guardiola is unconvincing, but a tilt at Old Trafford with a stable squad places United as slight favourites prior to kick-off. Nevertheless, this is still a battle between football’s chief pragmatist and the modern-day innovator in Guardiola. United is expected to congest central areas, hold a deep-line, and break when the opportunity is presented, whereas Guardiola’s City will dominate possession with hopes of breaking down Mourinho’s sturdy back-line.

The main talking point, however, involves Guardiola’s replacement for the suspended Sergio Aguero.

“Sergio is an important player for us but we knew seven or eight days ago he was not going to be able to play and we would need to use other players,” said Guardiola. “I am a new guy here and I have to learn how things work, but you can be sure I learn quick. I take note of what happened and store it for the future.”

Kelechi Iheanacho is the suitable fill-in, but the City manager has various options to choose from upfront. Nolito is a direct runner that would drift across the front-line, aiming to receive possession and run at defenders, while Silva can operate as a false-nine, encourage runners beyond United’s back-line, though ensuring City dominate central areas.

Raheem Sterling, on the other hand, serves as an interesting tactical prospect. Sterling’s tactical intelligence is unprecedented at a young age, and his past experience in a central role witnessed the England international drop deep to pick up the ball to run at defenders, stretch the opposing back-line with quick sprints into the channel, and his ability to find open space within the penalty box.

Ironically, Sterling’s main weakness is his finishing, but the 21-year-old’s rejuvenated form under Guardiola has reassured his threat in the final third. City’s won several penalties this season via Sterling’s dribbling and pace, while his poacher finishing around the box illustrates the rapid improvement in comparison to last season.

Claudio Bravo is expected to make his City debut, which will improve the away side’s distribution and overall buildup play out the back. However, United’s aerial threat via set-pieces and crosses from wide areas could fluster the diminutive Chilean.

Leroy Sane and Ilkay Gundogan are also fit for selection which would result in a rejig of the XI’s Guardiola has selected thus far. Still, if Guardiola opts to start without a recognized striker, United’s back-line will face a stern test against the speed from either Sane, Jesus Navas, Nolito or Sterling.

In truth, Mourinho’s main concern rests in protecting space between the lines against Silva and Kevin De Bruyne. Guardiola has fielded both men in deeper central roles, with license to charge into the box or towards the channels to create overloads in wide areas. With the full-backs adopting narrow positions in half space, and Fernandinho or Gundogan sitting deep, both De Bruyne and Silva will receive ample space to create in key areas.

Gundogan’s debut would improve City’s aim to dictate the tempo from deep, and if Guardiola opts to field Silva as a false-nine, Fernandinho would finally receive the opportunity to play in his preferred box-to-box role without fear of covering space for the languid Yaya Toure. More so, Gundogan’s inclusion would test Wayne Rooney’s tactical resolve as he’d be forced to press the German throughout, which has proved a difficult task for the United captain in recent years.

This is undoubtedly a troubling prospect for United’s midfield, as they’ve looked unconvincing in protecting these zones. Their narrow win at Hull witnessed Adama Diomande easily drift into pockets of space behind the United midfield to receive possession and charge towards goal. When Southampton traveled to Old Trafford, United’s midfield also endured spells where they couldn’t cope with the passing of Jordi Clasie, Steven Davis and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and solely benefited from their lack of a goal-threat around the box.

Here, and specifically in big matches, Mourinho has been renowned for flipping his 4-2-3-1 into a 4-3-3 and sacrificing a central midfielder, which means Rooney would be omitted. Rooney’s tactical discipline has been exposed in the past, and though he’s capable of game-defining moments whilst simultaneously producing average performances, Mourinho can’t afford to be overrun in midfield.

This is suited for Morgan Schneiderlin’s physical presence and ball-winning skills or Ander Herrera’s slick passing and tenacity in midfield to offer protection ahead of what should be an unchanged back-line. Perhaps a slightly advanced role would enable Pogba to finally flourish in a United shirt, and his combinations with Ibrahimovic in prior matches have been promising.

With that being said, Mourinho may also be tempted to start Marcus Rashford and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, assuming the latter is fit to participate from the start.

“He [Mkhitaryan] is available,” said Mourinho. “I’m not saying he’s ready to play 90 minutes but he’s ready to try to help us.”

The duo offers tactical discipline, while possessing excellent pace and dribbling skills to pose a threat via swift counter-attacks in transition. Martial’s slow start to the season puts his selection in jeopardy, but he still offers a similar goal threat against City’s unconvincing full-backs, who are expected to adopt fairly high positions.

Similar to the Ferguson era, United will pack the midfield and keep their defensive lines compact out of possession, before quickly scurrying forward with numbers on the counter. Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s dislike for Guardiola is definitely motivation, but his ability to operate as a creator to get runners such as Pogba, Mkhitaryan, Rashford or Martial forward could be decisive. Likewise, Ibrahimovic’s aerial threat flustered every opponent United’s encountered thus far, and he’ll relish individual duels against Nicolas Otamendi or John Stones.

As expected, neither side has been overly convincing to start the season, and while the pattern of the match is predictable, this could be an extremely cautious showdown. City will dominate possession and aim to bypass United’s high-pressing in the early stages of the match, but Guardiola’s extensive ball retention has been a form of defence in high-profile away matches during his career.

It wouldn’t be far-fetched to see both managers play for a draw, yet here, the personnel decisions upfront should determine how the two sides approach the match.

 

Guardiola and Mourinho’s renewed rivalry comes too soon to make stark assessment

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So here we are again.

Another chapter between Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho is set to unfold, yet it’s surreal that even a four-year break couldn’t rid the highly anticipated tension between the two managers.

This is the first time the two managers will be in opposing dugouts in a competitive match since Real Madrid clinched La Liga in 2012, yet it feels as if nothing has changed. That final match at the Camp Nou represents the sole time Guardiola hasn’t claimed a domestic title, but more importantly it signified a key moment in their managerial careers.

Initially it appeared Guardiola had lost the war – Mourinho was league champion, whereas the constant battle with the then-Madrid manager pushed the Spaniard into a year sabbatical to get away from his true passion. Yet, Mourinho failed to capitalize on Guardiola’s departure, and was subsequently dethroned by 15 points to Tito Vilanova’s Barcelona, thus resulting in Mourinho being fired for the first time in his career.

Since then, neither manager has been able to return to a Champions League final, and have equally been considered underachievers for their work at Bayern Munich and Chelsea. At Bayern, Pep was unable to guide the German champions to another European crown, whereas despite guiding Chelsea to the summit in England, Mourinho’s main goal was to build a dynasty – the Blues endured the worst title defence in Premier League history, finishing tenth, and the Portuguese manager was sacked in December.

More so, Manchester was supposed to serve as a therapeutic reinvigorating challenge for Guardiola. An opportunity to prove the cynics wrong – to build a team requiring evolution in nearly every position and transform them into an elite European side that produces breathtaking football. It was a challenge that threatened the other Premier League giants, specifically Manchester United who were spiralling downwards under Louis van Gaal.

Similar to Real Madrid at the turn of the decade, United required a solution to not only challenge Guardiola, but in the process regain their annual title challenger status. Ultimately, they turned to Mourinho: a man who craved the job since Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement, and who already crippled Guardiola’s mindset in their previous battles in Spain.

Their El Clasico battles sparked attention worldwide – it helped that the two best players of our generation combatted against each other in their prime – but to Guardiola’s dislike, these encounters are vividly remembered for the off-the-field/media hype opposed to the football itself – in truth, the quality of the games were generally poor.

There’s a growing feat that similar football displays may occur in Manchester, and for both managers, that’s not an ideal prospect. The Manchester Derby may not generate media attention equivalent to El Clasico, but the rivalry and hatred amongst both clubs and supporters is parallel.

Still, the upcoming chapter in the Guardiola and Mourinho tale supersedes anything ever witnessed in the history of the derby. It’s bigger than Wayne Rooney’s acrobatic winner at Old Trafford, Michael Owen’s stoppage time winner in the 2009 seven goal-thriller and the Vincent Kompany goal that guided City to their first Premier League title in the modern era.

This is football idealism vs. the ultimate pragmatist, proactive battling reactive, attractive possession oriented football aiming to solve a well-drilled organized defence. The contrasting styles of football, and off-the field managerial antics and preferences doesn’t alter the fact that both men crave success.

And while it’s normal for attention to be placed on two of the sought out managers in the sport, their first showdown in over four years lacks significance from a footballing perspective. Guardiola remains keen on having his players drilled into his football philosophy and lifestyle, whereas Mourinho’s pragmatism doesn’t conflict with his care for his players and vice-versa, and though both have evident flaws, they’re aim to win is perceived via dissimilar methods.

Past wars in Spain didn’t benefit either manager, and frankly another attempt by Mourinho to replicate an archaic method of draining his counterpart through the media would likely backfire. With Jurgen Klopp, Antonio Conte, Arsene Wenger and Mauricio Pochettino around, Mourinho doesn’t have the time to reignite an individual war with Guardiola. It won’t work.

The decision to bring Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the Premier League, however, insists that psychological battle with Guardiola may continue. Guardiola’s relationship with Ibrahimovic deteriorated quickly when they were both at Barcelona in 2010-2011, and the possibility of the Swede finally gaining revenge on his former manager hints that Mourinho’s hostile approach may continue at Old Trafford.

It’s success or failure for Mourinho, and though he’s finally at a club that provides patience, stability and long-term support, the Portuguese manager would be unable to cope finishing behind Guardiola. Similarly, Guardiola’s massive overhaul at the Etihad suggests Mourinho is in the ideal position to inflict the first blow, raise the pressure on the Spaniard, and win now.

Likewise, United’s joint best defensive record benefitted Mourinho prior to his arrival, but he’s yet to identify the proper balance in attacking positions. Mourinho has yet to alter his starting XI, and reliance on the individual brilliance of Ibrahimovic, and a late winner from Marcus Rashford indicates United are far from the finished product.

They’re not the powerful, never say die Chelsea that perplexed English sides with the introduction of the 4-3-3. The brilliance of Wesley Sneijder behind lethal strikers, whilst ahead of physically imposing midfielders and centre-backs doesn’t compare. And the relentlessly slick counter-attacking machine that steamrolled teams at the Santiago Bernabeu – and effectively halted Guardiola’s tenure at Barcelona – would be difficult to replicate without a Cristiano Ronaldo-esque threat upfront.

Mourinho’s United are capable of developing into a direct, transitional nightmare for opponents in the future – look no further than Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford’s cameo at Hull two weeks ago for evidence – but reliance and faith in Rooney and Ibrahimovic, the former in particular, stagnates an immediate stylistic alteration.

City, on the other hand, also have to hand debuts to several summer signings, whilst continually building towards perfecting Guardiola’s ideology. The false full-backs, instant counter-pressing, and insistence to quickly cycle through possession requires time, but clearly suggests City’s peak form awaits, despite impressive spells of dominance in previous league matches.

The ball-playing wizards consisting of Xavi, Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, or the sheer greatness of Lionel Messi aren’t at Guardiola’s disposal at the Etihad. Arjen Robben’s threat, combined with the tactical and positional universality of Philip Lahm, David Alaba and Thomas Muller can’t be relied on either.

Even though, Guardiola has successfully revolutionized the manner in which Barcelona and Bayern Munich effectively ply their trade, the Spaniard’s workload at City is undoubtedly his biggest challenge. A broken model built around individualism and possessing the most talented squad is the antithesis of a Guardiola side, and the pressure to build a cohesively flexible unit and claim silverware poses an arduous challenge.

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Nevertheless, the most fitting aspect involving the two sides is that they’re generally at the same level of development. Though United are generally built to win the league this year, Guardiola’s talent base can suffice while they adapt to his well-detailed tactical scheme.

The football plot lines are also interesting. How will Guardiola replace the suspended Sergio Aguero? Will Mourinho finally drop Wayne Rooney for an additional midfielder to ensure United aren’t overrun in midfield? Is this the ideal match for debutants such as Ilkay Gundogan, Leroy Sane or Claudio Bravo to start?

Saturday’s derby should provide a brief example of what could be the most thrilling title race in the league’s history, but the most anticipated match of the season must display improved growth opposed to resuming fireworks. The tactical ideologues for both managers have been questioned following recent failures, and though the possibility of a cagey and cautious encounter is expected, the platform presented to make a statement is available.

Titles aren’t won, nor are philosophies fully integrated in September, but avoiding defeat will be imperative, here. Both managers have experienced memorable nights in Manchester, but now they aim to conquer a city that is big enough for one true winner. Failure is no longer an option and the pressure is on both managers to make an immediate impact, but where media rants and touch-line quarrels dominated headlines, this new chapter has to be about the football.

An identity crisis looms throughout Manchester, and though Saturday’s derby will provide more answers, the dawn of a new era emerging throughout the Premier League will slowly transition into a global spectacle. All eyes will be on Old Trafford, the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, where ironically, one can be prematurely crushed.

Something has to give.

 

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City quickly taking shape as they embrace a new indentity

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We’re not even two weeks into the new Premier League season and Pep Guardiola is the main topic of discussion.

In whom many regard as the most coveted manager in the sport, this shouldn’t be a surprise given the global media attention the Premier League receives. However, the attention and pressure surrounding Guardiola is larger than his passion for the game – not only must he win, but he must do so playing entertaining football Frankly, the willingness to break boundaries, evolve the players at his disposal, and the determination to play proactive possession football are one of the many caveats that makes Guardiola likeable.

With that being said, Guardiola is human, and like many managers has his flaws – particularly his man management skills have been questioned over the years. The sudden decision to drop Joe Hart and Yaya Toure have also been closely assessed, and though it’s a logical decision from a manager aiming to guide City amongst Europe’s elite, it’s been quite controversial.

Guardiola’s success as a manager is unprecedented, revolutionizing two historically great clubs in Barcelona and Bayern Munich. He took the world by storm with the former, revolving his team around intelligent ball-playing midfielders, whilst transforming Lionel Messi into one of the finest players this sport has ever seen. Barcelona utilized lengthy spells of possession and intense high-pressing as their primary defensive method, but going forward, they constantly overloaded flanks and quickly shifted the route of attack until space was available to penetrate.

His move to Bayern was less appreciated considering they won the treble the year prior, but even then, Guardiola completely altered their style of play. The German powerhouse still possessed excellent midfielders, but his attack was based around the wing play of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. His final seasons at Bayern saw an all-rounder centre-forward in Robert Lewandowski lead the attack, and Arturo Vidal offer verticality combined with combative tackling, which completely differs from the side he built at the Camp Nou.

It’s evident that Guardiola’s appointment at the Etihad is the trickiest of his short career. Here’s a man who worked with genuine world-class players in every position at his previous clubs, whereas at City, only David Silva, Sergio Aguero, and possibly Kevin De Bruyne are in that category.

More so, in terms of structure and a constructive footballing philosophy, City can be considered a broken team lacking technically adequate footballers. It’s been the same core since the turn of the decade, operating mostly in a 4-4-2, thus relying on their superior talent to somewhat dominate a league that’s drastically declined.

Guardiola’s arrival – along with a few other notable managers – changes the general scheme of the league. Certainly the top clubs in Spain and Germany have the best players at their disposal, but the Premier League now has the best managers. And with most of the top teams generally at the same stage of their development, the value of a tactically astute manager can’t be overlooked.

Therefore, Guardiola is aware that there’s minimal margin for error, regardless of the amount of time and patience the City board offers.

“It’s the right moment to come here and prove myself,” stated Guardiola earlier this summer. “I want to play the way I want. But wherever you go you have to adapt to the quality of the players. We have to find each other as soon as possible.

“What we want is so simple. When the opposition have the ball to get it back, when we have it to move it as quickly as possible, to create the most chances as possible.”

The contrast between City’s two competitive games is stark, but the shift in styles is evident. City now adopt a 4-1-4-1 with Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva in deeper positions, whereas it appears Sergio Aguero will primarily operate as a lone striker. Aguero’s not an all-rounder like Lionel Messi or Robert Lewandowski, and it will be interesting to see how Guardiola intends on maximize the Argentine’s devastating finishing.

The midfield trio of Silva and De Bruyne ahead of Fernandinho is equally intriguing. Fernandinho splits the centre-backs to offer protection, but also play penetrative passes into his midfield partners. But the Brazilian is renowned for his dynamism rather than his passing, and though he’s capable of deputizing in this position, Guardiola’s buildup play may encounter slight issues until Ilkay Gundogan is match fit.

Manchester City’s 4-1-4-1 transitions into a 2-3-2-3 or a 3-2-2-3 depending on Fernandinho’s positioning when they attack. Essentially, Guardiola’s men attack with five players and defend with five.

Silva and De Bruyne, on the other hand, have freedom to join what is often a five-man attack in possession, but the creative midfielders receive passes in deeper positions rather than between the lines. Although this may not be a permanent role for Silva in the bigger games – Guardiola may prefer a physical presence centrally, and Silva in a wide possession similar to Andres Iniesta during his tenure at Barcelona – the combination with the wide players has been positive. It’s notable that Raheem Sterling assisted Silva’s opener against Steaua midweek, whereas De Bruyne created Nolito’s goal.

But the abundance of wide players at Guardiola’s disposal suggests he may once again build his side around the likes of Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, Nolito and Jesus Navas. The quartet offers Guardiola a good balance of experience and youth along with direct crossers and wide forwards. Suddenly, last year’s underachievers Sterling and Navas are showcasing signs of improvement, the former has won two penalties and both men have been involved in goals thus far.

One of the key elements in City’s late win over Sunderland witnessed Guardiola replace Nolito with Navas, thus pushing Sterling to the left in generic 4-4-2. The alteration resulted in Sterling and Navas hugging the touchline and running at defenders to offer a source of creativity from wide areas. City’s winner also stemmed from Navas’ dart down the right and a low cross into the box that was redirected past Vito Mannone.

Still, the main talking point regarding City’s season opener against Sunderland was the positioning of full-backs Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna. The full-backs adopted more central positions in half-spaces to help City dominate the centre, whilst ensuring David Moyes’ men could launch breaks through midfield.

Apart from an exceptional out-side the foot pass from Clichy in the opening half, the duo wasn’t comfortable receiving the ball facing their goal, and often played passes backwards, rather than offer penetration in the final third.  City’s passing was slow and patient throughout, thus making it easy for Moyes’ men to remain compact when shifting from flank-to-flank as a unit.

Tuesday’s Champions League playoff clash at Steaua witnessed Guardiola start Nicolas Otamendi alongside new signing John Stones, thus pushing Aleksandar Kolarov to left-back – he started at centre-back against Sunderland – and Pablo Zabaleta at right-back. Kolarov and Zabaleta were more assured in possession in central positions, while Otamendi’s passing and familiarity with the position was an upgrade to the former’s display last weekend.

Coincidentally, Zabaleta played a super pass into half space from a central position for the advancing Kolarov, which awarded City a penalty that Aguero subsequently missed – this is was a prime example of what Guardiola expects from his full-backs: incisive passing from central positions, and advanced running into dangerous areas.

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“It’s not time to change a lot because I don’t want to confuse my players but I have to say, I am impressed the most that they are so intelligent,” said Guardiola.

“The way we played in Bucharest was a high, high level. We did it so quickly. That’s because of the intelligence and quality of the players.

In fairness, the hosts were in complete shambles out of possession, and City easily bypassed the opposition with their swift passing combinations – a trait that was also nonexistent on Guardiola’s debut, but vividly displayed via Aguero’s combination with Nolito prior to his second goal against Steaua.

Likewise, there was a distinct understanding in their positioning, highlighting Guardiola’s demand of proper positional balance: when the full-backs were narrow, the wide players attacked the opposing defenders, and if the wide players moved centrally, City’s full-backs could charge forward.

Guardiola’s men were nearly flawless on the night, but their trip to the Britannia Stadium should provide an accurate indicator of City’s progress. Stoke have transitioned into a proactive side under Mark Hughes, as there’s more variety to their game than simple long punts up the field, whilst acquiring young technically gifted attack minded players.

The Potters’ recent success against City is key, and even without Xherdan Shaqiri, the counter-attacking threat of Mame Biram Diouf, Marko Arnautovic, Bojan should really test Guardiola’s men in transition. On the other hand, they’re more than capable of maintaining possession, and Hughes’ side can bypass City’s possible high-press it would be interesting to see how the away side copes.

A change in shape, variety in defensive structure, and improved performances from last season’s outcasts illustrates Guardiola’s influence at the Etihad thus far is headed in the right direction. Ultimately, Guardiola wants to build a flexible side capable of mid-game formation changes, yet his current dilemma is a simple as certain City players struggling to complete five-yard passes and receiving possession in tight spaces. Only time and more work on the training ground will improve the understanding of Guardiola’s approach, but for now, Guardiola must identify what style of play benefits his side.

The current squad at Guardiola’s disposal indicates City are better suited to play on the counter-attack, and in his first domestic away fixture against a Stoke City side capable of retaining possession, it’s a logical prospect despite the Spaniard’s fixation with territorial dominance.

Nevertheless, Guardiola’s presence in a league suffering from a tactical and structural rut is exciting. His aim to buck trends and develop a footballing culture could reap rewards sooner than expected.

 

Bayern Munich 0-2 Borussia Dortmund

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Borussia Dortmund’s swift counter-attacks and energetic pressing played an integral role in their convincing victory over reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. 

Pep Guardiola’s 3-4-3 missed a few World Cup stars with only Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer in Bayern’s XI. Xherdan Shaqiri, Robert Lewandowski and Muller started upfront; Juan Bernat and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg operated as wingbacks, while Sebastian Rode and Gianluca Gaudino formed a midfield duo.

Ciro Immobile and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang spearheaded Jurgen Klopp’s 4-3-1-2 with Jonas Hofmann sitting behind the strike duo. Sebastian Kehl, Oliver Kirch and Henrikh Mkhitaryan formed a midfield trio.

Although both sides fielded weaker XI’s, the football philosophies remained the same, as Klopp outwitted Guardiola to guide Dortmund to their second consecutive German Supercup.

3-4-3 vs. 4-3-1-2

One of the main talking points prior to kickoff was Guardiola’s decision to field a three-man defence. Bayern’s aim was to push the wingbacks into advanced positions and hold a numerical advantage in their third as they intended on building attacks from the back.

Klopp’s system, however, handed Dortmund the advantage in central areas. The main man, though, was Hofmann, who pushed high to make up the numbers when Bayern tried to play out of the back, but quickly dropped deeper to overload the midfield zone.

Kehl was equally the spare man in midfield as he didn’t have to track a no.10, his freedom in central areas saw Dortmund easily bypassed Bayern’s pressing.

Dortmund Press 

Dortmund’s pressing has been a recurring theme in previous encounters, as Klopp’s men tend to start the match well, but fade away in the latter stages. Here, Guardiola and Klopp encouraged their attackers to press the opposition’s defence on goal kicks, and both sides failed to build play from the back.

Dortmund’s pressing, though, disrupted Bayern’s passing tempo, which prevented Guardiola’s side from controlling the match. Rode and Gaudino occasionally dropped deeper to help Bayern bypass Dortmund’s pressing, but Mkhitaryan and Kirch tracked the midfield duo’s movement, forcing Guardiola’s side to concede possession. Klopp’s side nearly took the lead in the ninth minute when Dortmund’s pressure forced David Alaba into poor pass that ricocheted off Aubameyang and into Immobile, but the Italian fired his shot wide.

Dortmund’s effective pressing also forced the champions to play direct football. Muller and Lewandowski couldn’t link play or turn past the impressive Sokratis and Matthias Ginter, who quickly closed down the forwards when they received the ball. Equally, Lukasz Piszczek and Marcel Schmelzer pegged the Bayern wingbacks into their half.

In the first half, Bayern recorded a sole shot on target which illustrated Dortmund’s efficient pressing.

Wasteful Shaqiri

While Dortmund’s pressing was deemed effective, Bayern occasionally moved into key areas in the final third, but the German champions failed to test goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak.

Shaqiri created a great chance to take the lead two minutes into the match, when he cleverly turned Piszczek and ran towards goal, but the Swiss attacker fired his shot directly at Langerak. That was Bayern’s sole chance of the half, but Shaqiri’s movement guided the 22-year-old into the final third on a few occasions.

However, Shaqiri’s final ball was too short, while his deliveries from wide areas and decision-making around the box was dire.

Dortmund break

Dortmund’s best moves were been orchestrated in transition, but unlike Bayern, there was variety in their attack.

The first element was Kirch’s off the ball running. Kirch’s movement into half-space led to a shot that Neuer pushed aside; he also combined with Aubameyang with intricate passing around the box and a lofted long ball that saw the attacker outpace Dante, thus leading to Kehl and Hofmann firing powerful shots at Neuer.

Kirch was also the catalyst in Hoffman’s dominance in transition, as his passes ignited attacks that saw the Dortmund midfielder exploit pockets of space with his pace. Hofmann flourished in advanced areas due to Bayern’s lack of a natural holding midfielder, as the 22-year-old exploited Gaudino’s defensive limitations and his inexperience at this level.

• 14^th min: Kirch slides to win a 50/50 challenge against Rode and Dortmund breaks through Hofmann, who has acres of space to run into and he spreads the ball wide to Aubameyang, but the attacker’s cross was cleared by Javi Martinez.

• 22^nd min: 1-0 Mkhitaryan. Dortmund takes the lead, as their pressure and willingness to target Gaudino were key elements in the build up. Immobile’s pressure saw Neuer’s clearance fall to Piszczek, and the right back nodded the ball into Mkhitaryan in a pocket of space. The Armenian winger ran past Gaudino and surged towards goal, before he slid a pass to Aubameyang that was poorly cleared by Alaba, and Neuer could only watch Mkhitaryan fire the loose ball into the net.

• 25^th min: Lewandowski lost possession in midfield following a challenge with Mkhitaryan, thus leading to Kehl and Kirch bypassing Bayern’s pressure and the latter found Hofmann between the lines. Hofmann slid a pass into Aubameyang in right half-space, but Neuer stopped the Dortmund attacker’s shot.

• 31^st min: Piszczek combined with Kirch and the former’s pass connected with Hofmann, who made a run behind Gaudino into the box, but Boateng blocked his shot and the Dortmund right back fired the loose ball over the net.

• 43^rd min: Hofmann outmuscled Rode in midfield to win possession, and he effortlessly ran past Gaudino, and played a pass to Mkhitaryan that forced Hojbjerg to clip the midfielder and earn a booking. 

Somehow, Dortmund only carried a one-goal lead into the break, but the countless chances created in transition showcased their dominance.

Guardiola tinkers

Guardiola reacted immediately at half time, introducing Phillip Lahm for Thomas Muller as Bayern transitioned into a 3-5-1-1, with Shaqiri operating as the chief playmaker. Lahm’s introduction was logical as Bayern now had a natural defensive player ahead of the back three to limit Hofmann’s threat.

Shaqiri’s central role also gave Bayern the advantage in midfield, and they came within inches of an equalizer in the opening minutes of the second half. Lahm found Shaqiri between the lines, but the Swiss midfielder’s through ball to Lewandowski was heavy, and the Polish striker could only poke his effort at Langerak.

Dortmund limited their energetic pressing in the second half, allowing Lahm time to string passes together, and although the 31-year-old connected with his teammates in advanced positions, the lack of quality in the final third hindered Bayern’s attack. Mario Gotze was also involved in the second half, but the former Dortmund player failed to lift his side’s performance.

Dortmund focus on wide areas

Klopp’s side, however, directed their attack into wide areas in the second half, as substitute left back Erik Durm constantly exploited space behind Hojbjerg, which eventually led to a Lahm booking.

Immobile, Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang attacked the space behind the advanced Hojbjerg in transition, as Guardiola’s side were consistently caught on the counter, pushing men forward to snag an equalizer. The issue Bayern encountered following their switch to a 3-5-1-1 involved Gaudino and Rode allowing the full backs to attack vacant space in the channels and isolate their wingbacks.

Dortmund doubled their lead in this manner as Piszczek was allowed to surge into the final third; the Polish full back overloaded Bernat with Aubameyang before playing a great cross from the byline to the onrushing attacker, who snuck behind Lahm and out-jumped Jerome Boateng to nod the ball past Neuer.

Langerak made a key save from an Alaba free kick to preserve his clean sheet, as Bayern provided no response for Dortmund’s dominance.

Conclusion

Dortmund’s dynamic pressing was no secret heading into the match, and it played a significant role in the outcome as it disrupted Bayern’s attack. Guardiola’s side encountered difficulties moving up the pitch as a unit, and without a holding midfielder, Dortmund successfully overloaded central areas, as Hofmann and Mkhitaryan terrorized Gaudino. 

While very little can be taken from this result, due to both sides missing several first-team players, Dortmund was undoubtedly the better side over 90 minutes, showcasing their adaptability, variety in attack, and disciplined pressing. 

 

Three Things: Arsenal 0-2 Bayern Munich

Courtesy of Flickr/ Some rights reserved by peterpribylla

Sanogo?

Arsene Wenger’s decision to hand 21-year-old Yaya Sanogo a place in the starting lineup was the main talking point when the team-sheets came out. Prior to kick-off, Sanogo had only played 127 minutes for the Gunners, with this being his second start for the club. Wenger’s reluctance to sign a striker in January left many Arsenal fans frustrated, and with Olivier Giroud requiring rest, Sanogo was the best option available.

The French striker led the line against Liverpool over the weekend, and played a key role in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s opener when he wonderfully controlled Mesut Ozil’s cross, in which his blocked shot fell into the path of the Arsenal winger. Sanogo constantly made runs into the channels, while flustering Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel with his physical presence and dynamism.

Bayern Munich, however, is not Liverpool, they’re the best team in Europe and this presented a new challenge for the Arsenal striker. But Wenger’s inclusion of Sanogo was logical: here, he wanted to utilize his pace and great movement off the ball to attack the space behind Bayern Munich’s high-line.

Santi Cazorla’s long ball over the top of the Bayern back-line signified the approach, as the Frenchman broke free, but the ball rolled out of play. Afterwards, his strength in the area led to a scramble, which resulted in Manuel Neuer making a wonderful save to keep the score levelled and prevent Sanogo from scoring his first-goal as a Gunner.

Sanogo offers the mobility and pace that Giroud lacks, and with Bayern playing a high-line, and Theo Walcott unavailable, Giroud’s threat would be minimal. The 21-year-old displayed his work-rate in the first-half when he dropped deep to dispossess Javi Martinez, and then played a great ball into the right channel for Oxlade-Chamberlain, who nearly forced David Alaba into a horrendous error.

Sanogo’s impact on the match decreased once Wojciech Szczesny was sent off, but Wenger’s decision to include the Frenchman in the starting XI was logical.

Penalties, Penalties, Penalties

The main talking point surrounding the first half was the controversy in the penalty box. Arsenal pressed and harried the European champions in the opening 15 minutes, and Wenger’s men created the better chances.

The Gunners were rewarded for their positive start when Jerome Boateng made a clumsy tackle on Mesut Ozil, thus resulting in a penalty. Similar to his spot-kick against Marseille earlier this season, the German’s languid run-up led to Neuer comfortably batting away Ozil’s poor penalty.

Subsequently, the momentum shifted and Bayern began to connect their passes and dictate the tempo of the match. Despite lacking penetration, and struggling to shift the Arsenal back-line out of position, Wenger’s men dropped deeper towards their box.

It took a scintillating ball from Toni Kroos to Arjen Robben to carve open Arsenal’s defence, and it forced Szczesny to commit a reckless challenge on the Dutch winger. The Polish goalkeeper received a red card, which forced Lukasz Fabianski to enter the fray, while Santi Cazorla was sacrificed.

Alaba stepped to the spot, but was forced to patiently wait for Arsenal to make their changes, and during that time he witnessed a wall of Gunners supporters heckle and jeer him. It took approximately two minutes for Fabianski to enter the goal, and Alaba’s mind was clustered. The Austrian left-back sent the Polish goalkeeper the wrong way, but his shot hit the post.

Both sides received the opportunity to take the lead through well-deserved spot-kicks, but neither shooter coped with the pressure – however, Bayern’s man advantage gave Guardiola’s side the onus to push for an away goal.

Kroos Control

For all the depth Bayern Munich possesses throughout their squad, the one player that doesn’t receive the credit he deserves is Toni Kroos. Kroos has been the heartbeat of Bayern’s creative play, and the 24-year-old midfielder saved his best performances for the European stage.

Last season at the Emirates, Kroos’ remarkable goal ignited a Bayern onslaught, but this time Szczesny saved his fantastic strike in the second minute. Yet, while Bayern struggled to cope with Arsenal’s energetic start, Kroos calmly settled Bayern into the match. He wandered around midfield looking for spaces to pick up the ball, and his precise passing helped his teammates come to grips with the frenetic pace.

Kroos’ passing was magnificent, and his ability to retain possession was also pivotal towards Bayern’s dominance. The German dynamo was at his best in the second half as Bayern picked up their tempo. Phillip Lahm cleverly created an angle for Kroos to fire an unstoppable shot into the top corner, to secure an important away goal.

The German was imperious in midfield and his long diagonal ball to Arjen Robben, followed by a well-weighed pass into Rafinha highlighted his creativity, but both wide players failed to provide an accurate final ball to increase Bayern’s lead. Kroos received an opportunity to kill the tie with seconds to spare, but his well-placed, low-driven shot ricocheted off the post.

It’s been nearly two years since Kroos’ master-class against Madrid , and his long-term injury forced him to miss last year’s road to Wembley. The German, however, is eager to display to the world that he’s Bayern’s key man, and arguably the best no.10 in the world, by guiding the Bavarians to their second consecutive Champions League triumph.

 

Borussia Dortmund 0-3 Bayern Munich

Courtesy of Soccer.ru

Mario Gotze’s second half goal led to an impressive Bayern Munich victory, which sees the champions move seven points clear of Borussia Dortmund.

Franck Ribery and Bastian Schweinsteiger were unavailable, so Mario Mandzukic led the line with Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben on the flanks. Javi Martinez and Toni Kroos played ahead of Phillip Lahm, and Rafinha filled in at right back in Pep Guardiola’s 4-1-4-1.

Jurgen Klopp was forced to play a makeshift defence, as all four members of his preferred backline were unavailable. Kevin Grosskreutz and Erik Durm played as fullbacks, while Sokratis and Manuel Friedrich formed a centre back partnership.

Although Klopp was forced to make several changes at the back, Dortmund were very much in the match, but the Champions League finalist’s were unable to cope with Guardiola’s second half substitutions.

Dortmund shape

Dortmund came into the match four points behind league leaders Bayern Munich, so dropping points at home wasn’t on their agenda – a loss wouldn’t only benefit Bayern, as it would ensure Bayer Leverkusen second place at the end of the weekend.

Considering Bayern were expected to focus on ball retention, the onus was on Dortmund to nullify their opponents. As expected, Klopp’s men maintained a high line, dropping into two banks of four, to minimize space between the lines. Marco Reus and Jakub Blaszczykowski sat deeper than usual to prevent David Alaba and Rafinha from pushing forward.

This left Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Robert Lewandowski up top to press the Bayern centre backs. Ultimately, it was 3v2 at the back, as Lahm dropped into a pocket of space when Dante and Jerome Boateng split, so Bayern always had a passing option available. Drum could afford to track Muller’s movement from the wing – with Reus protecting him – and Robben had glimpses of chances on the left flank, but was often seen buzzing around in Dortmund’s third, searching for gaps of space.

Dortmund’s shape was superb – they disrupted Bayern’s passing, limited their threat in the final third, and clearly created the better chances in the first half.

Bayern approach/Martinez false 10?

The main surprise in the opening minutes of the match was the positioning of Javi Martinez. The Spaniard, renowned for his brute strength and ability to break up play, was fielded as an attacking midfielder – therefore he was a ‘false 10’. When Dortmund attempted to play out of the back, Martinez closed down Sven Bender or Nuri Sahin, and with Muller and Mandzukic pressing the centre backs, Roman Weidenfeller was forced to lob the ball away.

Martinez pegged Bender and Sahin into deeper positions, thus limiting their impact on the match from an attacking perspective. While Bayern’s superiority in possession was evident, Martinez’s role as an attacking midfielder contributed to their low passing numbers.

However, the Spaniard’s role affected Bayern’s ability to play through midfield. With Lahm dropping deeper to provide an outlet for his centrebacks, Kroos was the only outlet available in midfield. Kroos drifted around midfield – mostly the left side of the pitch – looking for spaces to receive the ball, but Dortmund’s pressure forced the German to play conservative passes.

Guardiola’s men struggled to play forward balls, due to Dortmund’s shape, and whenever they did get forward, Martinez’s inability to play passes in tight areas were displayed.

But Guardiola wasn’t alarmed with his side’s difficulty breaking through midfield. Another element in Guardiola’s decision to play Martinez in an advanced role was their direct approach. The aim was for Muller and Martinez to attack balls that were knocked down by Mandzukic, but Dortmund comfortably dealt with Bayern’s long balls.

Muller and Mandzukic were peripheral figures in the first half, as they failed to trouble, or stretch Dortmund’s backline. Yet, they were both involved in Bayern’s best chances of the half –  Mandzukic’s acrobatic overhead kick from Muller’s cross, and Robben latching onto a Dante long ball, which he squared to Mandzukic, only for the Croatian to mishit his shot.

Martinez’s inclusion in an advanced role limited Bender and Sahin’s impact on the match – however, it had the same effect on Bayern’s possession-based and direct approach.

Dortmund break

A recurring theme in the last few meetings between these sides has been Dortmund’s inability to convert their chances. Once again, Klopp’s men created several chances on the break, but they lacked that extra bit of quality to beat an impressive Manuel Neuer.

But there were a few key feats in Dortmund’s breaks that shouldn’t be ignored. Alaba’s positioning, along with no defensive protection from Robben, left the right flank free for Blaszczykowski and Grosskreutz to penetrate. Majority of the chances Dortmund created resulted in the final ball being played behind Alaba.

Also, Lewandowski displayed both sides of his all-around attacking game – the Polish striker can play as a conventional no.9 and a no.10. Lewandowski’s movement got him into great positions to play his teammates clear, and although he squandered a great chance at the start of the match, his physical presence and aerial ability gave the Bayern defenders a few problems.

• 2^nd min: Bender played a pass to Lewandowski, who dropped deep and laid the ball off for Blaszczykowski. The Polish wide man cut in and played a great ball to Lewandowski at the edge of the six-yard box, but he turned and fired his shot over the net.

• 23^rd min: Reus intercepts Boateng’s forward pass and Mkhitaryan picks up the ball and drives forward. The Armenian midfielder played a pass to Lewandowski and he slides the ball to Blaszczykowski, who cut in but his shot was blocked.

• 25^th min: Durm’s pressure forces Muller to concede possession, as he can’t control Boateng’s pass, and the Dortmund defender back heels the ball to Mkhitaryan. Mkhitaryan drives forward and picks out Blaszczykowski, who plays a forward pass to an overlapping Grosskreutz, but he takes a first touch and Alaba’s recovery run allowed him nick the ball out for a corner.

• 28^th min: Lewandowski flicked on Weidenfeller’s goal kick and Boateng slipped, allowing Reus clear on goal, but he fired his shot directly at Neuer.

• 50^th min: Bender leads the attack and plays a pass to Blaszczykowski on the right flank. The Polish midfielder cut the ball back to Bender and he chipped the ball into the box, and Lewandowski – who ran ahead of Rafinha – nodded the ball wide of the net.

• 69^th min: Rafinha wildly conceded possession to Grosskreutz, who drove forward and played a pass to Blaszczykowski, who then found Lewandowski between the lines and the Polish striker played an exceptional through ball to Grosskreutz. The Dortmund right back dinked a ball to an unmarked Mkhitaryan, and he controlled the ball on his chest, then took another touch with his feet – giving Neuer time to settle – and fired a shot at the near post, but Neuer made a great save.

• 72^nd min: Grosskreutz’s ball over the top finds Lewandowski, who nudged Martinez aside, and back heeled the ball to Reus, and the German attacker’s shot – that deflected off of Dante – forced Neuer to make a key save.

Dortmund created six clear-cut opportunities on the break to take the lead, but they were unable to beat Neuer. They broke up Bayern’s play, attacked space in wide areas, and pounced on individual errors, but their lack of quality in front of goal made the difference.

Guardiola makes changes

The turning point in the match occurred when Guardiola turned to his bench and introduced Mario Gotze for Mandzukic, and Thiago Alcantara for Boateng – which pushed Martinez to centreback.

The change gave Bayern an additional ball-playing midfielder, along with fluidity and mobility in their attack.

Gotze was dropping deeper to help Bayern retain possession, and pull defenders out of position, and he also made runs behind the Dortmund backline. Bayern began to dictate the midfield, and slowly triangles were beginning to form.

 

Coincidentally, it was Gotze who gave Bayern the lead 10 minutes after his arrival. The goal displayed the difference in how Guardiola’s men utilized possession – there were nifty intricate passes from the right to the centre of the pitch, after Thiago dispossessed Sahin, and it led to Lahm playing a killer pass to an unmarked Muller on the right, and his cross found Gotze unmarked in the box, and he directed the ball past Weidenfeller.

Guardiola introduced Daniel van Buyten for Rafinha, which pushed Lahm to right back and Martinez in the single pivot, but the Spaniard’s decision to introduce Gotze and Thiago was a key factor in Bayern’s second half improvement.

Klopp reacts?

Unlike Guardiola, Klopp doesn’t possess an abundance of resources on the bench, but he decided to replace Blaszczykowski and Mkhitaryan with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Jonas Hofmann.

Apart from fatigue, the decision to introduce Aubameyang was down to the impact he had in the Super Cup a few months backs, when he dominated Bayern’s backline with his pace. However, Guardiola’s substitutions and Dortmund’s intent on going forward, left Klopp’s men vulnerable – Bayern were now keen to sustain possession, and there was space available for Robben and Muller to attack.

2-0/3-0

Bayern put the match out of sight in the final five minutes, but the matter in which the goals were constructed, highlighted the significance of Guardiola’s changes.

• 85^th min: Dante dispossessed Reus near the corner of his 18-yard box and played a pass to Kroos, and he quickly directed the ball to Gotze. Gotze then found Thiago, and the Spaniard played a magnificent cross field pass to Robben, which led to a 3v1 break, and Robben confidently chipped Weidenfeller.

• 87^th min: Alaba, Kroos and Thiago form another passing triangle, and Thiago plays a ball to Martinez who attacked space in midfield and found Robben to his right. Robben runs at Drum before playing in an advancing Lahm at right back, and he delivered a ball across the box for Muller to tap in.

Like the opening goal, Thiago and Gotze were key figures in the build up, and Guardiola’s in-game tinkering – moving Lahm to right back and Martinez as a holder – contributed to the final goal. Once again Bayern showcased their tactical flexibility.

Conclusion

This match showcased a few elements that we’ve seen in previous encounters – Dortmund’s reactive approach nullified Bayern, but they were unable to convert their chances on the break, whereas Bayern were clinical in front of goal.

“Everything is decided in midfield. If you want to win the game, you need to control the midfield,” Guardiola said.

Nonetheless, Guardiola’s second half changes gave his side the advantage, thus leading to their dominance for the remainder of the match. 

“I’ve seen Bayern a lot. Tonight, they played as many high balls as in the last three years combined,” Klopp said.

“First, they got at us with long balls, then they bring on the 1.70m boys, not a bad idea,” he added. 

Guardiola’s pragmatic approach displayed his side’s flexibility and why many classify the Spaniard as unpredictable, – but it also showcased that his side isn’t ready to express themselves under his philosophy. While Bayern continue to grow under Guardiola, Klopp’s tactics are beginning to take their toll on his slender squad, which could diminish their domestic and European challenge.