How Pep Is Solving City's Biggest Problem | Tactical Analaysis : Chelsea 0-2 Manchester City

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[martinzzincredible]

Savinho was excellent in this match. Chelsea lost but it's still early days!

[nvrmnd]

People always say Pep is too stubborn, but imo hes one of the biggest pragmatists out there.

He has his philosophy that he is sticking to, but hes highly pragmatic and flexible in finding ways to accomplish those

[MelonHusk]

It's so good to watch pep tweek stuff. Really intelligent manager. Complex love hate relationship.

[Sam-Ang]

Pep is always adapting, tweaking & evolving.. nothing new.

[thuo]

Pep has evolved so much since his days as Barca coach. He went from "tiki taka" to a lesser form of tiki taka but still maintaining his philosophy of ball possession and chance creation (at Bayern) and at City, he has evolved his tactics even further.
If you look closely at Pep's City, you will see how much they have evolved tactically. Talk about inverted fullbacks for a couple of seasons to inverted CBs over the last 2 seasons etc. Another aspect of City is the various systems they use when they don't have the ball. We have seen Pep use the 4-4-2 when City lose the ball to 4-3-3 with tight man-marking system to 4-3-2-1 etc.
I still remember the CL game against Real Madrid back in 2020 (back in the covid era), Pep played Gabriel Jesus as some sort of hybrid LWB and at times LM /LW when City had the ball. It was such an intricate and complex system. City did win that game and won the tie to progress further in the CL.
Most people think that Pep started using inverted fullbacks at Bayern with Philip Lahm but Pep actually started experimenting with inverted Fullbacks while he was still the Barca manager. In Pep's last season as Barca manager, he started using Dani Alves as an inverted fullback in some games. This was over a decade ago and most people including the media had no idea what that tactic was.
I could go on and on on the details and specifics of Pep's tactical evolution but that would make this comment too long.
Pep is simply a tactical genius. A mad and obsessed man that he is with football.

[TextOfDuty]

its amazing to me how hungry and proactive this manager still is

[samuelrylindavid]

It looks like Pep is adapting a hybrid between his usual slow build up, to quick transitions into space.

[JohnnyMckenzie]

the signing of Savinho was a masterstroke. Pep looks like he might revert to the style of play that made City centurions as both Doku and Savinho are interchangeable in game. De Bruyne and Foden will be operating in the half spaces

[mostafawael]

If I am not mistaken, this 3-4-3 diamond that pep's team morph into during possession saw its debut in the champions league final, during Pep's triumph over Inter Milan. While Pep's adaptability is highly commendable, this isn't exactly a new invention, is it?

[anthonyigbonaju]

That’s the exact thing Maresca was doing against Inter, but it looks like Maresca will go to this against low blocks or 5atb system

[rodiermadiande]

This is the shape he was looking to create at Barcelona during the last season.
But not using the same player roles

[q.veyane]

He has done this specific tactic before, I remember against Arsenal at the Emirates in his second season. He moved Benjamin Mendy there. This is a 3-1-3-3 he played at Bayern as well. At Barça & City it has always tended to be a 3-3-1-3. It's my favourite formation ever straight from the Ajax/Cruijff book of tacticts.

[danijelhrup]

Dude... Kovacich is such a monster, how he takes the ball in defense with such an ease and he's strong in duel, unbelievable, I watched him against Barca, than against Atalanta, then yesterday... More complete player than Rodry

[thetruth]

City are going to win the PL trophy again.

[CosmoOfTheKramers]

The football fan in me hates City (for 115 obvious reasons) and Pep (for his Barca roots, intensely dislike the club for historical reasons ), but the football nerd in me absolutely adores Pep for how intelligent his tweaks and changes to his footballing schemes are. It's such a weird feeling having the nerd part in me watch his football in awe and joy, and at the end of the match, the fan in me wrinkles his nose in disgust lol

[florme]

This game backfired on Maresca. Chelsea played similar tactics (as you describe) vs inter, and City vs Manu. I know, and I think everyone knows cities weakness is pace running at and behind the back 3. Maresca wanted the middle completely blocked playing our 2 10’s on the wings and our 2 6’s, along with Enzo our 8 to stop Kova building up. My guess, the plan was to stop City scoring for the first 60 to 70 minutes. But then I was complexed why we didn’t introduce a front 3 of Neto Jackson and Noni. Cole in the 10, KDW coming on next to Lavia and moving forward to the left half space in attack. Allowing Gusto and Lavia the rest position of the two 6’s. The pace, trickery and creativity would have put us back in the game making it very awkward for City. Instead we continued to play gusto as both the right back and right winger which really stifled our attack. It was attack vs defence the whole match. Attack won.

[giwaazeezoluwaseyidele]

The success of this was because of the tactical nativity of the Chelsea team. I will like to see him do it against Liverpool and arsenal that are a team already unlike Chelsea who's struggling to play as a team

[iLOLeverything]

Seeing this formation unfold really highlighted Kovacic's position in the best possible way. Best player on the field IMO, from min 62-85 everyone was walking, while he ran the show. Take a bow Kova

[nigelbhebhe]

I think this system can be well covered by a 442 diamond, where the opposition midfielders can go man for man with City's. The wingers as well can also be covered by a strong and pacy fullback. We all saw how well Carvajal managed Grealish last year.

[sautante]

I really appreciate how you actually show ingame footage of what's happening along with the theoretical tactics, it brings to life what's actually happening!