"Overthinking" has become another label for Guardiola's coaching career, but it is a negative label. Facing Atletico's 550 formation, the overthinking of the Manchester city manager has finally achieved positive results.
Why always create stupid tactics?
Before the game against Atletico, Guardiola spoke about overthinking, "If I always play in the same way, it would be boring, if someone thinks I will use the same tactics against Atletico, Liverpool, then I will not like it." 」 ”
"Our movements are completely different, the players are not the same, they all have their own characteristics. That's why I overthinked and created stupid tactics. Guardiola even joked, "This change is that I will have 12 players on the meeting." ”
However, "overthinking" continues to make Guardiola suffer, and in the 2021-22 Champions League final against Chelsea, Guardiola, who took the initiative to change the team, made the players unable to find feelings, which became the key reason for Manchester City's final defeat. In fact, from the late stages of coaching Barca to Bayern to Manchester City, overthinking has constantly allowed Guardiola to swallow the bitter fruit of defeat in key games.
550 formations, 0 shots on goal
Simeone once hoped to make the team play better, but the poor results put Simeone back on the old path. In the group stage away to Liverpool, Atletico played quite conservatively, with only 0.25 goals expected, the lowest in eight Champions League games this season. In this game, Liverpool's expected goal was 3.22.
In the Champions League quarter-finals, Atletico had the lowest possession time (7.3 seconds) per possession, while Manchester City (15.11 seconds) was the highest. Meanwhile, City averaged 5.17 passes per possession and Atletico 2.85, reflecting the huge gap between the tactics of the two teams.
The movement of this campaign also proved this, Simeone used the 550 tactic, all 10 players except the goalkeeper returned to their own side of the box, forming two defenses with 5 men each. Such tactical choices allowed Atletico to shoot 0 shots on goal, with only 29% of the ball on target and only 297 passes in the whole game. In contrast, City had 15 shots on goal, 2 on target and 695 passes.
This is the first time since Simeone took charge that Atletico have scored 0 shots in a single game. Obviously, Simeone's idea is to exchange white papers with opponents away from home and return to the home game.
How to tear up the opponent's defense, Guardiola's response is to let De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva take turns as pseudo-center forwards, but the effect is not ideal. The Manchester Evening News commented, "Manchester City has no space to pass or cross, no room to shoot, almost no time to think, this is the Spaniard's defensive masterclass." ”
Taking the initiative but not being able to break the goal has allowed City to get some criticism. However, De Bruyne hit back after the game, "It was very tough, they were almost 5 defenders, 5 midfielders, it was difficult to find space, I suggested that all the people who pointed us out in this game go to the training ground and try it." ”
Overthinking is finally working
Guardiola is perhaps one of the most frequent managers to face the Barrel Squad, with four champions league games with 0-on-goal in a single game since the technical statistics of the 2003-04 season, with all three teams facing Pep Guardiola's side.
Guardiola made three consecutive substitutions in the 68th minute, replacing Mahrez, Sterling and Gundogan with Foden, Glaliche and Jesus, and such substitutions had an immediate effect. Glaris received a yellow card for De Paul on his first touch, while Foden provided an assist on his first touch.
In fact, this may be the tactical adjustment that Guardiola made after overthinking, allowing Glaliche to attract the attention of opponents and Foden to take advantage of the holes in the opponent's midfield defense, which is a tactical change made by Guardiola. In fact, after coming off the bench, Glalis was violated by his opponents five times, ranking first among the players in the game, and Foden gave his only assist after just 80 seconds off the bench.
Ferdinand praised the Manchester city manager's overthinking this time, "In the second half, I think it was an example of Pep overthinking, however, this time in a positive way. He recognises where to get space and where they can hurt Atletico, and they did. ”
"Manchester City passed the test, they had problems. Can you break through the defensive line of such a team? Can you handle the two lines of defense you face each with 5 people? In the first half, they didn't find a way, which was frustrating, but they didn't give up. ”