How strong is the untidy melon? Interpreting Manchester City's tactical board Who is behind the scenes
Overtaking Arsenal to win the Premier League, beating city rivals Manchester United to win the FA Cup, knocking out Bayern and Real Madrid all the way to the Champions League final, Guardiola and Manchester City are getting closer to the treble.
It seems that as long as the manager does not work out, winning Inter is a natural thing. So who is the indispensable behind-the-scenes boss on this Manchester City team?
01. Defense is the foundation of offense: Stones is the hero behind the scenes
a. Let the central defender play at the back: Gua Shuai's new all-attack, all-defense philosophy
The biggest changes for Manchester City this season are the presence of Haaland up front, and the addition of Stones at the back.
The England centre-back has good foot technique and ability to play the ball, as well as strength and physicality, adding a defender to the defence at any time when switching between attack and defence, and freeing Rodri and Gundogan forward in attack.
Stones grew up playing centre-back, so the consciousness of retreating to Dias' side was natural.
In this way, Manchester City's full-back can be a scary role. Whether it's a winger for Bayern or Venicius for limiting Real Madrid, the starting point is Stones as a temporary change at the back.
Walker, Akanji and Acker are all types that can switch between full-back and centre-back. Manchester City look like they don't have wingers and full-backs, but the team's full-back characteristics allow the opposing side to take advantage of the flanks.
Manchester City's midfielders have good headers and superior power, unless the opposing team can play a finer overall combination, taking advantage of Manchester City's back and the slow turning of the centre-back. However, in the Champions League this season, Manchester City have not faced such an opponent.
b. Stones' success: liberation of Rodri and Gundogan
Stones was like a cornerstone, and around him, Rodri and the B found more fronts with the ball.
At the same time, Gundogan can also be more like a free agent on the offensive end, getting space forward and shooting opportunities.
In the knockout round of the Champions League, Rodri had a number of frontal shots from the penalty area.
In addition to the world-wave goal against Bayern, the match against Real Madrid also had De Bruyne's rib cover and let Rodri shoot into the box.
In the process of attacking forward, Manchester City's full-backs can be the receiving point and the person who dribbles forward, and the team's double back is a wall point for back cover, and the other is a defender who receives protection.
Gundogan and De Bruyne took turns pulling back and leading the attack.
02. Gundogan and B: Beneficiaries of the offensive system
a. Gundogan, who keeps scoring goals: he is the beneficiary of the system
In the final six games of the season, Gundogan scored twice on three occasions, and Gundogan's performance won widespread acclaim.
His success is first and foremost thanks to Pep Guardiola's overall tactical arrangement. Especially after the central axis system of Haaland, De Bruyne and Stones has gradually improved, he and the B seat have become beneficiaries.
Guardiola is not limited to possession at his feet at the moment, and the offensive end will try to find Haaland with a higher proportion of long passes.
As a second-platoon follow-up attacker, Gundogan has a natural advantage in anticipating the landing point and moving awareness.
Although this goal was invalidated because it was offside during the make-up shot. However, Gundogan fully showed his characteristics in receiving Haaland behind his back, and then attacking with the ribs in the penalty area.
On the Manchester City side, the interspersion of Gundogan and B in the core area is a highlight, which can extend the confrontational advantage brought by the high point in the middle to the rib space.
b. Will the B final score?
Gundogan's outburst was not accidental, and likewise, the B seat on the other side also got a lot of opportunities.
The former scored twice in the FA Cup final, while the latter also scored two goals with three shots and three shots on target in the 4-0 win over Real Madrid.
The key problem is that Real Madrid's defensive focus is on Haaland and De Bruyne, so the interspersion and use of rib space in the B seat has become a blind spot for the opponent's defense.
The successive goals of Gundogan and B are not accidental, they are the beneficiaries of the manager's overall tactics.
It is also because they can seize the opportunity to keep Manchester City moving towards the treble.
03. The final is not complete: the protagonist also watches Haaland and De Bruyne
The final is about to begin, and Manchester City, who have won the Premier League and FA Cup doubles, have no reason to change their tactics.
All Guardiola has to do is take me as the main one and play with his own characteristics and strengths against Inter.
Whether it's Stones, Gundogan and the B-seat, they are part of City's overall tactics after all, but they are not the pillars that really support the skeleton.
In the final, the play of Haaland and De Bruyne will still be the key to success or failure.
In 2009, the fledgling Pep Guardiola won the treble for the first time of his career, and in 2011, he once again stood at the top of Europe.
For the next 12 years, he wanted to relive his old dreams, but only reached the Champions League final once, only to miss out.
This is a good opportunity for the coach to usher in a new peak in his career, and his 3241 formation is expected to go down in history because of this victory.
Conclusion:
The title is just around the corner and Guardiola is just one step away from reaching a new peak. If anyone is the boss on this Manchester City tactical board, it can only be Pep Guardiola himself.
If you don't work hard, continue to do the right thing, and don't get Inter out of the world wave from a long shot, then winning is a natural result.