Manchester City’s back three could be the answer for Pep Guardiola
Switching to three at the back in the 2-1 win over Everton offers hope that Manchester City now have a defensive solution that works, writes Adam Bate from the Etihad Stadium
Thursday 2 January 2020 06:27, UK
After a run of one clean sheet in nine Premier League games, Manchester City looked set to make it back-to-back shut outs in their New Year’s Day win over Everton. Instead, Claudio Bravo’s mistake made for a nervy climax at the Etihad Stadium. That was unfortunate but Pep Guardiola is still entitled to be encouraged that his latest tactical tweak could alleviate some of City’s problems.
- Man City 2-1 Everton - Highlights and report
- Premier League Table | Fixtures | Top scorers
- How the teams lined up
Switching to a back three was not the solution of choice following Aymeric Laporte's injury early in the season. Guardiola has turned to it only after other options have been exhausted. But it solves some of the problems that City have been having - not only in dealing with the opposition counter-attack but in building their own attacks with greater confidence than we have seen this season.
It is an unlikely trio who find themselves in the key roles. Rodri was bought with a view to becoming Fernandinho's long-term heir in the holding midfield role. Now he finds himself on the right side of a defence that includes the veteran Brazilian with teenage defender Eric Garcia also playing on the left. Nicolas Otamendi, desperately poor against Wolves recently, is back among the substitutes.
It is early days for this new City back line but in some respects this system suits their skill sets. Rodri might have been moved from the heart of the game but he can still get on the ball and dictate from deep. The Spaniard completed more passes than anyone else on the pitch against Everton, his forward ball setting in motion the attack that led to Phil Foden's disallowed goal in the first half.
Garcia impressed too, making four interceptions - the most by any Manchester City player in a single game all season. One during the second half, when he stepped forward to cut out an angled pass to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, was particularly important. It was a gamble but one that is worth taking when Fernandinho is there to provide cover. It helps City sustain attacks.
Fernandinho himself has been far too exposed at times this season when asked to play in a two-man defence. This is more of a sweeper role that utilises some of the same traits that made him so good when covering in front of the centre-backs rather than behind them. He made five tackles against Everton - almost as many as the rest of his Manchester City team-mates put together.
The extra man at the back could prove useful for the defence but Guardiola is just as interested in the benefits that it can bring elsewhere in his team. The City coach is obsessed with perfecting the build-up play - how his players deliver the ball into the final third. With two midfielders in the back line, plus Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne as deep-lying playmakers, the platform is there.
"We can do it in the future," said Guardiola when asked about the new formation. "We make a really good build-up. The five guys - Eric, 'Dinho, Rodri, Gundogan and Kevin - they are so good with the ball. Everything that happens that starts from there is good. It is better. Riyad (Mahrez) received the ball in better conditions. Phil (Foden) received it in better conditions. It helps us to play better."
Rodri and Fernandinho have a range of pass in their armoury - both sweeping wonderful long balls out to Benjamin Mendy on the left wing during the game against Everton. But it is their simple use of the ball that is just as important. So comfortable are they in possession that, particularly with more men in the back line, City are once again a very difficult team for opponents to press.
This controlled build-up is designed to engineer the ball to the feet of Gundogan and De Bruyne. It was Gundogan's measured pass to Gabriel Jesus that brought about City's first goal. It was De Bruyne's forward ball to Foden that eventually found Jesus - via Mahrez - for the second. That one sparked wild celebrations from Guardiola, who no doubt felt his team selection was vindicated.
He had spoken after the win over Sheffield United in City's previous game of the need to get bodies closer to Sergio Aguero in order to improve the striker's supply line. Here, it was Jesus helped by the fact that Foden and Mahrez found themselves operating inside. Gone are the so-called 'twin eights' of De Bruyne and David Silva. Now Guardiola is going with 'twin tens' instead.
The idea is to attack with the full-backs rather than the wingers. It is an adjustment that Guardiola perhaps could have made sooner following the injury to Leroy Sane in the summer, particularly when both Mendy and Joao Cancelo are more suited to the role of wing-back. Both players thrived against Everton because they had space ahead of them into which they could attack.
Cancelo provided the cross from which Foden thought he had opened the scoring. Mendy provided some dangerous deliveries from the opposite flank too. City were still able to stretch their opponent. The difference is that they were far less susceptible to the counter-attack against Everton.
When Mendy had one of his characteristic brain fades late on, a stray pass almost putting Moise Kean through, Garcia was there with a huge tackle. When a lofted ball went over the head of Garcia soon after, Fernandinho was on hand to snuff out the danger. City always had enough cover.
Live EFL Cup
Is this the answer then? That might be overstating. Kyle Walker and Oleksandr Zinchenko are among a number of important players in this squad whose return to the team could prompt another change of system. But in a season in which the absence of Laporte and Sane has made City's 4-3-3 look fallible, Guardiola needs to use this phase of the campaign to find alternative solutions.
They begin the year in third place, boasting an eight-point advantage on Chelsea in fourth thanks to this win over Everton. Despite Guardiola's unconvincing claims that seventh or eighth is still a possibility for City, there is no real danger of that. But the 11 point deficit on Liverpool means that the reigning champions are having to adjust their focus going into the second half of the season.
Live Renault Super Sunday
Asked what the aims are after beating Sheffield United, Guardiola said: "It's just to prepare, play good and to be as close to top of league, prepare for cup competitions and prepare next season."
It is the former rather than the latter that should occupy the thoughts. After beginning their FA Cup defence at the weekend, there is the small matter of a Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester United. The first leg of the Champions League tie against Real Madrid takes place the following month. These are the games that will define Guardiola's fourth season at Manchester City now.
His task is to use the intervening period wisely. The signs over this festive period are that he intends to do just that. Guardiola has always been proactive. Sometimes that tinkering has felt unnecessary. Now it is sorely needed. His search for solutions - and his success or otherwise in finding them - will dictate what can be achieved.
Manchester City's use of a back three could yet make their season.
