People going on about the 4-1-4-1 not suiting Kev or where Gundo will fit into it when he returns etc, are thinking far too rigidly and not seeing the wood for the trees imo.
These are two special players, KdB is pretty much unique in world football in his capacity to see and execute decisive passes in the final third, he's like a killer fucking unicorn !
Gundo is a metronomic pass and move machine who can make any team run more smoothly, particularly in speeding up transition from back to front (which will obviously help Kev who is at his most lethal when breaking against a less 'set' defence)
Guardiola is not married to the two variations of 4-1-4-1 we've seen so far and quite frankly if he can't get the best out of a diamond like KdB, I'd expect him to adjust to a formation that does, or he's not the manager that I expected.
Pep is the brightest tactician in world football currently, IMO. He's creating new formations - or more accurately, new (or at least unseen in recent history) variants on existing formations to get the best out of his sides.
We've already played (arguably though his formations are fluid) a 4141 variant so far (morphs into a WM is fluid etc.)
And this formation is readily adaptable in order to feature our best 11 in the side:
Bravo
Fernandinho - Kompany - Stones - Kolarov
Gundogan
Sterling - Silva - KDB - Sane
Aguero
That's how I see us setting up by default with changes dictated by whom we face.
Pep's systems are very fluid though, shifting depending on who has the ball and where the ball is. It heavily stresses positional spacing to create advantages on offense and to facilitate shadow coverage (passing lane if you will) counter-pressing once the ball turns over. So his sides are often hard to characterize by some strict numerical sequence.
Moreover, Pep featured a plethora of systems while at Bayern.
Is he rigidly married to a 4141? Of course not. Will the 11 I've listed start every game if not injured? Of course not.
Will Pep strive to see his best staring 11 begin in every important game - hell yes! - "best" being the side that will most likely lead to victory given the current opposition, and not necessarily the same 11 each time.
I offer up the 4141 side listed above as a system which I think is likely to start *by default* against most sides. It features KDB, Silva, Aguero, and Gundogan - our most important players on offense/transition. IMO. Moreover, it sees Fernandinho in the side to leverage his stamina on defense and superb passing
I fully expect Pep to deviate from this system as he sees best.
And yes, this is a guess on my part. The master technician may well start a much better side/formation by default.
For the first time since I've been a City fan (became a fan back when Mancini first took the reigns), we have a supremely competent manager - tactically superb, with the ability to motivate and get the best out of every player in his side. I've never been more excited about the start of our season.