Pep’s next evolution

[Saddleworth2]

I think where we are headed is an ultimate shape shifting side that responds to the tactics of the opposition. Always deploying the most effective shape to maximise our superiority. To be fair that been coming in the last couple of seasons particularly since Haaland joined. We don’t just have plan B, we have a plan for every letter of the alphabet.

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

4-4-2 big man/little man. Four big centre halves at the back, long balls to your big number 9. And people said Pep couldn't adapt to English football.

 

[Sir peace frog]

one of the ways teams were getting small success against us(making it harder) was going man for man all over the pitch, ok pep thought, whoever is going man to man on big erl will struggle, team drops deeper,big erl stays up top, and eddie launches one over the top, because there isnt a cb in world football who can match the strength and pace of big erl, teams will then drop deeper,and we will revert back to our normal style, pep is always one step ahead.

 

[Damanino]

Pep will turn City into a kick and rush, long ball team while the rest is trying to mimic his tactics from last two seasons.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

If the Burnley game is anything to go by we are going long from Eddie as much as playing out from the back...

It's almost like we've completed another style of footie and showing why we are so hard to beat as we evolve constantly, no other team in the UK or in any main league changes as often as we do.

That’s when we are up against man to man marking. It’s not something that we’re now going to do all the time, it just depends on what the opponent does. If they go man to man, we draw them all up the pitch as we know they’ll follow. Then have a couple of midfielders quickly spin and leg it up to Haaland and at that moment, Ederson pings it. If Haaland wins/holds it, we have at worst a 3 v 3

 

[jimharri]

One thing guaranteed, whatever the style, Arsenal will be trying to do it within a few months.

Actually, it's two things. The second one being; whatever the style we'll be ruining football. Charge number 116.

 

[Bluewonder]

Total football.

Almost everyone capable of playing almost every position, with just Dias and Haaland fixed.

Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol, Rodri, Kova, Foden, KDB, Bernardo, Grealish and Alvarez can all seamlessly rotate with no loss of quality.

If (or rather, when) it works, it will be unstoppable.

 

[waspish]

Think this season he is going find a way to play Alvarez and Haaland in as many games as possible

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

We have distinct teams who won titles and can be recognised for style etc. As more teams are trying play Pep ball I think we are going to see new evolution if anything is to go by Burnley match going direct i am curious what next iteration of this team.

Now we have a bigger (in size) team. Set pieces have improved which is down to many things such as set piece specialist bought in to work on this.

I think getting best out of Haaland and playing direct with winger such a links for Doku (21) is not a like for like for Mahrez means we are in for something special.

What are you thoughts? I know we never k ow what Pep is plotting for us this season.

Manchester City's improved set-pieces

August 12, 2023 — The most significant area of improvement for Manchester City this season will be the efficiency of their set-pieces, and we’ve begun to see glimpses in preseason and against Burnley yesterday.

t.co

It’s unlikely that Pep is transitioning into Tony Pulis.

Each opposition has different strengths and weaknesses.

Burnley pressed like Bielsa-ball, therefore Pep goes more direct as most of their players were high up the pitch marking man to man.

When we play Brentford, there’ll be no direct football as they play in a low block with numbers behind the ball.

Pep analyses each opposition, identifies their weak spots and adapts our approach to exploit them.

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

one of the ways teams were getting small success against us(making it harder) was going man for man all over the pitch, ok pep thought, whoever is going man to man on big erl will struggle, team drops deeper,big erl stays up top, and eddie launches one over the top, because there isnt a cb in world football who can match the strength and pace of big erl, teams will then drop deeper,and we will revert back to our normal style, pep is always one step ahead.

Thought the woman on Sky was the only one who picked up on this while Neville and Carragher where more interested in their own banter. If you go one to one then you leave Eddie spare with all the time in the world to pick a pass. If you press him then we just beat the press.