Umir Irfan
Football tactics correspondent
Manchester City’s out-of-possession work has been the source of some of their struggles in recent weeks.
Losses to both Tottenham and Brighton highlight an emerging pattern that is likely contributing to City’s poor start to the season. City press high against opponents when they build up from the goalkeeper. The instruction to press high, paired with asking the full-back to cover a larger distance in which they are tasked with pressing, has given teams the chance to exploit Guardiola’s men down the flanks.
For both the first goal Spurs scored and the second goal Brighton scored, the ball is moved to a defender out wide with City’s attacker unable to press them tightly. The opposition’s wide player is able to turn and face forwards before playing a direct pass into the channels.
One of the opposition players drops deeper dragging City’s full-back with them, Nathan Ake against Spurs and Rico Lewis against Brighton.
City, therefore, end up with three players in their backline, with all three players shifting over to cover the space left vacant by the full-back.
One of City’s centre-backs ends up having to defend on the flank in an area they are less comfortable with, making them more likely to lose their respective duel.
Opposition players are then able to run into the space between the spread-out three defenders.
With this general pattern seen in their two most recent games, it is worthwhile paying attention to how Guardiola and co seek to address this problem going forward.
