Theres extra to Pep than possession

By then, City had been taking part in 5 defenders with a financial institution of 4 in entrance. It was as low block as low block will be. As per The Athletic, City have been defending 26m from their aim this time period, 9 metres deeper than they had been in 2024-25. Soon after, Erling Haaland, who had put City forward within the ninth minute, was substituted by Nico Gonzalez. That meant shifting Jeremy Doku from being City’s participant for the discharge ball to No.9.

It was not the one defensive change from Pep Guardiola. The Manchester City supervisor had changed Phil Foden with Nathan Ake earlier and ended Sunday’s1-1 draw with a double substitution within the 87th with Doku one of many gamers going off. By then, City had Stones, Ake, Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias and Matheus Nunes on the again and Rodri, Gonzalez, Bernando Silva and Tijjani Reijnders offering additional safety. City seemed to defend their approach to full factors, one thing they virtually did.

The possession share was much more intriguing. As per The Guardian’s minute-by-minute report, between the twenty seventh and thirty seventh minutes, Manchester City had 13% possession. They ended with 32.8% possession, the bottom ever in 601 matches for Guardiola as an elite membership supervisor.

This was extra Jose Mourinho, now again in enterprise at Benfica, extra anti-football, extra smash-and-grab than something Guardiola has been related to. Had Doku been on track within the 82nd minute after City broke swiftly following an Arsenal corner-kick, it will have been 2-0 and, probably, sport over.

Guardiola mentioned what occurred on the Emirates was uncommon. “We will not be constructed for that however generally now we have to simply accept it,” AFP quoted him as saying. Credit to Arsenal for making City play that means, he mentioned. Guardiola has let Arsenal monopolise the ball as soon as earlier, in March 2023 when City ended with 36.5% possession.

“Against high groups it’s a must to defend and it’s a must to develop as a group with the ball and as a group with out the ball,” Guardiola has mentioned. Especially if the group is in transition, he mentioned. City have signed a raft of recent gamers after releasing Ederson, Kevin de Bruyne, Julian Alvarez, Kyle Walker, Ilkay Guendogan and Jack Grealish. Playing the City means, as in regaining possession shortly, will take time, he has mentioned.

If Haaland has made City extra direct and faster of their attacking play – it wanted some getting used to however they did that with Rodri managing the midfield each in offence and defence – Gianluigi Donnarumma is offering assurance in aim. For a supervisor who opted for Claudio Bravo over Joe Hart after which Ederson as a result of he wanted a goalkeeper higher with distribution, this looks like going again to go ahead.

Ederson has essentially the most assists (7) for a goalkeeper in Premier League historical past however City wanted a goalkeeper who, as per their supervisor, is a “massive presence on the massive levels.” Donnarumma was not signed as a like-for-like alternative for Ederson, Guardiola has mentioned. “He has different qualities.” Such as going lengthy to bypass the press.

Arsenal are recognized to be harmful from corner-kicks, they scored 33 targets from corners since 2023-24 until the top of final season, essentially the most by any group within the Premier League – however actually and metaphorically, Donnarumma was a big presence in his field. Like in opposition to Manchester United, Donnarumma made essential saves to disclaim Mikel Merino on the close to put up and clear a Noni Madueke cross. It wanted a second of brilliance from Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Martinelli to breach Donnarumma’s defence.

But for that, Guardiola would have ended with full factors. It is that this means to adapt that has fetched 18 trophies at City, three La Liga titles and two Champions League winners’ medals at Barcelona and three Bundesliga titles at Bayern. It is what makes him an all-time nice.