Injured Ilkay soaks up Pep’s top tactics
ILKAY Gundogan gave a tactical masterclass as he explained the thinking behind some of Pep Guardiola’s ideas.
Some of the changes the Catalan coach has introduced at City have been striking, and the team has been recognisable this season for their pressing.
Gundogan has not been able to play too much of a role in it all, having been sidelined since December. However, the German international has been around the squad enough to know what the coach wants from his players.
When used as full-backs, Bacary Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy and Fernandinho have often been seen moving forward and inside when City have the ball.
If the action is important, the personnel can be flexible.
“It is but it doesn’t necessarily need to be full-backs,” Gundogan said.
“We always want to be in the position with three (defenders), two (players in central areas) and then the two attacking midfielders because that makes the game easier for us.
“We have short ways of passing between all these players and the most important thing is about creating space for these two guys (attacking midfielders Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva) so they can turn and pass to these guys (wingers Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling) and these guys – in an ideal situation – pass back to Sergio Aguero to score.”
Guardiola announced in his first press conference as City manager that one of the key instructions for his players was that ‘ when the opponent has the ball, take it back as quick as possible’.
Regularly practising rondos in training, the Blues have sought as much possession as possible in matches this season – as befits the Guardiola philosophy.
However, talk of a ‘five-second rule’ in which the team have to win the ball back whenever they lose it is not entirely correct. “It depends on the situation and also on the opponent,” said Gundogan. “If we are quite defensive (positionally) and we lose the ball, we just try to get back into our positions and try to defend.
“That’s something you have to do from time to time.
“But if we are more in front and all our players are higher up the pitch, we push and try to win the ball back as soon as possible. “It’s much better to win the ball in these areas rather than in your own half because it makes it easier to score a goal, and if we have the opportunity to win the ball back up here (high up) we try to use it.” Ilkay Gundogan