PEP PAYS FOR PLAYING IT SAFE
City stumble after Guardiola rests seven in bid to avoid ANOTHER Champions League flop
PEP Guardiola knows only too well that this is how you beat his Manchester City side. Defend with a low back line, narrow the pitch and break with real bravery.
In that sense, Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa had his rival’s number. But then again, it is not really a secret. Leeds made sure to keep their full-backs tight in their defensive third, forcing the home side to attack wide.
City do not like attacking a low block from wide areas because they do not currently possess a striker who can outmuscle Premier League central defenders aerially. Maybe that will change after the summer transfer business.
In came an avalanche of crosses — 36 of them. More than any other game this season, four more than the infamous winter night spent banging at the same door when West Brom left with a point.
‘I did not like what I saw,’ Guardiola has since reflected on that draw last December. ‘That was not my team.’
The City boss held a serious debrief with his staff and sporting director Txiki Begiristain back then, but obviously that is not necessary this time.
Guardiola’s team will still win a third title in four years and do so deservedly. They are the best team in the country and they usually find a way of picking through opposition who set up like this.
Yet this was a reminder that they are occasionally fallible. Less fallible than the rest, but imperfections can still exist. When City are crossing the ball incessantly, they generally are not playing particularly well.
The third-highest number of crosses they have made in a game this season is 30 — and that came in defeat at Tottenham last November. The theme cannot be ignored. Neither can their thirst for a new No9.
The number of shots stood at 29 and that looks mighty impressive. Fifteen came from outside the area, though, and none from inside the six-yard box.
Guardiola admitted afterwards that the ratio of ‘good’ chances was relatively low and that is to credit Bielsa’s magnificent Leeds. They remained measured with ten men after a red card for their captain, Scotland international Liam Cooper, shortly before the half-time break.
Patrick Bamford was sacrificed, and was heard muttering: ‘Are we just defending for the rest of the game, then?’ as he flounced off to the bench. Well, yes, you are, Patrick, and your team-mates will do it rather well.
Stuart Dallas had just scored minutes before Cooper’s dismissal — and would do so again with a dramatic late winner after Ferran Torres had levelled for City in the 76th minute.
‘The reason we deserved it was the belief of the players,’ Bielsa said. ‘It was an exercise of defensive adaptation. We had a desire to attack when the situation allowed for it.’
This was a difficult afternoon for the champions-elect, with Leeds a dangerous opponent in between two legs of a Champions League quarter-final with Borussia Dortmund.
Yet it was also a match that felt rather immaterial. Despite his protestations otherwise, Guardiola used City’s healthy lead at the summit of the division to rest his star men. Ruben Dias, Rodri, Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne were not required. Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden were only introduced from the bench.
‘I decided on the selection,’
Guardiola said. ‘You know, in 28 games we won 26 and the rotation was exceptional, wasn’t it? And now it’s a problem because we lost? We conceded a goal that was avoidable. We have to be more aggressive, more concentrated.’
Nobody is blaming Guardiola for tinkering with his team when a bigger game is on the horizon.
City go to Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday in possession of a one-goal lead and a pretty fresh squad, while their hosts slugged it out with Stuttgart having made just two changes on Saturday.
Guardiola rotated seven players and, interestingly, that is in significant contrast to the attitude he previously held towards European quarter-finals in 2018 and 2019.
Three years ago, City romped the league but were occupied by a quest for a record 100 points and made only four changes in the equivalent fixture. Two years ago, they simply had to win every league game in direct competition with Liverpool — and made five changes. Neither of those scenarios exist this time, the league is as good as won but no records are endangered.
Of course, fitness is not everything, look at the catastrophe that befell them against Lyon last August, but seven alterations is a luxury. Guardiola must be praying that they can take advantage. MAN CITY (4-3-3): Ederson 6; Cancelo 6, Stones 6, Ake 6 (Gundogan 58), Mendy 5 (Foden 74); Silva 6, Fernandinho 7, Zinchenko 7; Torres 7, Jesus 6, Sterling 5.
Subs not used: Steffen, Walker, Dias, Rodri, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Garcia. Booked: Ake,
Silva, Fernandinho. LEEDS (4-1-4-1): Meslier 8; Ayling 8, Cooper 6, Llorente 8, Alioski 7; Phillips 8; Raphinha 7 (Shackleton 90), Dallas 9, Roberts 6 (Koch 63), Costa 7; Bamford 6 (Struijk 45). Subs not used: Casilla, Poveda, Hernandez, Berardi, Gelhardt, Klich. Booked: Alioski. Man of the match: Stuart Dallas. Referee: Andre Marriner.