KEOWN TALKS TACTICS
THE KILLER CITY PASS WHICH PALACE MUST STOP... BEFORE SPEEDING FORWARD WITH ZAHA
WHEN looking at how Wolves got the better of Manchester City before the international break, Crystal Palace will have been encouraged by the sight of Pep Guardiola’s side leaving the back door open. City enjoyed 76 per cent possession at the Etihad Stadium, and the average positions of their full backs were in the opposition half. Yet Nuno Espirito Santo’s side struck from two direct counter-attacks that won them the game. Wolves defended deep and restricted their opponents — who were without midfield artist Kevin De Bruyne — from threading balls behind their full backs for Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez to run on to. That pass, shown in our graphic, can be one of the most dangerous in the Premier League. It can break down the most stubborn of resistances. In their recent Champions League group game against Dinamo Zagreb, Sterling’s second-half opener came courtesy of this killer pass. Against Wolves, with the game goalless and heading into the closing stages, City got more and more desperate. They crossed from deep and piled players forward, their full backs included. Rodri then gave the ball away cheaply — a recurring theme from this defeat which will have disappointed Guardiola the most — and Adama Traore scored from a counter-attack for 1-0. It was deja vu in stoppage time when he made it 2-0, once again using that empty space on either side of the City centre backs. Traore offered an escape route for Wolves — a very effective one with his devastating pace. Wilfried Zaha can offer the same for Palace at Selhurst Park today. When the hosts win possession, they have to storm forward. It cannot be a case of: ‘Phew, we’ve got the ball, now let’s slow it down.’ No, you’ve got to use your speed and drive at City, like Wolves did. Traore has attempted the Premier League’s third-most dribbles, while Zaha has attempted the most. He will relish
running at City and, if he features, would like to test Nicolas Otamendi in particular, given the way the centre back was nervously going to ground against Wolves. The statistics show how, in each of the games that Guardiola’s side have lost, there was a spike in crosses. They produced 47 at Norwich and 36 against Wolves. Yet in their 5-0 and 4-0 wins over West Ham and Brighton respectively, City produced just six and 14. Sterling’s movement has improved greatly under Guardiola and he is now one of the best at making those runs behind. Palace, who play 4-5-1, will look to restrict City’s wingers from exploiting that space and, like Norwich and Wolves, emerge victorious. Liverpool are relentless so City know points on the board is a must. Then they can hope their Manchester neighbours do them a favour against Liverpool tomorrow.