How Guardiola Revived a Century Old Tactic

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How is it that man city always find a way of overloading any midfield and outnumbering any defence in the blink of an eye? Well, that’s because they’re reliant on a structure that first appeared in football nearly 100 years ago, a structure that defies the concept of a formation. In fact, an increasingly discussed topic in football is whether formations are still a viable way of describing a team’s structure. While a team may line up as a 4-3-3 on paper, they could potentially never actually resemble that shape, and players will consistently shift their positioning depending on a number of different factors. But regardless of whether its a 4-3-3, 3-4-3 or 4-2-3-1, some of the best teams in Europe are now going back to a shape first used in the 1920’s, and that shape is the WM.
Whether its Guardiola, Arteta or Xavi, the WM has made it’s way back into football, but it’s use today is completely different from it’s origin, and in today’s video, we’re going to be taking a look at why it’s the perfect system for the modern game.
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Chapters
00:00 Why are Man City So Dominant?
01:06 Origin of the WM
02:14 Same Structure - Different Philosophy
03:12 The Benefits During Build-Up
04:15 The Extra Man
05:03 Guardiola's 3-2-4-1
05:56 Offensive Half Patterns
08:26 Cut-Backs
09:18 Closing Remarks

[@agostonpad4183]

The fact that xavi and arteta are both guardiola students shows how good he is at developing other managers, wich is also a factor at deciding how good a manager is

[@k9crude]

Ten hag too

[@vincesalamander5980]

And Kompany. And Xabi Alonso too, maybe ? In any case, every players admit it : no coach in the world make his players thinking about the game more than him.

[@mtk3755]

​@@k9crude nope. He comes from cryuff philosophy directly as he's dutch and been in ajax academy. He even talked to cryuff as a teenager.

[@thecontextual1one411]

@k9crude- Ten Hag is the exception, not the rule

[@chiragsheth9472]

The first thing he taught them is to buy good players which makes their job easier 😂😂

[@vladimpaler3498]

What is striking to me is the increased need for football intelligence on the field. For many of these systems to work well the players themselves must not only understand and practice the principles involved, but be able to adjust them real time to changes in the opposition. What I saw in the MC-ARS game was Gündoğan, De Bruyne and Haaland recognizing changes in Arsenal and adjusting for them at pace. I do not know if Guardiola coached it, but there were times where De Bruyne ran behind the opposing midfielder and then split out one way or the other from the blind spot. Every time Arsenal changed positioning City changed theirs to match.

[@okaicornelius1906]

Agreed! Ability to read the game and adjust accordingly is so critical. Taking advantage of the opponent’s blind spots and gaps in dangerous areas is the ultimate goal of every attacking move. Gotta think steps ahead of the opponent. As for defending, once you choke the central areas and starve opponents space, and most importantly the team players are constantly communicating with each other on opponents trying to take advantage of blind spots, the defensive phase of play would be coordinated and solid!

[@berkeleybernie]

Yep. And this is a big reason why Barcelona is nowhere near MC in quality- the situational intelligence isn't there in the players on the pitch.

[@anonymous-uc3vc]

@@berkeleybernie actually barca has those players in back and midfield. but in attacking phase barca don't have those kind of players specially 2 wings and the position kounde plays .

[@berkeleybernie]

@@anonymous-uc3vc Busquets, yes. Gavi and Pedri are learning. FdJ has no smarts at all. Can retain possession but has no clue.

[@theredhall-thisisfootball]

Well it's not Rocket science 😂 footballers can understand this easy

[@jordan_0914]

I feel like over the past few seasons, since about 2019, football tactics have evolved quite a lot compared to years before.

[@tomh2121]

I feel like 4231 and 433 were the standard for a fair few years before that. There were some 343 around as well

[@hao2000ki]

nah it has been shifting a lot even years before. but i think at the very top level it's more due to a mix of genuine genius coaches and a lack of quality footballers where managers are starting to rely more on tactics than individual brilliance, so the tactics get more of the spotlight than players just completely dismantling the opposition by themselves.

[@zombievikinggaming4258]

It's not evolving, it's actually unearthing older tactics

[@fader1912]

@@hao2000ki that’s a pretty fair point that I didn’t think of but don’t you think with the data available now it means players are more suited to heavy tactical football as they understand it more meaning the football is just more tactical rather than individual moments of brilliance even though the lower teams still need such players as their tactics are still not up to par with the top

[@vespasiancloscan7077]

@@zombievikinggaming4258 it absolutely is evolving

[@nuntius1]

I like how there is no single tactic that always works and they're always changing so football never gets boring

[@abdulrahmanalghamdi2307]

Pep said it in one press conference.. If It it weren't for football changing it would've been so boring

[@nuntius1]

@@abdulrahmanalghamdi2307 اتفق

[@Diddy1970AD]

Once the ball is in play there are relatively few rules in football therefore there is plenty of scope for different styles, trends and tactics in the sport which are you say are always changing and evolving.

[@omarhani5864]

Football game devs did a good job with the level design.

[@nuntius1]

@@omarhani5864 ah absolutely

[@vincesalamander5980]

That's why Guardiola is probably the GOAT Because he changes the football forever, like Cruyff, Michel, Lobanovsky, Sacchi... But even 15 years later, he keeps going ! He keeps find new things. Pep, the guy who change the world with a false nine, with midfielders as defenders, now win with a pure striker, and with defenders put as midfielders !

[@thecontextual1one411]

You're overlooking the managerial part of Pep's arsenal, more specifically his ruthless nature - something he definitely shares with one of the managers he's also worked with - Fabio Capello

[@tukiran3953]

But SAF still greatest manager all time

[@umarmars47]

But in this match, he copied or inspired by De Zerbi's tactics

[@aru8302]

@@tukiran3953 why always appear some hooligan as you? no one remember SAF now xD he did not win nothing in other leagues... I would like to see SAF in La Liga learning Spanish while managing other team and winning La liga or bundesliga.. Pep already made legacy in 3 different countries and made many new coaches following his phylosopy.

[@tukiran3953]

@@aru8302 but SAF rebuild MU 3 times

[@josebatxu32]

The new meta is gonna be the 2-4-2-2 to beat the press that De Zerbi is using at Brighton

[@ryanfinnerty6239]

Facts. It’s because 7 players in build up and 4 players pin at least 4/5.

[@victoreric4557]

But De Zerbi wingers pins your FBs. It might not work well.

[@Writeous0ne]

to beat a press you either bypass it entirely by going more direct and vertical (which is what city did to arsenal) or you have players who can dribble the ball out of defence or trap the ball in midfield and turn out (this is more risky as you risk giving the opponent easy chances if you lose the ball). As soon as you take one player out of the opponents press it opens them up as you gain quantitative superiority. These kind of tactics are actually what Jesse Marsch tried to use at Leeds but the players don't have the quality to play that way.

[@mariadanielalavia8877]

@@Writeous0ne yeah but Jesse Marsch is horrendous at defending and pressing/positioning situations in the last 50 meters of the pitch/extreme defense. He also didnt do a good job at all at a bunch of teams.

[@Writeous0ne]

@@mariadanielalavia8877 i disagree, his philosophy is good, he just never had the players to execute it. Like Pep has multiple world class players in every position.

[@alfredbarten4901]

When I played in high school in the mid-50s, we used 2-3-5. I think everyone did then. We never spent much time discussing tactics, though. That was the sad state of soccer in America at that time.

[@ryanbirsinger680]

When I was a kid in the 70's, my father used this shape for our team. As I started watching a lot of soccer over the last 5 years, I always wondered why we did that shape. Now I know!!!

[@fpsoccer9791]

Great video! I also wanted to note that different ways of "creating the box" can have different tactical deficiencies in transition as well. Moving the fullback tends to leave that specific wide area open as the distance the fullback needs to cover is quite large is one example. So far, Guardiola's solution of playing Stones, a CB, in this position is the best solution. He is close to the center to break defend, and isn't far from his defensive position in Guardiola's 4-4-2. Absolutely exceptional.

[@thuo1000]

Bro, your comment deserves an A+. I completely agree with what you wrote. The Inverted Fullback Method that Pep was using so frequently earlier this season and over the past seasons had deficiencies during transition. It is why Walker was so vital for City. Walker was the only Fullback with much needed pace to sprint back and cover when City lost the ball and the opponent launch a counter attack. But Walker is getting older and Pep is looking for other more efficient tactical tweaks. But like you said, Pep realizes this and he saw that having Stones invert would minimize the distances his players cover during transitions. When City have the ball, Stones become the second CDM, when City lose the ball, Stones can easily get back to his CB slot and make a back 4 in very little time. Also, for this Arsenal game, Pep infused Roberto De Zerbi's (Brighton Manager) tactic of baiting the opponent to create space. Pep is a true student of the game.

[@rbkeyz2328]

Recently started reading “Inverting the pyramid” (a great book for football formation history) and I find it hilarious reading how and why it got replaced and now we are bringing it back

[@dzemilmehovic5271]

its all going in circles, dont be surprised when more old stuff like this returns

[@rbkeyz2328]

@@dzemilmehovic5271 I once read how fashion circles every 20-30 years, but yeah. We are a really unoriginal bunch, us humans.

[@vincesalamander5980]

I think the book say it at the end, when he talk about Pep's Bayern : he attacks in 2-3-5, he inverted the pyramid again.

[@dzemilmehovic5271]

@@vincesalamander5980 yea, Peps got 2 books abt his time at Bayern written by his friend who accompanied him in Munich day to day, and in both Pep constantly mentions how they build in formations like 2323, 3232, 343, 343 with a diamond in midfield, 325 where Alaba and Lahm/Rafinha play as classic wingers and Robben,Ribery invert and such stuff. He never says we play 433 or 4231 or something but for example "we will start with Martinez Boateng Dante in defence, Lahm Thiago midfield, Alaba and Rafinha hug the touchline..." etc, all stuff like that. At Bayern he played variations of this system, and also almost every other formation there is. Its been a thing for him 9 yrs ago, as it was for other coaches even before that, but obv fans and pundits point out obvious stuff more in england like its discovered there, so we "only hear" abt it now alot

[@rbkeyz2328]

@@vincesalamander5980 haven’t gotten there yet 😅 but yeah thx for the info

[@charlesbritten4220]

The key difference with the current use of 3-2-2-3 and the old WM is that it used to be a case of both sides playing the same formation and matching each other all over the pitch, with very little switching of positions. It was the use of a deep-lying centre forward that destroyed the old WM. England just about defeated Austria 4-3 in 1932 when Sindelar was in this formation, but Hideguti was devastating for Hungary in 1953, aided by various other switches of position in what was essentially a 4-3-3. It left players used to rigid man-marking with nobody to mark, with Hungary creating overloads galore. The irony is that back then 4-3-3 dismantled WM, but now the reverse is true.

[@akashrakshit7842]

Klopp's recent tweak with LFC is very much the same and as a LFC fan it is refreshing to see.

[@kicker7955]

Always loved the WM but it's so fickle. It requires excellent ball control and very creative movement in the mid field as those 4 players need to move the ball for yards while avoiding the press by being available and exploiting half spaces to speed up the attack. And that's when things go right. If you get a determined team against you that locks down even 1 of the central 4 you are screwed - either move it to unprepared wingers or lose it and risk a very dangerous counter from as close as half field - without the confidence you have a defensive midfield fresh and ready to block or the peace of mind of a full back ready to close in.

[@dimitrissimitzis6944]

Finally the WM formation. Panathinaikos has been using it for 2 years now offensively, while in defence we use the 442. It has done wonders since we have the 4th biggest value, but are the first in the league

[@Writeous0ne]

What you'll find is football formations are very fluid and often change through the match. What is a 4231 on paper is a 433 of the ball or even a 424 off the ball. Where the striker and wingers press the back line or the cam becomes a second striker and presses a back 5 with the other two wingers.

[@nunkatsu]

This is the only smart comment I've found in this comment section yet

[@023achilles]

Formation only describes defensive structure AND how a team is setting up at the start of a goal kick. Attacking is about movement. That is the only way to find space and get an edge over the defence. By being able to anticipate, quicker than the defenders, where your teammate is headed.

[@Jyacema94]

I agree with you. In an interview, Marcelo Bielsa was asked about him changing formation in a game. His response was some of the likes of ‘all the media has done is teach everyone that watches the game is geometry when it comes to formations. In a match, literally, all formations imaginable are displayed in very specific moments, wether attacking, or defending.’ It’s more about the functions players have during each phase and moment the playing action demands.

[@Gearshift__]

em i will say Arteta was doing this at the start of the season before Pep. if anything Arteta revived the tactic and pep saw what we was doing after the world cup break when he was looking at are tactics before are game got delayed and saw john stones could play in the roll zinchenko is playing. Arteta was probably studying Herbert Chapman's time at Arsenal over the summer, took inspiration and why he brought in zinchenko over martinez. I saw this from the first game (including pre season) lol. also this is why city after the world cup seemed different then when the smashed united 6-3 its because they were changing tactics and trying not to tell everyone, while everyone was blaming haaland for the changes haha.

[@marcusoliveira8651]

I was waiting for your analysis of this system, awesome video

[@mattjameskendall]

I noticed that Liverpool has been moving TAA to the deep midfield and Konate shifting wide right in a back three the past couple of weeks, I wonder if this thinking has come to Liverpool.

[@al_wombat]

Yes, sure, but also due to Salah’s very wide positioning it is natural for any RB behind him to push inside.

[@sushipizza4439]

@@al_wombat I always felt like salah used to be an inside forward. Especially with firmino, and mane. I think I also saw it sometimes last season. But this new role makes him play wider. Gakpo is also dropping deeper sometimes to link up play.

[@zachariamutura4424]

this shows just how good La Masia is. They train the mind and that information is useful for their students for a lifetime. All three went to La Masia

[@nathanhighlander]

To be precise ... How good La Masia WAS. Plus - Xavi, Pedro, Iniesta was at the right time to be there. Moreover, and more importantly, today's generation only recognize this stuff only. Without EVER mention the father of Pep's idea today, La Masia, and their glory in since 2006-2015. If you don't know what I'm talking about, indees you miss the whole point. It was TOTAL VOETBAL that the great Rinus Michel & Johann Cruijff created at that time. Pep was at the right time and had the prerfect mentor to rralize that total football is a never-ending resource - with the certain traits/ skill from a player. It's fluid like water. It can change shape according to the receptacle it has. Conclusion: LaMasia had its own moment - media had a strong influence to tell the world at that time. But the real deal school of voetball is Ajax. Keep that in mind.

[@Aisatsana1971]

Total football baby

[@ay613]

Then City go and play a 4-2-4 against Arsenal something resembling De Zerbi . Pep always being unpredictable 😂

[@ryanfinnerty6239]

Long Ball De Zerbi

[@nicolou4599]

@@ryanfinnerty6239 Well, best Brighton's players are on the flank while ManCity have their best players on the top so long ball is used for skipping a step in RdZ's plan. You can see long ball like a quicker solution LOL

[@albriengoldenbrush6328]

The thing is, the unpredictability of Pep can affect worse for his team. Just like how the hell he didn't use a single holding mf when ucl final against chelsea.

[@floran8913]

@@albriengoldenbrush6328It worked against Arsenal

[@zelandakhniteblade5436]

The very old tactic that I think is under-utilised right now is split strikers. This was a relatively popular method in the 70s and 80s, if never reaching the level of striker partnerships. The theory was that most attacks were initiated by long diagonal balls so you put your strikers out there to collect them, then used attacking midfield players to flood the box late so as to be more difficult to pick up. Belgium played this way sometimes under Martinez with de Bruyne occupying the 10 role in a 4-4-2 diamond. Now imagine how this looks in a 3 man back line. I could, for example, easily see a 3-2-3-2 formation using this principle being highly effective. The back 5 line up as in this video but the CF turns into a third offensive midfielder. The aim is again completely different from the original one, with the main concept being to overload the midfield but now the effect is even more extreme than using a box. You do need highly flexible players to make it work but that's hardly an issue on City's budget. Maybe an option for when Haaland gets injured. Going forward tactically though, I suspect the direction will depend at least as much on referees as player development. Right now, the teams that dominate are either built around possession and press or around heavy defence and counters. One of the main reasons this works so well is the development of the tactical foul. If a press team has their top line broken, they can commit a minor foul and reset - no harm done. A referee might give the occasional yellow but not enough for it to matter and with so many subs available, you can just switch out if it does. On the opposite side, teams specialising in counterattack look to score their goals within a few seconds, meaning that there is likely to be at least a few chances in a game where they can avoid a foul. If the defence is strong enough, they only need one goal... This is for me the biggest issue in the current football. If refs sort it out, penalising niggly tactical fouls more harshly, we would probably see a new revolution in football tactics. I suspect there are a few top coaches around who would struggle if their tactical foul crutch got taken away from them.

[@kev7co]

My team ran a 3232 two weeks ago and we overloaded every part of the field together, naturally . We won 7-0

[@SpreadSheetSoccer]

Great video once again, love the detailed animations

[@fredherfst8148]

Nice. My knowledge and appreciation of tactics went from 10 to 49%… The problem with tv coverage for a casual user is …duhh…lack of any mention of tactics. Always loved the game in all its shapes and heroes. Born in Amsterdam, got my first football at age 6, then moved to the soccer wasteland that was Victoria bc in 1957.. but still there was local soccer. All my Dutchy family played. I love the attacking games these days. Brains at work.

[@al_wombat]

Great video! Talking about meta: maybe you wanna make a video comparing the MW to other formations..?

[@nerdifymusic7322]

Fascinating. Making alterations to my FM23 tactical recreation.

[@tibboyz7765]

I learned 3 tactics in tat video..thank you🙏🙏keep make more videos like tat

[@jamiejoshua_]

FANTASTIC video!🎉 😄 Have been looking for ages for this exact video knowing someone surely has made it!😄😄 Awesome!👍

[@kimberleynorthwood7637]

Exceptional content. Love graphics.

[@abakella]

While this is a great formation because of the defensive and attacking midfielders, what I especially love about it is the rotations. It allows the scheme to take advantage of players' versatility and fill multiple roles at once

[@ebtinz9161]

Tuchels Chelsea made this formation more renown. I remember pep in 2021 before the champions league final, speaking about the box middle that Tuchels Chelsea was using to control and win games.

[@GuffGuffGuffy]

I believe De Zerbi at Brighton has also been doing this throughout the season! Hence their higher position in the table :D

[@leogarnica282]

Excelente informe, muy completo. Siempre soñé que vuelva la WM y por suerte se logró con algunos cambios por supuesto.

[@joachimschmidt7662]

next dev in the meta: catenaccio zonal midblock to avoid rushing out on players leaving holes probably requires midfielders to adapt to tracking runners in, and pressing coming from players dashing OUT from the backline, like a blitzkrieg, while the midfielder fills to whole

[@roberto7565]

"Not ready for 4-4-2 hoof-ball" he says. Guardiola's bringing that one back too. 💀

[@soccerjames500]

One area I disagree, Arsenal usually use their wingers to play the cutbacks after beating a defender on the dribble. Man City use their attacking midfielders to run into space to play a cutback first time as you showed. Great video!

[@adolphsow607]

Correct, man City exploit mainly the half spaces not covered by opposition, whereas arsenal stretched opposition defence wide before providing a cut back from the byline.

[@mowzeyradio5048]

Bro here the midfielders tht we have are busy playing centrally supporting both ends of the pitch in stones Rodri support the back then gundo and Kevin support the attack forming the m and w shapes

[@rizzyrinae]

Detailed and educational video for football fanatics.

[@pepguardiola1466]

I am incredibly happy that it has a Turkish translation. I will follow and like and watch every content of this page. I am very happy, it is very good that there is a Turkish option, I am incredibly happy Thank you very much, thank you very much❤❤

[@Dotsetc]

My man thanks for the sharing of knowledge. What I can remember is people consistently clowning the formations they used to play before the 70's, when it's shown today how dynamic these formations actually are and very adjustable throughout a game. Brazil dominated themselves to multiple WC's using this.

[@priyanshere]

Best football tactics channel !

[@wmentality_db]

it really is a wonderful tactical rebirth, because nowadays the sitting back and passively defending tactics are popular, especially against bigger teams. this tactical setup could be the long-term cure for this problem of the more open, attacking teams. also, i'm curious how Brighton's artificial transition trend will turn out to be. next season is looking to be one of the most exciting ones tactically

[@Chelvam-so4qh]

Can you elaborate what do you mean by artificial transition?

[@Murfffy]

@@Chelvam-so4qh I think its when you play around the back which baits the other team to press you which when passed through, looks like what a traditional counterattack looks like

[@wmentality_db]

@@Murfffy exactly. I came across this phrase when studying De Zerbi's Brighton. The base of it is baiting a line of press out and then quickly getting through it to have numerical advantage in advanced regions of the pitch, that's why it works best with a box midfield.

[@fgabi94]

@@Chelvam-so4qh a new disgusting terminology of counter-attacks

[@wmentality_db]

@@fgabi94 well, not exactly counter attacks, although the process looks similar. it’s mainly about the team HAVING possession of the ball and then creating a transition-like event on the pitch

[@user-ld4nm7xo7x]

Very good clip. Could you do the Liverpool's formation when they won PL in 2019-20 season? I wonder if it was the same.

[@fhatuwanindou8521]

this is realy interesting for teams which utilises the spaces left behind by opponents

[@sususegar]

5:45 this is why United have to replace De Gea, if they ever want to compete at the top. There's a reason why Spain doesn't call him up anymore.

[@ronakgk1]

More than anything else, Pep has mastered the technique of reinventing his football every few seasons, trimming his squad when the opportunity arrives and keeping it challenging and exciting. He might just have found the solution to managers losing their grip on a team after 3-4 seasons. Reinvention.

[@peteremmanuelkitsamba4867]

I have just learnt more football in 10 minutes than I have known for 20 years

[@Saeroye]

Appreciation for the game grows and animations are best!

[@masaukochitsamba7808]

I member Brendan Rodgers used the 3223 formation at Liverpool when he was the manager.

[@benjamincompton9767]

Formation is still a good term, I've noticed that most formations now describe the defensive structure(how I think it should work). On the flip side formations now sometimes get named on the attacking structure mainly when the structure is absolutely mental(think united's misfiring 316). For me the formation should be named after the structure the teams snaps back into when they lose the ball. I think this makes most sense because when thinking about how to play against a team, most tend to think about how to attack their shape. i.e. Are they playing a back three or a 4? If you are consistently coming up against 4 defenders, you would tend to think of it as 4231 or 433 etc.

[@Political522]

I made a project on my coaching school. Talking about WM and I try on my team as we played 4-2-2-2 and I needed more attacking players

[@ihayerelords4091]

Can you do a video of that 4-4-2 hoofball ??...will really appreciate

[@ay613]

England could use this box midfield if we play Maddison instead of rashford or if he is injured and have 4 midfielders. Whilst having Chilwell at left back.

[@paddydarkchild234]

Dude.... Southgate is your manager, stop fantasizing.

[@bbbbear9]

Great video 👏

[@dangernurah348]

One of the best football analysis videos easily

[@arvisconti]

A simple rule change where goal kicks no longer have to clear the box has had such a big effect on how the game is played. Keepers have a much greater role now because of it. Inverting the Pyramid is a fantastic historical look at tactics for anyone who is watching this channel and interested in the history of tactics.

[@sushipizza4439]

Ahh yes I’m reading it now. I agree. I also highly recommend it. It taught me a lot about the evolution of soccer/football and its tactics. So fascinating

[@lyrik606]

Great video!!

[@thebrodyyy997]

The craziest part to this is he found out how successful it was by putting an 18 year old there. Rico Lewis cracked the code now

[@maasl4236]

Rico Lewis' intelligence is the reason Pep implemented this system and it worked so well. Now John Stones is doing a brilliant job playing that position

[@Saeroye]

I think he will be around next season. Cruff model of exposing young players to adult time is happening yet again.

[@ryanlopez1651]

Lampard furiously taking notes

[@confidenceismymiddlename]

How would you choose to play against a team like that? What areas would you exploit? Does it have its drawbacks, and if so, what kind of?

[@isaaccatao5974]

great video man

[@he1ar1]

The Cruyff diamond is pretty much the same philosophy. Both a diamond midfield and a 433 by a full back moving into midfield. However this is a square rather than a diamond, but the principle of moving the ball always to a free man by triangles is still there.

[@ashfaqsheikh3134]

Pep is always changing 😮. Always brinnging new or old tactics back and using them to its advantage

[@whatagolazo]

I noticed this in the Arsenal game, City literally had 5 players open in midfield against Partey, Odegaard and Xhaka

[@ryanfinnerty6239]

Will the traditional #10 half space return with strikers/wingers in half spaces

[@adhnaanahmed5029]

Pep guardiola really got more inspired from roberto de zerbi tactics

[@megatronDelaMusa]

In battle , there are no soldiers for attack and soldiers for defence. there are just soldiers. football has reached that stage. even the goalkeeper is a potential striker

[@lynxeffect84]

Great video abd channel

[@alsonraj]

Its such good graphical representation. Mad its edited on Davinci

[@adwaith2109]

Can you do a video on when to drop as a defender

[@smhfooty]

I used this 3 2 2 3 formation in my west ham career mode in fifa 23 before guardiola used it irl. And now I understand why it worked so well in game. Thanks for the info 🤩👍

[@faramund9865]

When you boil it down, in order to score, you need to pass the ball up the field, and in order to do that you need to find the free man. All these sort of tactics are trying to do is to trick the opponent into allowing your team to freely receive the ball further up the pitch. Whether directly or indirectly. So it's only natural that formations keep shifting as defenders get used to a certain style of play.

[@habaalshem9266]

This Pep's Barca team and Ajax 1995- the 2 best club teams ever, by far. Simply untouchable teams😱

[@mr.increediblle7964]

Hahaha Hopefully Ten Hag can adopt this style of play or positionless tika taka. Please do a video on the Fluminense coach (Fernando Dinz) style of play

[@beejohn1016]

This man is a genius !

[@jessewrites17792]

Subbed, you are Gs.

[@racerdeth]

Teams have attacked in a 2-3-5 for years now - the WM isn't too far a strerch from that. Formations are defensive structures primarily.

[@zagazal]

Great video

[@abraham8178]

Before guardiola, most team have already push their fullback to overlap, hence left 2 center back with covering holding midfielders againts counter attack. While 2 wingers cutting inside, giving space to fullback, and the attacking midfielders help crowding the box during crossing stage, or filling the half space during possession Which made them 2-3-5 or hybrid 3-2-5 anyway before guardiola even start his first senior coaching job at barcelona

[@AliMohamed-yq4wn]

Half truth, yes on offence and no on defence, teams that had overlapping fullbacks were susceptible to the counterattacks, specially in the wide areas, because they’d only have 4 players back on defence, prime example is Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, their biggest weakness was counterattacks and 2nd balls leading to the defence breaking down in transition.

[@geraldo2700]

Os argentinos uns anos atrás jogavam assim contra os brasileiros na libertadores num 3-4-3 com meio de campo jogando com esse quadrado fixo com dois fixos, dois camisas 10 e 2 atacantes rápidos e habilidosos pelos lados e um centroavante, isso pq nós no Brasil insistimos em jogar num 4-2-2-2 com os dois volantes servindo pra cobrir os laterais que subiam os dois de uma vez só, resultado era o domínio total dos argentinos na libertadores

[@leeds85]

Ecuador, Chile , Columbia all played this way in 2014 World cup, to good advantage.

[@blackice6456]

Thank you so much

[@THEmuteKi]

4:50 -- there's of course a specific weak point to using a goalkeeper as a general defender in a circumstance like this and anyone who saw what happened after that clip of Arsenal you showed knows exactly what that is.

[@muddyboy999]

With the resurgence in WM system, do you think we could see a shift again back to a 2 striker system?

[@hicham-oi8me]

thank imma start using it againt my mates in pes :D

[@boghianvalentin7687]

You are so good when it comes to formation and tactical knowledge and if you coached a team from the Romanian championship, you would win the championship in a maximum of 3 season. OK maybe I exaggerated .

[@alexkarthik1064]

this has been applied with Arsene Wengers Arsenal as well, we're just seeing it with world class players in every position.

[@nigelkippax9317]

Very enlightening. Perhaps you could educate Alan Shearer on these tactics so he has a chance of earning his huge salary?!!!

[@SpeakizywithALI]

AMAZING!

[@santi.ramirezv]

Hello! I have a technical legal question. How do you go about using example images from soccer matches without running into issues with image usage rights?

[@a10-thunderbolt]

It's legal to show short fragments I guess

[@Greene0]

from watching this video I learnt that 3-4-3 can be divided into so many different shapes

[@peteremmanuelkitsamba4867]

Guardiola: making tactics....... Ancelotti: it is what it is.......

[@pooroldnostradamus]

Somewhere, a certain Jon Mackenzie is salivating over this "box midfield" visual

[@weirdtyler4932]

Barca women’s team have been doing this for a couple seasons now as well

[@UncleSamad]

When you break down a 4 3 3 system you see exactly this formation in possession. It's really just having the right players and media attention. Having the right players to do a different instruction that surprises the opposition because they are not expecting it, and having the media pick it up. That's why the system went out of vogue before, and now looks like it's in vogue now. Surprise.

[@nrmleigh]

You Arsenal example didn’t work as the defenders pass was intercepted and set up a WHU attack.

[@Sports-xo7wy]

Rhulani Mokwena is now using this system at Sundowns

[@austinedeclan10]

Spaniards make the best managers. The Spanish possesion football philosophy is the most effective system beating out the German pressing system. Pep, Arteta, Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Unai Emery are all doing well right now. The likes of Liverpool and Chelsea need managers who can not only play this system but also defend against it

[@bigstan5705]

Liverpool are literally playing thisnsystem. Just need more suited 8s in the summer

[@fishyfish6510]

I like how in the past half a decade or so the top level football tactics has been a constant battle between these two philosophies with each one upping the other. In the past we thought Barcelona's tiki taka was the ultimate form of football then came Bayern and Liverpool with their high pressing system and we thought that nothing could beat this form of football but now with De Zerbi inspiring Pep we are seeing possession football getting the upper hand.

[@ay613]

Unfortunately Spanish players aren’t as good right now.

[@nissarpa1259]

You are completely neglecting italian coaches - Ancelotti, Luciano Spalletti, Stephano Pioli, Simeon Inzaghi still coaching well this season.

[@ryanfinnerty6239]

Chelsea should have got Enrique

[@moodley100]

As a United fan I'm curious if we could pull this off. Not atm I'd say

[@friedchicken]

Guardiola coaching tree is number one, number two and number one top teams in premier League and la Liga

[@thisdamnINK]

would that also work in sundays leagues? its a very interesting tactic

[@petereisenhower8089]

it requires good ball control and fitness.