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How Pep stopped Spurs counters:
- Tweak to defensive shape
- High line / no offside trap
- Tracking runners
1/
- Tweak to defensive shape
- High line / no offside trap
- Tracking runners
1/
Spurs have had a habit of getting the better of City in recent encounters. We all know the script, City dominate taking shot after shot but give up goals on the counter. Yesterday City ran out comfortable winners and Spurs rarely looked a threat 2/ https://twitter.com/xgphilosophy/status/1360195843589038081
The goals from the defeat in November tell the story. The first comes from a quick free kick. Laporte steps out to Kane creating space for Son to run into. Cancelo reacts to Son’s run but it’s too late and City fall behind 3/
For the second goal City lose the ball on the edge of Spurs area. Walker is high and wide on the right wing and unable to get back in. The ball goes into Kane and despite De Bruyne’s best efforts Lo Celso is able to take full advantage of the space vacated by Walker 4/
City struggled to deal with runners from wide playing off Kane.
In recent weeks City have generally set up in a back 3 in possession but we saw a tweak yesterday. City set up in a 2-3 formation in possession. Both full backs were pushed up next to Rodri but no further 5/
In recent weeks City have generally set up in a back 3 in possession but we saw a tweak yesterday. City set up in a 2-3 formation in possession. Both full backs were pushed up next to Rodri but no further 5/
Rather than Cancelo pushing on into the attack and Zinchenko sitting in a back 3, they both played a similar role - note average positions.
Allied to the full backs being generally inverted and not up the wing, it gave City a better starting position to deal with counters 6/
Allied to the full backs being generally inverted and not up the wing, it gave City a better starting position to deal with counters 6/
This tweak allowed the back 4 to quickly get back into position time and again.
On this occasion Bernardo loses possession and Spurs counter quickly. Davies finds Moura in behind the City midfield. Despite skipping away from Cancelo the back 4 is set to deal with the danger 7/
On this occasion Bernardo loses possession and Spurs counter quickly. Davies finds Moura in behind the City midfield. Despite skipping away from Cancelo the back 4 is set to deal with the danger 7/
Another example came when Ndombele broke the midfield line. City’s back 4 is set and there are enough numbers back to deal with the danger 8/
Despite playing a high line City didn’t step out to catch Spurs offside. Instead when the danger came City kept tight with runners in order to stop any through balls. Here Lamela breaks into the City half. Cancelo tracks Son’s run, dropping deep and making the interception 9/
Another Lamela break. Another Son run. Again tracked by Cancelo who drops in behind the defensive line to snuff out any danger. Lamela has to turn backwards 10/
These subtle change to defensive shape and the way City’s defenders dealt with counters helped guard against the problems we’ve seen in recent matches against Spurs and led to a comfortable evening 11//
