Former champions have not embraced vogue for set plays but their signature goal is now from an early through ball
As the new world dawns and revolution rumbles across the horizon, there will always be those who remain resistant, who cling defiantly to the old ways. For years Pep Guardiola was a revolutionary. Very few people in history have had such an influence on how football is played, but the passage of time is inevitable. Nobody can stand in the vanguard of development for ever: yesterday’s rebel is today’s reactionary.
Juego de posición and teams staffed by neat skilful midfielders are on the way out; muscularity and set plays are in. The tactical landscape Guardiola crafted is undergoing radical evolution and, as it changes, so he must seemingly change with it. On the one hand, Guardiola has stayed admirably true to his principles. As others prioritise heft and physicality, he remains wedded to technical virtues. He doesn’t mind picking a player who is under six feet tall and doesn’t have the shoulders of an Olympic rower.
His lineup felt almost like a throwback to nine years ago and the days of Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva playing as “free 8s” in a 4-3-3. Here it was Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden flanking the holder, Nico González, with Jérémy Doku offering width and Rayan Cherki drifting in from the right. The two full-backs are both converted midfielders; Nico O’Reilly demonstrated the benefit of that by scoring the third with a well-placed finish.
