Thread by @city_tactics

Fernandinho or Rodri might have made a difference last night but there was a fundamental issue they wouldn’t have solved 1/

If we’d have started one of our regular dms last night we might have picked off more second balls in midfield (especially Fernandinho) and played a bit slower with more control (especially Rodri) 2/

But we would have still encountered the same tactical issues Chelsea pose. I wrote about their shape and how difficult it is to press without leaving 2 vs 2s at the back last week. As early as the 2nd minute alarm bells started to ring last night 3/

https://twitter.com/city_tactics/status/1397610765587304448

Chelsea build in a 3-2 and City tried to match up the numbers. Chelsea leave 3 men up and City’s back 4 initially keep a numerical advantage over them 4/

In these situations Chelsea drop the wing backs deep to create a numbers advantage in the build up. When James drops short here and receives possession it is the trigger for Zinchenko to press 5/

This creates a 3 vs 3 at the back with the additional problem of Chelsea’s opposing wing back free on the left flank 6/

Havertz drops off slightly and Dias goes with him. Azpilicueta plays a ball over the top. We’ve suddenly gone from a flat back 4 to being strung out along the pitch 7/

Chelsea have a 2 vs 2 situation with support from wide. It stems from City’s insistence to press what is essentially a 7 man build up with 3 attackers left high, nigh on impossible without huge risk. As soon as a full back engages we have a numbers issue at the back 8/

Nothing came of that situation but a pattern of play was set and we saw it time again. Eventually the goal comes from a situation where Walker engages Chilwell leaving a 3 vs 3 at the back. Stones has dropped with Mount then backs away but the 2 vs 2 has been created 9/

It’s too easy from there but it stems from our full back leaving the back 4 to engage the wing back. It was clearly instructed but it’s such a risky tactic 10/

Gundogan is in a classic dm position in these moves. This issue isn’t something Fernandinho or Rodri could have solved imo. A dm is almost redundant in these situations as Chelsea vacant the midfield, a key part of how they get numerical advantages elsewhere on the pitch 11/

There’s a reason I focused last week’s thread on these situations because I was concerned that pushing the full backs onto Chelsea’s wing backs would be costly.
As can sometimes be the case with Pep he tried to sort a defensive issue with an offensive move 12/

With Gundogan and Bernardo in midfield Pep said he felt they could move the ball more quickly and it gave the opportunity to add an extra attacker. But it was an extra defender we needed if the full backs were going to push up on their wing backs 13/

In possession City also had problems breaking Chelsea’s 7 down. The back 3 with Kante and Jorginho ahead of them make it very difficult to get any sort of numerical advantage centrally 14/

With their wing backs marking City’s wingers the only opportunity to find a spare man came from deep and wide. With Zinchenko often inverting this meant Dias and Walker found themselves with a lot of good possession 15/

For all of their excellent attributes, Dias (a right footed cb playing on the left) and Walker aren’t the creative forces you’d like in these positions. Chelsea will have been happy to give them both decent possession and City struggled to create from these areas 16/

What could we have done to solve these problems in and out of possession?
I hate offering my own solutions as I feel it’s a bit disrespectful to one of the greatest managers/brains the game has ever seen.
But allow me to indulge myself, it is a European Cup final 17/

The obvious answer is to sacrifice an attacker for Laporte and match them up with a back 3 and wing backs 18/

This would instantly solve the numbers problem at the back with the wing backs now matching each other up. It would also allow Stones, on the right, and Laporte, on the left, to become the spare men in possession and perhaps offer a bit more than Dias and Walker 19/

It leaves you a man short in attack but it also removes Chelsea’s wing backs from their defensive numbers with them now looking after City’s wing backs. That should see City’s remaining attackers get more space 20/

Alternatively leaving the formation as is we could have brought Cancelo on for Walker. Play Cancelo in his inverted role from the right offering more creativity and flair than Zinchenko.
Zinchenko and Stones become spare men in possession, again offering a bit more creatively 21/

It was a frustrating night and the problems we had defensively seemed so predictable.
But alas it was still a great season.
I’ve enjoyed being on twitter and would like to thank you all for your interest and support 22/

I’ll be around in the summer with various threads on City past and present and no doubt some thoughts on transfers and the Euros. So keep your eyes peeled.
I’ll try and keep it going next season when I’ll be back at matches watching the Champions 23//

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