City have been using a 3-2 shape in the build-up since the resumption after the World Cup. On Sunday, Bernardo Silva formed the 2 with Rodri, dropping into a left back role out of possession when necessary 2/ 
Whatever went on, ultimately a decision was taken that there was no way back for Cancelo and a loan move to one of the best teams in Europe became a preferable solution for City.
It felt like a really frustrating afternoon at the Etihad on Saturday.
Here Laporte passes into Stones who has inverted in next to Rodri. With Maddison and Vardy Leicester’s furthest men forward, the pass into Stones is the trigger for Rodri to head up the pitch towards the front line. City still have 3 back to deal with transitions 2/ 
City utilised Ederson to build in a 4-2 at times yesterday. It frees up Cancelo to play high whilst maintaining an initial 4 in the build up, matching Southampton’s initial press.
You often hear rival fans denounce City’s opponents lack of pressing. But City’s goalkeeper and back 4 are so good at playing out around their own box that what often happens is teams press City but quickly lose interest once the press has been beaten a couple of times 2/
Alvarez impressed in his cameo on Saturday. It’s fair to say he’s high energy and all action. His movement off the ball is no different but it’s unrestrained impulsiveness is striking in this City team 2/
Pep knew West Ham would likely sit deep and hope to catch City on counters. Gundogan was preferred to Bernardo, probably in the knowledge that Bernardo’s excellence in the build up wouldn’t be so important against a team sat deep. Gundogan offers more threat further forward 2/
West Ham targeted City’s high line in May. With Fernandinho starting at cb it was an approach that seemed sensible and it paid dividends for them. 2-0 up at half time with both goals coming from the ball over the top 2/
City are blessed with 3 centre backs who can be considered in the top bracket of world football. Ake has also had a good season and will hope to push on in the next campaign 2/
There are lots of ways City could set up with Haaland. But I think the most obvious takes into account the strengths of others around him and the make-up of the current squad, with a heavy focus on De Bruyne and Bernardo 2/
United came and pressed City in a 4-2-4 yesterday. For the first 2/3rds of the match their press was decent enough 2/ 
It’s safe to say that Spurs/Conte are a match made in heaven when facing up to City. I’ve focused on how 3-4-3 can cause City a numbers problem in the past, mainly with Tuchel’s Chelsea. 
The way Gerrard sets his teams up is to be very compact centrally in a 4-3-3. They defend the central areas and try to force teams wide 2/ 
Pep gave a little bit of insight into City’s plan after the match on Saturday. Pin their full backs with high wide wingers forcing them into a back 5 and use switches to play in the wide spaces in midfield 2/
This season City have focussed more attacks down the left, as opposed to the right or centre, in every single Premier League match. It was the same on Saturday vs Palace 2/ 
Italy struggled to get a strangle hold on the match last night. In the build up Kane sat on Jorginho. The dms looked after Veratti and Barella, the wing backs stopped any threat from the full backs and England’s back 3 could concentrate on stopping Italy’s front 3
1.) England players are more comfortable taking possession under pressure. The penny finally dropped during Barcelona and Spain’s domination. Since then kids have been trained differently in England 2/
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/
Tuchel’s Chelsea set up in a 3-4-2-1. 
