Pep Guardiola

We began this series intending to dissect Manchester City's in-possession approach for 2025/2026. First, we explored the build-up, analysing the ideas of Pep Guardiola and his new assistant Pep Lijnders, particularly against man-marking high-pressing schemes, which is a common trend these days. Then, we examined their progression phase and the...

Manchester City’s attacking department for the 2025/2026 season boasts one of the most intriguing pairings in European football: Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush. While the Norwegian striker needs no introduction following another prolific campaign in 2024/2025, the Egyptian forward has emerged as a rising tactical wildcard after joining Man City...

In our previous Pep Guardiola and Pepijn Lijnders analysis, we began exploring Manchester City’s in-possession tactics by focusing on their build-up. The phase in which Pep Guardiola’s side demonstrated tactical flexibility and diversity in their game plan, adapting based on the starting personnel and showing resilience against the opposition’s high-pressing...

As the dust settles on the 2024/2025 Premier League season, the focus naturally shifts toward the lessons learned and what they might mean heading into the 2025/2026 EPL campaign. While headlines often revolve around goal scorers and playmakers, the foundation of any successful side remains defensive structure. In a fast-paced...

After a season that fell short of their usual dominance, Manchester City approached the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup with a refreshed outlook, both on the pitch and in the coaching setup. The club reinforced their squad with several additions, most notably Rayan Cherki from Olympique Lyonnais, Rayan Aït-Nouri from...

Manchester City's staff have witnessed numerous changes aimed at reviving the Citizens. The most notable new additions are former Liverpool coaches Pepijn Lijnders and James French. Lijnders has been appointed as assistant coach, while James French joins as set-piece coach. In the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Manchester City was one of the best teams in...

Manchester City are reported to be closing in on the signing of English goalkeeper James Trafford. Trafford would arrive from Premier League newcomers Burnley, who signed the goalkeeper themselves from Manchester City in 2023. This move further signals the start of a new era for Pep Guardiola, who, along with...

A few days ago, we analysed the playing style of Renato Gaúcho’s Fluminense and Fluzão's remarkable performance at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The team captured attention not just for reaching the semi-finals — eliminating Inter Milan and Al Hilal along the way — but for the way they...

As coaches prepare for the upcoming season, implementing a cohesive pressing system is crucial for teams seeking to control games when they do not have the ball and when trying to force the opposition to play into areas they feel they can exploit.  Working on a variety of pressing options...

For Cardiff City, the 2025/2026 campaign will begin not with fanfare but with the sobering reality of EFL League One football. The Bluebirds, who finished 24th in the EFL Championship and conceded the second most goals in the league (73), face a summer of soul-searching and renewal. The departures of...

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in the United States delivered far more than entertainment; it provided a competitive stage where established stars and emerging talents showcased their quality against the world's best. While the headlines were dominated by Chelsea’s tactical discipline and PSG’s attacking flair, the real story of...

Inverted full-backs are a relatively recent innovation in football. Understanding them and their prominence fully emerged during Pep Guardiola’s spell at Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. During his first season at Bayern in 2013, Guardiola realised the impressive technical proficiency of Philipp Lahm and his ability to play in a more central role. Over...

Pep Guardiola’s side missed out on a Premier League title for the first time in the last five seasons, finishing in a respectable 3rd place but 13 points behind league leaders Liverpool. Following a relatively unsuccessful season (by Man City standards), which included an FA Cup Final loss to Crystal Palace, Manchester City has made...

The footballing world was once again reminded of Rayan Cherki’s prodigious talent when he came on as a substitute in the 63rd minute of France’s dramatic 5-4 defeat to Spain in the UEFA Nations League. In that brief period, he delivered both an assist and a goal, which showed why...

Jack Grealish’s fourth season at Manchester City has shown a conspicuous decline in playing time, raising questions about his place within Pep Guardiola’s squad. Each passing year seems to erode his role further, culminating not only in his omission from the starting XI but, at times, from the matchday squad...

Recently, set-piece analysis has evolved rapidly as teams have begun to recognise the importance of capitalising on every detail during the game. However, there is room to develop as a field in football analysis. One of the most interesting aspects is how teams have begun to manipulate the opponent by...

In the modern Premier League, success is no longer defined solely by goals and points. Tactical intelligence, data-led planning, and structural clarity have become essential in differentiating genuine progress from surface-level performance. This data analysis report utilises a combination of progressive metrics, possession models, and underlying performance data to examine...

The act of receiving the ball to feet has become almost second nature. From grassroots football to the professional elite, this pass-to-feet dynamic has evolved into the base unit of build-up play. In this tactical analysis, we will examine how this stylistic evolution is reshaping attacking behaviour across modern systems....

After finishing runners-up in 1989/1990 and 2015/2016, Crystal Palace won the 2024/2025 FA Cup. This is the first major trophy in the South London club’s history, with Palace having previously had just two second-tier titles and a third-tier title in their honours list. The FA Cup trophy will now take...

The art of build-up under pressure is a fundamental aspect of modern football, especially for teams facing aggressive, high-pressing opponents. More than just a method to progress the ball, it represents a philosophy of play that transforms defensive risk into attacking opportunity. In this analysis, we’ll explore how top teams create structures, support...