When Pep Guardiola hangs up his tactics board, he will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest managers of all time. Guardiola has translated the ability he showed as a player directly into management and his record since being promoted from the Barcelona B dugout to the Barcelona first team is simply remarkable. However, despite all the trophies and accolades, Guardiola will go down in history as one of the greatest innovators in football and his latest innovation, the inverted full back, is already shaping the way managers around the world set their teams up. In John Stones, Guardiola also has the perfect player to execute this role.
Always looking for the edge
John Stones has always been a very capable footballer, even going back to his time at Everton. England’s chances this summer at the European Championship, where current Euro betting has them as favourites to win the competition, could be massively boosted with a fully fit Stones. And should Stones play an integral part in any success, England and Gareth Southgate might have Pep Guardiola to thank.
Stones’ technical capabilities on the ball and strong positional sense give Guardiola the tactical flexibility to defend and attack in different ways, giving Manchester City even more weapons in their armoury. The inverted full back model, which has already been copied by teams all around Europe is an adaptation that provides more bodies in the centre of the park in the attacking phase but also ensures there is a solid structure when transitioning into defence.
As opposed to the Libero role, which Franz Beckenbauer and Franco Baresi excelled at, the full back drifts infield from the touchline to work alongside or fill in for a dedicated number six. In Manchester City’s case, Stones ability to drift into the defensive midfield position allows Rodri to push further forward and affect the game in a more attacking sense.
However, the license to roam does not only extend to the number six position. Especially against teams that deploy a low block, Stones has been seen to drift even further forward, into the number eight and ten positions. Despite the need to possess strong footballing attributes, it is Stones’ ability to take on the responsibility of multiple positions that separates him from the rest.
We must not forget that Stones is completely capable in the centre of defence, where Guardiola shuffles his cards regularly. However, in whichever position, the learnings Stones has taken in the new role will only further benefit Manchester City in their quest for trophies, and England at the Euros this summer.
