Pep Guardiola’s season-building habit was on display again: a bright start, a period of experimentation to fix weaknesses, then a settled system that carried Manchester City through the run-in. Across roles, shapes and personnel his constant adjustments eventually produced a clear identity and a favoured XI.
Early approach: high press and inward full-backs
City began with an attacking, high-press philosophy. Full-backs pushed into the inside channels, supporting central creators while wide forwards pressed aggressively around Erling Haaland. That setup generated fast transitions and plenty of threat, but it also left wide areas exposed, with opposition full-backs too often free on the flanks. Early signings and tactical nudges emphasised rapid turnovers and vertical passes to Haaland as a focal point.
Exposed weaknesses and initial fixes
Defensive frailties appeared quickly. Games against teams who attacked the wide channels and targeted long balls highlighted how putting full-backs into midfield and asking wingers to press centre-backs could leave City outnumbered on the flanks. Guardiola responded by testing different front line pairings and pressing triggers, sometimes instructing forwards to press man-to-man and aiming to use long passes to exploit Haaland’s movement. The results were mixed: it helped in attack but did not always plug the gaps that wide opponents exploited.
Finding balance: internal rotation and narrow overloads
A tactical turning point involved using wide attackers who drifted inside to create central overloads while a more disciplined left-back provided width and balance. That wandering left-wing role became a reliable way to draw opponents in and open space on the outside for an aggressive, forward-driving full-back. Over autumn Guardiola refined combinations: a consistent front three with runners reaching the byline and creative attackers arriving late into the box, while full-backs tucked into midfield to add central protection and guard against counters.
Adding physicality and switching roles
A loss underlined the need for more physicality and dynamism. Guardiola reacted with substitutions and a reorientation of personnel toward stronger, more robust options. A fluid partnership developed between an inside-roaming winger and a forward-running left-back; opponents’ tendency to press man-to-man created pockets for the full-back to burst forward. A two-footed attacker also grew in influence, able to operate in tight spaces beside the more direct frontmen.
Foden’s evolving role and coping with injuries
During mid-season Guardiola experimented with Phil Foden’s positioning, shifting him from a box-to-box role to a narrower, inside-cutting attacker who could score decisive goals. When another key wide player was sidelined, Foden’s narrow role became more permanent, with other creative midfielders rotating to provide late-arriving runs and balance. These adjustments helped maintain attacking fluency even when injuries forced changes.
January reshuffle and wing-striker solutions
New arrivals and a congested fixture list led to more role shuffling. Physical wide forwards earned opportunities, and Guardiola started to deploy wingers as near-strikers — positioned close to Haaland to form narrow front twos or threes. This compact attacking shape drew defenders toward Haaland and created channels for runners coming from deeper. In matches where a robust midfield was required, City tightened their structure and asked forwards to shoulder more of the goal-scoring burden.
A settled system for the run-in
By late March, Guardiola had largely settled on a system that could be deployed consistently. Defensively the team often resembled a compact 4-2-4 that shifted fluidly in possession: wide attackers could cut inside to threaten the box while full-backs supplied width or tucked in to protect transitions. A disciplined double pivot provided stability; one deep playmaker and a more mobile partner cleaned up second balls and kept the shape compact when the team held a high line. A quick, pacey centre-back option emerged as an insurance policy against direct balls over the top.
How the press and roles matured
The pressing scheme evolved into a more targeted, balanced version: wingers pressed centre-backs and blocked forward passes into wide builders, while the central striker and an inverted wide attacker protected central lanes. That approach suited the more physical wide forwards and masked some defensive limitations among attackers. The double pivot became the defensive spine, sweeping up loose balls and preserving compactness.
Why the final XI worked
The ingredients of the final system were visible throughout the season: a one-on-one wide threat that demanded attention, forward-running full-backs who returned goals and assists, and intelligent pressing and build-up from the midfield pair that covered earlier vulnerabilities. By adjusting roles — moving Haaland and semi-roving attackers infield while allowing full-backs to supply width — Guardiola produced patterns that were difficult for opponents to prepare against. His willingness to experiment, then prioritise physicality, defensive cover and attacking variety, turned a period of tinkering into a cohesive unit tailored to win with the squad available.
Summary
Across the campaign Guardiola’s process was iterative: test, recognise weaknesses, recruit or repurpose players, and lock in a shape that matched opposition tendencies and the squad’s strengths. The end result combined pressing intelligence, physical presence and attacking flexibility — a team built to win in the run-in with a trusted, reinvented starting XI.
