The Spanish manager loved to utilize wingers. However, he is using the 3-5-2 formation more and more. What are the ideas behind the sudden change of heart?
Pep Guardiola introduced the 3-5-2 formation in the preseason and has continued throughout the first two matches of the season. This formation coincides with other teams such as Arsenal, Tottenham, and Chelsea going to 3 at the back. Michael Cox wrote a great piece describing how these formations have gotten rid of the need for wingers. It’s interesting that Pep would shift to this formation with the dynamic wingers he has.
The switch is due to multiple factors but it goes back to our preconceived notions of him. Pep came to City having played with 4 at the back his whole career. At Bayern he introduced inverted fullbacks (when the fullbacks tuck into the midfield instead of going forward) and people thought he would continue that at City. The idea of inverted fullbacks was to provide numbers in midfield and snuff out counter attacks. The issue is Alaba and Lahm are extremely rare players and City just don’t have that profile at fullback.
Pep came to City having played with 4 at the back his whole career. At Bayern, he introduced inverted fullbacks (when the fullbacks tuck into the midfield instead of going forward) and people thought he would continue that at City. The idea of inverted full-backs was to provide numbers in midfield and snuff out counter attacks. The issue is Alaba and Lahm are extremely rare players and City just don’t have that profile at fullback.
In the summer Pep has changed the fullback position completely. Everyone who was a fullback last year is now gone and meanwhile, City brought in Benjamin Mendy, Kyle Walker, and Danilo. Mendy and Walker are attacking fullbacks while Danilo is someone who can tuck into the midfield and bomb forward. If Pep played four at the back with these fullbacks then the wingers would have to be inverted. If the wingers played their strong side with these fullbacks the spacing wouldn’t be right on the flanks.
In Marti Peranau’s book Pep Guardiola: The Evolution Pep talks of his liking of wingers playing their strong side. Pep mentions how low crosses into the box are half goals. The idea of him playing inverted wingers isn’t that appealing. “Wait, Robben and Ribery played as inverted wingers.” Yes but the book goes on to say Pep preferred playing Coman and Douglas Costa because he felt the attack was more fluid with strong side wingers.
Hence the 3-5-2. He takes the wingers off and now the fullbacks can bomb forward with space to operate. For me, the formation is more 3-5-1-1. One of the strikers operates in a free role allowing him to move to the midfield, finding space, and creating advantages to win the midfield battle. Each player has specific assignments that the manager asks them to do. The outside center-backs need to win the battles and move forward when they have space. The middle center-back needs to pick the pass and move the ball up to the midfield. These center-backs cover for the defensive midfielder. Because City’s defensive midfielders are older and aren’t as mobile as Pep would like, playing a 4-3-3 would be dangerous defensively. In a 4-3-3, with the full-backs bombing forward, the defensive midfielder would have more defensive responsibilities.
Last year the full-backs tucked in freeing up the defensive mid. Now playing with three center-backs frees up the defensive mid from defensive duties. The attacking midfielders have the same role as they would in a 4-3-3. They still need to create triangles and dominate the midfield. The fullbacks are free to charge to forward and provide service into the box. In a 4-3-3 their profile would leave the backline even more exposed. Because they are so far forward, they play as wingers.
If City play with two at the back the center-backs would be under a lot of pressure on the defense. The older defensive midfielders wouldn’t be able to cover as well. The third center-back provides defensive insurance. The reason why Sane played as a left wing back in the 3-5-2 is that the qualities in a wing back in the 3-5-2 are similar to those needed in wingers in a 4-3-3.
The strikers in a 3-5-2 have two different jobs. One of the strikers is asked to drop back and play a free role in midfield. The other striker is asked to make runs in behind the defense. This formation provides more defensive cover than a 4-3-3 would.
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The profile of the players suits this formation more than a 4-3-3. Pep will use all different formations throughout the season but with the 3-5-2 seemingly being the default formation in the early season, we have to understand what is being asked of the players. The issue isn’t the formation but the players. The team hasn’t looked as good and must do more for this formation to work.