This document analyzes Manchester City's 6-0 victory over Chelsea through a detailed breakdown of City's pressing, blocking, and build up strategies in different phases of play. It describes how City overloads certain positions to cut off passing lanes and forces turnovers. It also explains how City exploits space left behind Chelsea players pressing to complete attacks through passing combinations and player movement. The document aims to provide coaching staff with tactical analysis of how City were able to dominate Chelsea through their strategic application of pressure and attacking patterns.

1. Man City v Chelsea
Analysis of City’s 6-0 win over Chelsea
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2. City High Press
• 4-3-1-2 press shape. Overload central
midfield, direct to trap Azpi
• WMs on midfield line. On a wide pass
to the FB, shift and press quickly with
the FB jumping higher
• Gundogan v Jorginho(R) / Rudiger (L)
• De Bruyne v Luiz (R) / Jorginho (L)
• Aguero v Rudiger / Luiz (Variable)
• Block the passing lane before pressing
the ball carrier
• Shift onto 2nd opponent as the team
shifts to create a free man defensively
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3. City Medium Block
Aguero Blocks Circulation
Sterling tucks into central position to overload
Zinchenko defends the switch
Each player has cover between and behind 2 players to
press penetration. Wingers narrower than FBs. 4321
City try to isolate the FBs to press wide and quickly
Zinchenko
defends switch
Gundogan v
Jorginho
Blocking Hazard’s
space between
the lines
Sterling tucks in
to block Kante
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4. City Medium Block
De Bruyne is the spare man defensively
when the ball is on the right / press Luiz
Sterling v Kante in central midfield
Gundogan spare on left side circulation.
De Bruyne picks up Jorginho
Bernardo v Barkley in central midfield
Gundogan
Spare man
De Bruyne
Spare man
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5. City Low Block
Wide Defending: Leave Alonso, press quickly
Walker v Hazard, KDB free inside, Fernandinho
screen CF. Sterling in central zone. 4-1-4 block
Central Low Block: Defend Hazard 2v1
Fernandinho screens Higuaín. Laporte spare to
press pass to Kante with Sterling.
High focus on Hazard and Higuaín centrally
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6. City Build up
CMs play
between
and behind
WM & CM
DM splits
the 2 press
FB plays
around the
1st line
LCB able to
advance
into space
LW
stretches
the back 4
CB plays infront
and between 2
pressing
opponents
3-1 build up v 2 press
FB around block
CM between WM & CM
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7. General Rules in City build up
• Overload infront of the defending line
• Positioning between and behind 2 players
on line behind pressure
• All players connected on all angles
• If 1 press, 2 infront and 1 behind
• If 2 press, 1 between and behind
• If 3 press, 2 between and behind
• If circulation is blocked, bounce via the
DM to the far side CB facing forwards
• Wide passes to separate defenders
• Support behind and ahead of the ball on
the inside after a wide pass
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8. City completing attacks
• Create a free player in attack
• Aguero drops, Gundogan rotates
• Gundogan occupies 2 defenders
• Aguero receives in the pocket
• Sterling is free wide with
supporting movement inside
• Sterling will look for passes in
the space behind Jorginho
• Far side winger stays wider than
the back post to arrive late
Gundogan pins
2 defenders to
release Sterling
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9. City completing attacks
• Jorginho moves to support Azpi
• Sterling knows to look for the pass
into the box
• Aguero knows to stay in the space
• If Jorginho covers his zone rather
than closing the ball down 1v3
then Sterling may cutback to De
Bruyne or Gundogan deeper
• City are looking to attack from
cutbacks infront of the defence
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10. City final 3rd
• Lots of rotating positions to create
freedom to drop between the lines
by Gundogan/Aguero
• Players looking to exploit the space
behind Kante pressing by drifting
behind him during circulation
• Lots of movement around Jorginho
as he’s a defensive liability and
doesn’t track runners from deep
• Looking for cutbacks and passes
into the box from wide area 1v1s
when Jorginho doesn’t cover
3v2
Kante press
leaves space
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11. Transitions/Broken Midfield
Recovery running: Overload Hazard
• Close down Hazard’s space as
fast as possible
• Force him into pressure
• Be ready to press a pass into
Higuaín and defend 1v1/2v1
• Walker is assigned to defend
Hazard due to physical ability
• Stones stays deepest to block
access to goal or defend 1v1
For analysis projects or presenting, contact
StevieGrieve@hotmail.com