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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StevieGrieve@hotmail.com
4. 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
For analysis projects or presenting, contact
StevieGrieve@hotmail.com
5. 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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StevieGrieve@hotmail.com
7. 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
For analysis projects or presenting, contact
StevieGrieve@hotmail.com
9. 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
For analysis projects or presenting, contact
StevieGrieve@hotmail.com
10. 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
For analysis projects or presenting, contact
StevieGrieve@hotmail.com
12. 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
For analysis projects or presenting, contact
StevieGrieve@hotmail.com
13. 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
For analysis projects or presenting, contact
StevieGrieve@hotmail.com
14. 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
For analysis projects or presenting, contact
StevieGrieve@hotmail.com
16. 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