There is something happening at Man City right now. Something unusual. Pep Guardiola is arguably the greatest manager in the history of English football.
I know many still favour the longevity and man-management melodrama of Sir Alex. But what were the cutting-edge tactical innovations that other managers were inspired to pinch from Ferguson? Guardiola has changed the way English football is played, creating trends that persist to this day. His teams have generally played a brand of aesthetically pleasing possession-based football (though he has tinkered with his systems relentlessly).
Despite his tactical flexibility, you have always got the sense that Guardiola is quite rigid in the way he wants his players to operate within his systems. Maverick individualism needs to be controlled and tempered into something that can work best for the team (probably the reason he didn’t have the greatest relationship with Ibra back in the day). He plays great football with great players, but they need to tow the family line. That’s what makes Ryan Cherki such a fascinating revelation at City. The fleet-footed Frenchman is counterintuitive to the Guardiola blueprint. He is unpredictable and kinetic, keen to bask in the glow of a cheeky rabona. But he is currently producing the goods, enlivening a City side that got off to a slightly sluggish start to the season. Is this a romance built to last? Is it possibly a part of a more general change in outlook for the notoriously overthinking Spainard?
A little genius in the making
Haaland grabbed the headlines again this weekend, scoring a brace in City’s 3-0 home win over West Ham. But everyone left that game thinking the same thing: Cherki is something else. The French no.10 delighted the City faithful with his quick thinking and creativity, helping to set up Reijnders goal with some mesmerizing skill. He stood still on the right after Reijnders scored, almost admiring his own craftsmanship. Haaland pointed towards him as if to acknowledge that Cherki wasn’t alone in his self-admiration. It was the type of self-assured cockiness that isn’t necessarily associated with Guardiola’s well-oiled machines. With Guardiola, football is torture- there is no time to become complacent and admire artistry Cherki dispels that notion.
Keeping him grounded
Guardiola has been careful to keep his new shiny toy in check, always offering a slight counterbalance to the wave of inevitable praise. He seemed to temper the viral insanity surrounding his rabona assist against Sunderland, speaking about the need to do the simple things well. He then pointed to the fact that Cherki was too tired to do his defensive work against Brentford, hence the reason he was subbed off (he obviously doesn’t want him ‘Cherkin’ his responsibilities). Apologies. In any event, it doesn’t appear as if Guardiola is just handing the keys to the lunatics at the asylum. But he is embracing a level of joie de vivre that he has tended to avoid in the past.
Guardiola being proactive
I think there are a few reasons for this transformation. Firstly, Guardiola is reacting to the horrendous downfall that City experienced last year. City’s death-by-possession style became a bit predictable. The good type of predictable where you dominate possession and invariably win more games than you lose. But predictable, nonetheless. Sides were comfortable absorbing that side-to-side pressure and looked to counterattack aggressively. And if a Crystal Palace or Bournemouth managed to nick a goal on the counterattack, they would just sit back and look to defend City’s patient build-up. Guardiola looked to address this lack of imagination last season with the signing of Doku (which also appears to be coming to fruition). Guardiola is becoming more predisposed to risk-reward players, realizing the importance of breaking down sides who operate in a low block.
A new de Bruyne?
The loss of Kevin de Bruyne is another key reason why Guardiola is hanging his hopes on a player somewhat antithetical to his beliefs. De Bruyne had his injury issues last season and never had much of an impact on the side. He was always Guardiola’s go-to guy for breaking down obstinate defences. Sure, Haaland is the guy who will break all the records and Gundogan would show up in big moments. But de Bruyne was the guy who would unlock obstinate defences with one moment of magic. I think that Guardiola recognizes the magnitude of what they lost in de Bruyne and was willing to take a gamble on something a little more exuberant than he is accustomed to.
The genie’s out the bottle now
It will be fascinating to see how long this love-affair with Cherki continues. Will one irresponsible, costly pass be enough for Guardiola to rein him in? The last thing you want to see is Cherki being Jack Grealished (turned into a robotic version of his former self). The Etihad- or Empty-had as it is called by rival fans- has been craving this type of connection with a player. Guardiola will need to remember that if starts to have reservations about Cherki’s work-rate, positional discipline, etc. Fascinating times to be a City supporter.
