City's Midfield Headache || 2

By Noah Solovey

Let’s face it, Man City’s squad depth is creating a huge headache for Guardiola. He wants to play two deep-lying playmakers, and he wants to have three players behind the wingers. Ignoring the four in defense and Haaland up front, the midfield for the last few games (as of 3/17) has been Nico, Gundogan, Doku, Marmoush, and Savinho. Sometimes Foden has came in for Marmoush but it always is based in that structure. With Kevin De Bruyne, Grealish, Bernardo, and Kovacic probably all departing in the summer there will for sure be fewer players to choose from, but Foden and Rodri still exist, and Man City is expected to go big in the January window. I expect Florian Wirtz to come in along with Cambiaso and two new goalkeepers, but Florian Wirtz is a starter. Now we have 7 players who should start every single game. And there are youngsters McAtee and O’Reilly who will want minutes. Another midfielder will probably be signed too. 

With these seven options, I think Pep should go for something as follows: Rodri, Nico, (Doku/Savinho) (Marmoush/Wirtz/Foden)* If the Camavinga and Adam Wharton rumors are true, Nico will be rotated.

Rodri is the only nailed-on starter.

Let’s look at an entire team using these new tactics.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////NEW KEEPER////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

////Cambiaso////////////////Khusanov/Akanji////////////////////////////////Dias//////////////////////Gvardiol///////////////

/////////////////////////////////////////Nico/Camavinga/Wharton/////////////Rodri/////////////////////////////////////////////////

///Marmoush/Wirtz/Foden////////////////////Marmoush/Wirtz/Foden/////////////////////Doku/Savinho////////////

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////Haaland//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

*two out of three