Manchester City have finally done it. After years of trying, they have finally won the Champions League – and with it, the continental treble.
Of course, it is impossible to ignore the 100+ charges of breaking Financial Fair Play rules the Premier League have levelled at them, which loom over these achievements and perhaps mar them too.
Regardless, their on-pitch performances were quite incredible. Over the course of the season, they operated at a high level with great consistency, marching through all the major competitions they participated in.
Team Performance and Tactics
Plenty of credit for their success has been given to manager Pep Guardiola, and rightly so. The ex-Barcelona man has always been looking to improve and find ways for his sides to get even better, and he seemed to find a great formula this season.
Man City started the season playing in a straightforward 2-3-2-3 system from their 4-3-3 formation, but they changed things around the midway point.
Soon after the World Cup break, they moved to a 3-2-2-3 system with either one full-back inverting or one nominal centre-back pushing up.
This change seemed to improve them in several ways. They seemed to get better at breaking down low blocks while also playing through opposition presses more successfully, but most importantly, their rest defence got a lot better.
In simple terms, they got better at stopping and preventing counterattacks, which is quite important for a team that dominates possession.
In terms of players, their most-used XI indicates that they used John Stones as a centre-back that pushes up into midfield most often, even using four centre-backs across the back line with Manuel Akanji and Nathan Aké on either side.
Almost everyone knows how Man City play stylistically at this point — slowly, patiently and systematically in possession, and pressing high without the ball. Here are some (rather frightening-looking) statistics to back that up and highlight their success:
All things considered, Man City have quite clearly been the best team in England and Europe this season. They faced a fair bit of competition in the league and found themselves chasing Arsenal for a long period in the title race, but ultimately got over the line quite comfortably.
In the Champions League, they were never really pushed to the limit until the final, where their toughest test seemed to be internal.
For the rest of the tournament, they made light work of their group and the knockout stage which included tough opponents such as Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Key Players
The headlines have often been grabbed by Erling Braut Haaland, whose move to Man City has worked out better than anyone could have imagined.
In hindsight, a generational talent joining the best side in the world with a manager who could find a way to make anything work was only going to end in one way, so the scepticism around this transfer seems a bit silly now.
The Norwegian international scored 52 goals in all competitions, including a record-breaking 36 in the Premier League alone.
At the same time, he silenced the doubters who questioned his on-ball qualities and ability to fit into Man City’s system.
Haaland scored a hell of a lot of goals and therefore helped his side to win plenty of games, but there were a few important matches where he was kept quiet.
Especially towards the end of the season, an unlikely figure who chipped in with a few important goals was İlkay Gündoğan, who scored crucial braces in the FA Cup final and in the last two league games before City lifted the title.
Beyond that, the German international played his role in midfield to a tee, helping his side progress up the pitch and get into the danger area. He was also elected as the club captain at the start of the season and has clearly led by example.
But there is an argument to be made that neither was City’s best player of the season. That title ought to go to John Stones, who was beyond excellent in a hybrid role where he operated as a centre-back out of possession and a midfielder in possession.
He absolutely bossed proceedings in the middle of the park, looking like he had been playing there all his life.
His versatility was most impressive, as he even started as a right-back sometimes and even played a more advanced role in midfield during the Champions League final of all matches. In every situation, he looked brilliant and played his roles to perfection.
What Next
It is impossible to guess what Guardiola’s tactical tricks are going to be, but one thing is certain – as long as he is at City, they will continue to compete at the highest level on all fronts.
They may lose some key players this summer, as Gündoğan and Bernardo Silva have been linked with moves away, but they are sure to find more than capable replacements even if they leave.
Man City’s immense financial resources and watertight operations mean they seem impossible to catch at the moment.
The only things that might stop them are punishments for breaking rules – if they are found guilty.
Stats and images courtesy Stats Perform via Fbref, and Vizz App.
