One win, three draws and nine defeats. It still defies belief but, yes, that is Man City’s record in their previous 13 matches.
While the initial run of poor form could have been described as a ‘blip’ for the Premier League champions, now, it’s fair to say that Pep Guardiola and his side are deep in unchartered territory.
Never has the Spaniard found himself in such a position. It feels like all eyes are on struggling City and, no matter what they do, they cannot seem to go out this slump.
It’s a situation that has left Guardiola scratching his head – literally – for answers but as the weeks go by, he’s failing to come up with them.
After their recent 1-1 draw against Everton, he insisted that City need to recruit new players to aid in their endeavours. However, is there more that can be done?
We asked ChatGPT how Guardiola can overcome their dismal form and here are the eight things the AI software suggested.
Manchester City have won just one match from their previous 13 in all competitions
Pep Guardiola has struggled to find a solution to City’s ongoing issues on the football pitch
Prompt: How can Pep Guardiola fix Manchester City
Answer:
1. Defensive Stability
Challenge: Manchester City’s defense has been shaky at times, particularly in big games, with lapses in concentration and vulnerability on the counter-attack.
Solution:
More Robust Center-Back Pairing: City has struggled at times with injuries to key defenders like Ruben Dias and John Stones. Building a more consistent partnership in central defense or adding another top-class center-back could provide better depth.
Full-Backs as Defenders: The reliance on full-backs for attacking has sometimes left City exposed defensively. Guardiola could ensure they adopt a more balanced role — providing defensive cover without compromising too much on offensive support.
Faster Recovery from Counter-Attacks: With the high defensive line, City is vulnerable to teams that can break quickly. Guarding against these situations could involve more disciplined positioning from midfielders and center-backs.
City have struggled at times with injuries to key defenders like Ruben Dias and John Stones
Kyle Walker has lost a yard of pace this year which has seen City’s high defensive line struggle
2. Midfield Fluidity and Creativity
Challenge: While City has one of the most talented midfields in Europe, there can be times when creativity stalls or the team becomes too predictable in build-up play.
Solution:
More Dynamic Midfielders: Adding a dynamic box-to-box midfielder or someone with more flair and direct dribbling could provide a different dimension. A player capable of breaking the lines with passes or dribbles would diversify City’s attacking options.
Replacing Rodri’s Role: While Rodri is typically crucial in a holding midfield role, City have struggled in the absence of the Spaniard. Instead, Guardiola could experiment with using a double pivot to provide more versatility, especially against teams that sit deep.
Innovative Use of Bernardo Silva: Although Silva is often deployed on the wing, Guardiola could consider using him more centrally to link up play and create overloads in the final third.
With Rodri out injured, Guardiola could experiment with using more of a double pivot
3. Squad Rotation and Depth
Challenge: Manchester City’s squad is one of the deepest in Europe, but Guardiola has been criticized for over-relying on key players in certain positions, particularly in attack. Injuries or fatigue can be an issue in a long season.
Solution:
More Balanced Rotation: Guardiola could continue to develop squad rotation strategies, ensuring key players like Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, and others are well-rested for critical matches without sacrificing quality.
Develop Younger Players: Integrating more young players into the first team, or loaning them out to get experience, would ensure that there is more depth without relying too much on the core group of veterans.
City could benefit from the introduction of youngsters such as James McAtee (pictured)
4. Finishing and Goalscoring Consistency
Challenge: Despite having a clinical striker like Erling Haaland, there are games where City creates numerous chances but fails to convert them. There are periods where their goalscoring rate dips.
Solution:
Diversified Attack: Guardiola could look to spread the goal-scoring load more evenly across the team. This could involve optimizing the finishing of players like Savinho, Jack Grealish, or even his midfielders like Bernardo Silva.
Increased Composure in Front of Goal: Sometimes City can become too intricate in their play, looking for the perfect goal. Ensuring that players are more decisive in front of goal could reduce the chances of missing high-value opportunities.
City need players like Savinho to help spreading the goal-scoring load among their forwards
Jack Grealish has failed to find the back of the net for City throughout 2024
5. Adapting to Opponents’ Strategies
Challenge: Pep’s style is often to dominate possession and control games, but some teams have been able to nullify City’s attacking threats by defending deep and playing on the counter-attack.
Solution:
More Direct Play When Necessary: Although Guardiola is known for his possession-based game, there are times when a more direct approach might be necessary, especially against teams that sit deep. The team could become more effective with quick transitions or longer balls to Haaland.
Flexibility in Tactics: Guardiola should ensure that his tactical approach can vary depending on the opponent. For example, playing with a more compact midfield against teams that dominate possession, or employing a more high-pressing strategy when facing teams that build from the back.
Utilizing Width More Effectively: At times, City’s attack can be overly centralized, making it easier for opponents to defend. By using the width of the pitch more effectively — stretching the opposition and creating more space in the middle — City can open up new avenues for attack.
Guardiola should ensure that his tactical approach can vary depending on the opponent
6. Handling Pressure in Big Matches
Challenge: Despite success in domestic competitions, City has faced struggles in the Champions League and occasionally in high-stakes domestic games, particularly in the knockout stages.
Solution:
Mental Toughness: Guardiola should focus on cultivating mental resilience, especially in knockout scenarios or crucial league games. City needs to have the ability to stay calm and stick to their game plan even under intense pressure.
Manage Big-Game Expectations: Guardiola will need to make sure that both he and his players are not weighed down by the expectations that come with their success. Not all matches need to be approached with an overambitious attacking mindset; sometimes patience and game management are key in big moments.
City failed to handle the pressure in the final moments of their 2-1 defeat by rivals Man United
7. Capitalizing on Haaland’s Strengths
Challenge: Haaland’s physicality and clinical finishing have transformed City’s attack, but there are times when City’s intricate style seems to marginalize him in possession-heavy situations.
Solution:
Tailoring Play to Haaland’s Strengths: Guardiola can continue to find ways to optimise Haaland’s role in the team. This includes exploiting his pace and positioning on counter-attacks, and ensuring he gets more early service into dangerous areas, especially with crosses from deep and through balls from midfield.
Linking Play: Guardiola could also encourage Haaland to become more involved in link-up play, which would make City less reliant on perfect passes from others and allow the striker to contribute to build-up play.
Guardiola can continue to find ways to optimise Erling Haaland’s role in the team
8. Mental Preparation for Big Tournaments
Challenge: City has been a dominant force in the Premier League, but when it comes to European competitions like the Champions League, they’ve struggled with a sense of over-ambition or tactical rigidity.
Solution:
Approach Big Matches with Flexibility: Especially in the Champions League, Guardiola could focus more on adaptability — moving between possession football and more pragmatic tactics when necessary.
Experience in the Squad: Adding players with experience in big European nights, or ensuring that current stars know how to handle the high-pressure situations of knockout football, will be key to going further in the Champions League.
