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Breaking
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How Guardiola can transform Man City line-up after €135m transfers
Analysis
Man City have signed three new players in the last week.
Left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri, central midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and attacking maestro Rayan Cherki have all signed for Man City for a cumulative €135 million.
These three signings have added an incredible amount of quality and depth to the Man City team, giving Pep Guardiola the kind of options he hasn't had in a while.
Current ETV
R. Cherki
M (CR), AM (C)
Lyon
R. Cherki
M (CR), AM (C)
Lyon
ETV Range
€35.5M - €43.4M
Couple them with the January additions of Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez and Abdukodir Khusanov and Man City's squad refresh is almost complete (they're only missing a goalkeeper and a specialist right-back, really) after just two windows.
So just how could Man City line-up with these three new boys? FootballTransfers has had a look and come up with four ideas:
The Control (4-2-3-1)
The first XI is the standard Man City shape, just somewhat revamped. Ederson continues in goal with a three of Man City's best back four from last season back in there.
Matheus Nunes is developing into a good right-back, and you pair him with the rock solid Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol at the heart of the defence. Left-back is where Rayan Ait-Nouri comes into the side, added thrust, pace and creativity to the left flank while remaining solid defensively.
At the base of midfield the majestic Rodri returns to play alongside his compatriot Nico Gonzalez. These two will provide a rock solid base for City's attack and the presence of Nico means Rodri has more freedom to crash the box.
Ahead of them will be Tijjani Reijnders. the Dutch midfielder is superb and as a 10 would be able to both crash the box and threaten goal like Kevin de Bruyne used to while also dropping back to help create a numerical advantage in midfield.
Current ETV
Tijjani Reijnders
M, DM (C)
Milan
Tijjani Reijnders
M, DM (C)
Milan
ETV Range
€49.9M - €61M
Up-front Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush would flank the monumental Erling Haaland. The Egyptian and the Norwegian would benefit from the absurd creativity of Cherki, whose moves infield off the flank will open up overlap chances for Nunes and Reijnders as well as put him in deadly position to feed his forwards.
GK: Ederson
RB: Matheus Nunes
CB: Ruben Dias
CB: Josko Gvardiol
LB: Rayan Ait-Nouri
CDM: Rodri
CDM: Nico
CAM: Tijjani Reijnders
RW: Rayan Cherki
LW: Omar Marmoush
ST: Erling Haaland
The Old-School (4-3-3)
If Pep Guardiola wanted to open things up against a more obsinate defensive opponent, he could turn the clock back to his first great Man City side from the 2017/18 season.
That season he had Fernandinho as his defensive midfielder behind Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva as what the Belgian described as "Free 8's" - which basically meant they were classic 10's that Guardiola had pulled deeper but given the freedom to run the side and drive into the box and the half-spaces.
STATS
R. Cherki
M (CR), AM (C)
Lyon
R. Cherki
M (CR), AM (C)
Lyon
In this side (with the same defence as the previous side) Rodri would be the sole pivot and Cherki and Reijnders would be the "Free 8's" with license to push, roam and make things happen. Both players are very creative, excellent ball-carriers and possess complimentary peak skills (Reijnders is a superb finisher and Cherki is a passing wizard).
Obviously this would be obscenely attacking, as Cherki is no centre mid, but goodness it would be delightfully good fun.
Oscar Bobb and Jeremy Doku provide natural width, playing high up the field to stretch the opponent wide and create channels for Cherki and Reijnders. Haaland, of course, leads the line.
GK: Ederson
RB: Matheus Nunes
CB: Ruben Dias
CB: Josko Gvardiol
LB: Rayan Ait-Nouri
CDM: Rodri
CM: Tijjani Reijnders
CM: Rayan Cherki
RW: Oscar Bobb
LW: Jeremy Doku
ST: Erling Haaland
The Cruyff (3-3-1-3)
Sometimes you need to pin a team back and absolutely hammer them. You need to lay siege to their goal and not let them out.
The way system to do this is a Cruyffist 3-3-1-3, popularised by Johan Cruyff who used it as manager of Barcelona's legendary "Dream Team" - a side with Pep Guardiola in it.
Now City coach, Guardiola could deploy City in a 3-3-1-3 to fantastic effect.
Obviously Ederson in goal with Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol ahead of him. The third centre-back is the Uzbekistan star Abdukodir Khusanov, whose pace and defensive prowess would make him formidable in this system.
Current ETV
Abdukodir Khusanov
D (C)
Man City
Abdukodir Khusanov
D (C)
Man City
ETV Range
€43.6M - €53.2M
Rodri holds midfield again behind centre-midfielders Reijnders and the veteran Bernardo Silva with Cherki in a free role as the 10. This midfield owns the ball and excels in tight spaces and will manipulate the ball to open up the opponents.
Aiding in this are the wingers, who in this system are Savinho and Ait-Nouri. Using Ait-Nouri that high-up may seem strange but recall in this system the wingers are almost exclusively to hold width and defend the flanks. All the flanks.
Current ETV
Rayan Aït Nouri
D, M (L)
Man City
Rayan Aït Nouri
D, M (L)
Man City
ETV Range
€39.4M - €48.2M
Then in the middle of course is Haaland.
The 3-3-1-3 is a high-risk high-reward system, so you wouldn't use it all the time. But if you want to break down the stubbornest defences you can think of and don't have Leo Messi on your team? There is absolutely nothing better.
GK: Ederson
RCB: Abdukodir Khusanov
CB: Ruben Dias
LCB: Josko Gvardiol
CDM: Rodri
CM: Tijjani Reijnders
CM: Bernardo Silva
CAM: Rayan Cherki
RW: Savinho
LW: Rayan Ait-Nouri
ST: Erling Haaland
Midfield Madness (4-3-3)
Everyone knows Pep Guardiola loves midfielders.
He once joked that one day he would like to play a team of midfielders, and these signings now give him a chance to do just that!
Ederson in goal still of course, but City academy products Rico Lewis and Nico O'Reilly will fill the full-back spots. Both have history at full-back but are actually midfielders.
In the heart of defence Rodri and Matheus Nunes take-up residence. Rodri has played centre-back before, doing so at the World Cup for Spain even, so he'll be fine there. Nunes would be the weak point of the side, but he has the athleticism to at least be good at defending transitions.
STATS
Matheus Nunes
M (C), D (R)
Man City
Matheus Nunes
M (C), D (R)
Man City
Nico holds midfield in his natural position behind Reijnders and Uncle Ilkay Gundogan. These three playing in their natural roles would be essential to maintaining the rhythm of the side and protecting the "attack" and "defence."
Out wide Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden are drafted into position. Both have experience playing in wide areas and Foden in particular is really suited to it on the left.
The centre-piece of the side, however, is the majestic Rayan Cherki playing as a false nine. Obviously he's no Leo Messi, but his ball-striking and improvisational creative genius would make him a devastating presence flitting between the lines to find space.
GK: Ederson
RB: Rico Lewis
CB: Matheus Nunes
CB: Rodri
LB: Nico O'Reilly
CDM: Nico
CM: Ilkay Gundogan
CM: Tijjani Reijnders
RW: Bernardo Silva
F9: Rayan Cherki
LW: Phil Foden
