Pep’s approach on Saturday bored a global audience to tears. Let’s look at:
Why he did it?
Why it worked?
And why we might have to get used to it?
A thread 1/
United didn’t create any big chances and only looked dangerous from set pieces 4/
‘When we struggle to score goals we have to be solid at the back, we had the chances’
‘We created 3 or 4 clear chances’ 6/
‘Put the ball in the goal. That is the solution’.
The double pivot is working, we can look at how City have performed when a Fernandinho/Rodri or Gundogan/Rodri double pivot has been deployed this season (PL/CL only) 8/
In the other 8 matches City have won 5, drawn 2 (Leeds & West Ham) and lost 1 (Spurs) conceding 5 goals 9/
So, with City now on a run of 6 consecutive clean sheets it was no surprise to see Pep stick with the shape throughout the 90 mins at Old Trafford and not go chasing the 3pts 11/
It may be frustrating for fans but Pep’s caution might be something we have to get used to 12/