In defence of Pep’s plan

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City got closer to stopping Barcelona last time than the 4-0 scoreline suggested. There were encouraging signs even in defeat, argues Adam Bate…

If goals change games they can certainly transform perceptions of managers. These managers know it too. Pep Guardiola has been known to lie awake at night plotting his latest tactical plans. Maybe it’s not possible to plan for an epiphany but this is a man who likes to try.

On his return to Barcelona, Guardiola was once again accused of overthinking it. Sergio Aguero was dropped, Manchester City were beaten 4-0 and Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick. Guardiola has now conceded seven without reply on his two trips back to the Nou Camp.

He courted ridicule two years ago by going man for man at the back. “I can’t think of any other coach who would employ these tactics,” Gary Neville told Sky Sports at the time. Jamie Carragher wondered whether the decision to do so was brave or mad.

Ultimately, it didn’t work. Barcelona scored three late goals and the tie was lost. It was a different approach but it was the one that made sense to Guardiola. “Pep would rather die going forward than stay alive defending,” said his former player Thierry Henry.

Despite the disappointment, for the man who says “it is not possible” to change his philosophy, it remains the best way to go about stopping Barcelona. And intriguingly, even after coming out on the wrong end of another result, he can still take some encouragement.

Consider some of the underlying numbers prior to Claudio Bravo’s red card early in the second half. Barcelona’s fabled front …

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