
Manchester City came from behind to beat Bournemouth 2-1 and to seal a FA Cup semi-final place.
Goals from Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush sealed a new appearance at Wembley for the men of Pep Guardiola.
The Man City Gaffer unleashed a number of amazing tactical decisions that brought the best from different stars.
In the last episode of Sunssport's Tactics, our expert Dean Scoggins explains what City did to make the last four again …
Life O'Reilly
We should not forget Nico O'Reilly, is a number 10. So to record it and play him at the left back was a brave thing of Pep – but it was for several reasons.
One was that Abdukodir Khusanov was booked in the first half, so he was the obvious.
The second is that the Ruben Dias put on its natural right side and meant that gvardiol came in like the left in the middle.
It meant nunes on the right and O'Reilly on the left as wing backs, with Kovacic that dropped in the opening.
It removed some Van O'Reilly's defensive responsibilities and became like a 3-4-2-1. The confused Bournemouth really.
He has a great touch and started charging left, with most of those touches in the attacking half.
Best free bets and registration offers
There is an argument for him to play there in the competition, because Peps always used full-backs as a weapon.
There is no reason why he cannot play there, he gave the city more balance. He took the pressure of Nunes on the other side and they had an out-ball that went the other way.
Pressure makes diamonds
City created a diamond in midfield. Kovacic fell back between the two center backs.
You then bring two people to very narrow, who fight Bournemouth because they really push you narrow.
What the city did was lead De Bruyne to go cook, who was the full-back, and bring him to the middle of the field.
Gundogan does the same, brings in midfield, and O'reilly left that behind with all that space the left side.
Pep told Grealisk to come in and don't worry about the ball, because City got so much joy with O'Reilly.
It was a tactical master class of Pep during the break. Absolutely brilliant.
He let his experienced players perform it and release the young child from the left.
Silva is a tactical genius. He is the one who performs these little things on the field that go unnoticed.
Omar God
We do not know how long Haaland will be out after he had sustained an ankle injury, but what a replacement to have.
I want to concentrate on the Marmoush run for his goal, it is absolutely great. O'Rilly plays a high -quality pass.
But Marmoush goes the opposite road to where you would expect it to go.
As a defender they had no idea which of the two would pick him up – and nobody did that.
Marmoush went backwards, which opened this large space and nobody went with him. And the finish was also good.
The small cracking runs that he makes around the edge of the area, he is so dangerous.
So impressive. I love him as a player and can't wait to see more of him.
In a tactic where you have Haaland and one or two others, it fits him on the floor.
Someone like Foden is working hard, it gives him more freedom to play closer to Haaland.
But with the striker injured, Marmoush is also a ready-made replacement. I don't care where he plays – as long as he is on the field.
He defeated Harry Kane in the first half of the German season, which is no easy task.
He just gets better, city gets many opportunities. They create a lot and he plays for Pep, so heaven is the limit.
The long fetch
City played it for a long time and it was different from what I thought. It was Ederson in Haaland, but they did it smart because he should have had a hat trick from the first half.
City was early on the midfield of Bournemouth and it worked very well.
They split the center backs on the edge of the box, Edererson gave it to a then received it and went for a long time.
So it wasn't long, it was like a two. Pep also told Haaland not to stay central and to create a perspective for Ederson.
It also creates space for others who participate in the second ball. It was very direct and Haaland got a lot of joy.
However, he is looking a bit at the moment, he normally puts the risks away.
More teams are now immediately. Ederson is so good, he chooses a square square of five meters that he is going to land the ball.
That is where Haaland will be and you can play it there.
The midfielders and attackers who support the striker had to work their socks off.
It would not have been unfair if City had been 3-1 during the break.
Nunes was cooked
He was a real problem. He hit this blind ball in midfield.
Lewis Cook marked De Bruyne and left him bravely to go to Nunes.
Before he has even completed his pass, Cook intercepts the goal of Bournemouth.
It was really bad from Nunes, but he also got the chance to make up for it afterwards by simply doing the work of a simple defender.
He takes a look over his shoulder, sees Kluisert and switches off.
In that group of a second, Brooks plays the ball behind and Kluivert Blind from him.
It's not far, just go over and cover. It was not even defensive in midfield, let alone the right defense. It was terrible things.
Fortunately for Nunes he has a brilliant manager. But I still don't know for sure what he is.
I don't know if he's a midfielder, a 10, a wing player. He is certainly not a complete back. City must tackle that.
Tactically they are all in the right position, but it is that instinct in those positions that is not entirely true.
Gvardiol plays in a way that he can push in the number 10 position like a reverse full-back.
He moved to a left center-back position yesterday and did great, so he is the utilities.
Get a right back, Pep. I would like to see this form a bit more, maybe even against Man United next week.
Comments