2-3-5 Guardiola’s attacking system
All of Pep’s teams were regularly using similar system when in possession during positional play. It’s 2-3-5 shape made from 4-3-3 on the paper. He did that with Barcelona, Bayern and City, but in different ways. We will go through that – let’s look on the pictures:
Picture 1 – FC Barcelona: Fullbacks (Alves and Abidal) out wide to make the pitch bigger. Wingers (Pedro and Villa) move inside between opponent’s fullback and centre-back to play in the halfspace. It gives you a chance to play quick combinations with your fullbacks and makes opponent’s defense completely busy. Striker (Messi) is positioned in the middle and is looking to use every inch of space that can be left by the centre back who will need to go and rescue the fullback. It’s an attacking way. But Pep doesn’t forget about the defense, so he got three midfielders (Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta) to prevent counterattack by quick counterpressing. They need to have quality with the ball to build an attack but also have to predict the situations. Their positioning and ability to read the game is the key not to let two central defenders (Pique, Puyol) being alone in the danger situation.
Picture 2 – Bayern Munich: Do you see the difference from Barcelona? Here, Pep didn’t have the best midfield in the world, but had amazing wingers. So he couldn’t ask them to play more centrally. No, Robben and Costa needed to be by the touchline to dribble and make a difference. So Pep decided to use a concept of inverted fullbacks. Lahm and Alaba have got the quality to do it. They are good at reading the game but also they are good with the ball, so no problem with building the play. In that case, Guardiola could use wingers out wide and played with attacking midfielders (Muller, Thiago) between fullback and centre back. German and Spanish are great in making runs in behind in the box. Lewandowski is waiting for the space or for the cross.
Picture 3 – Manchester City: The same as with Bayern - more quality on the wings. Sane and Sterling wide. De Bruyne and Silva perfect in playing in the halfspaces and runs in behind. Aguero’s movement only helps to create the spaces (also good in the headers). Again, Pep is using inverted fullbacks. Walker and Danilo (or Delph or Zinchenko) are good at it, especially when you think about interceptions but I think still they are worse than Alaba and Lahm. Different situation is with Mendy, who is great inverted fullback but also can play out wide (something like Dani Alves). That’s why it would be so great for Guardiola to have him back – more tactical options.
In all of those three variants the most important role is a defensive midfielder. I didn’t mention them, because their tasks are always the same. Don’t lose the ball (build the game, split the ball), assecuration, interception or if it’s not possible – tactical foul. Busquets, Alonso and Fernandinho are the base of Pep’s teams.
This idea of positional play is powerful and it’s not only used by Pep. For example, Real Madrid of Zinedine Zidane was doing the same (in Pep’s Barca model) – fullbacks out wide (Marcelo and Carvajal), wingers coming inside (CR7 and Bale) and midfielders as a protectors of counterattack (Modric, Casemiro, Kroos).It’s just the best way to have an attacking threat (numerical superiority, possibility of quick combinations) and also be safe when losing possession (quick counterpress). Pep has got it worked perfectly and the small changes in the way shows how he can adapt to the situation ☺️
Take a look on Man City when in possession. Or look back to the most of Bayern or Barca games from when Pep was there. You will clearly see 2-3-5 shape that is extremely interesting to watch. All those coordinated movements, exchanging positions and reading the game. That’s the Guardiola masterclass everywhere he trains