Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol priority: how to explain Pep Guardiola’s obsession with defenders?

Pep Guardiola didn’t need to wait for a well-deserved vacation to figure it all out. Why did his Manchester City version 2022-2023 achieve an exceptional hat-trick where all his previous versions had broken their teeth in the face of this perilous mission? Erling Haaland, of course, is part of the answer. But the Catalan technician had preferred to insist on something else, just after the victory against Inter in the C1 final.

“I would say that with four central defenders on the pitch, we defend much better in our areahe had detailed about his choice to align Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, Nathan Aké and the hybrid John Stones in this final. This is the biggest evolution, in my opinion. Now we like to defend and even if we sometimes make mistakes, I feel that we are now a team that knows how to defend“.

7 defenders in Guardiola’s 10 biggest buys at City

Since his arrival at City, integrating Gvardiol, Pep Guardiola has recruited 45 players for 1.36 billion euros. In the lot, defenders or defensive profiles represent almost half of the overall investment (630 million). Even more speaking, 7 of the 10 most expensive players of the Guardiola era in the Citizens are defenders or defensive midfielders (Ruben Dias, Rodri, Aymeric Laporte, Joao Cancelo, Benjamin Mendy, John Stones and Kyle Walker).

Joao Cancelo, in particular, was able to play a hybrid role, almost sometimes officiating as a playmaker from behind. The Walker case is paradoxical: if the Englishman has become a cornerstone of the Mancunian edifice, it is more for his ability to frame the fastest wingers in the world than for his offensive contribution. Proof that Guardiola has adapted to the times, it is the hunt for axials that obsesses him.

At the microphone of CBS Sports, interviewed by Thierry Henry, Guardiola had explained this change of perspective which had imposed itself on him. “You cannot spend 80 or 90 minutes in the opposing camp or, conversely, only play transitions. That would be a stupid game planhe explained. The difference today is that Akanji is a magnificent defender, who understands the game and is always focused. Kyle has the ability to control the most dangerous wingers in the world, Nathan Aké who in one-on-one is… pff. As for Ruben… People often say ‘wow, what a wonderful pass etc.’ But already be a good defender. For me, he is the greatest possible talent in football“.

Dias-Gvardiol, Hinge 2.0

The case of the Portuguese is perhaps the most symptomatic: by investing 72 million in the summer of 2020 on him, Guardiola found his own Virgil van Dijk, the base of a defense which sometimes took on water when the level went up a notch. Again, his fascination with defenders transpired from his tribute to the player a year later.

“He is a central defender who controls the defensive line and leads othershe deciphered. He plays fair, in all his decisions, but above all he helps others to make those good decisions. This is where you become an incredible central defender in my eyes. […] There are incredible players who think only of their own work, who do their job but he pays attention to the fact that the others with him do it as well“.

By adding Josko Gvardiol to his side, Guardiola offers himself a frightening hinge on paper, with still immense potential to be exploited, a mixture of tactical science, brutal physical power and real technicality. Moreover, it is undoubtedly because he is left-handed and that he has sometimes helped out as a side that City is ready to bet so much on him. A little tactical flexibility never hurt when crossing paths with Pep Guardiola. All of his current defenders can attest to that…