

This article will explain the structure and advantages of Manchester City’s recent intriguing build-up play, predominantly focusing on their setup from the static goal kick but also from open play.įirstly, focus will be on explaining the build-up setup used by Manchester City in recent weeks. Recently, Manchester City’s build-up play evolved once more. The most significant aspect of this setup was the use of the goalkeeper as an outfielder alongside one of the centre-backs to create the deepest line, therefore allowing the spare centre-back to join the pivot to create a box around Liverpool’s first line of pressure. We have witnessed a variety of unique build-up structures, with perhaps the most recent innovation being the box setup against Liverpool in the 2019 Community Shield, his first competitive match since the rule modification. Throughout his time coaching at the elite level, Guardiola has been well renowned for setting his teams up to play from the back, progressing the ball through the thirds. The rule change influenced different coaches in different ways depending on their beliefs, but arguably one of the greatest influences it had was on none other than Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola.

This essentially allows players in possession more time before being pressured, which acts as a catalyst for the transition between the static goal kick and open play build-up. However, the new rule has changed this, as from a defensive perspective, there is a greater amount of space to cover before being able to apply pressure onto the opponent. Beforehand, deep players naturally began outside the box because they were unable to touch the ball until it had left the box this resulted in immediate pressure from an opponent following their first touch because the opponent had immediate access to the player in possession. The most significant advantage of the modification to the goal kick rule is that it allows the team in possession to kick-start their build-up play without immediate pressure from the opponent. This alteration added a different dynamic to build-up play in general because it allowed the deepest outfielders in possession, typically centre-backs, to start inside the box rather than outside, therefore decreasing the space between themselves and the goalkeeper and on the other hand, increasing the space between themselves and opposition players.
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As of 2019, outfield players were given the license to touch the ball inside their 18-yard box from a goal kick, rather than having to wait until the ball exited the box. Perhaps the most significant rule change within recent times in football was the adaptation to the static goal kick.
