Manchester City did the ‘Double’ of winning the English Premier League and the FA Cup this season when they beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final on June 3, having already secured the league title in May. However, Brentford had done their own ‘Double’ over the champions in late May, when they defeated City 1-0 in the final Premier League match day of this season. Thomas Frank’s team had already defeated City at the Etihad — the champions’ only loss at home in all competitions this season. On May 28, the Bees handled Pep Guardiola’s side expertly, marshalling them away from the centre of the pitch, marking them closely so that the champions had little time on the ball and closing off their passing lanes so that City found it onerous to play their short, passing game.
The Brentford Model
Frank, when asked what advice he had for Manchester United and Internazionale, City’s opponents in the finals of the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League respectively, said after the match, “It’s the best offensive team in the world. So clearly you need to defend very well. And we managed to defend very well, but not only (through) the low block. You could see today (that) we were very brave under high pressure throughout the game. I think that’s a big thing. I think if you only (play a) low block all the time, your team will struggle. That bravery is what I loved about my team.”
Guardiola put out what was effectively City’s second string against Brentford on May 28 — but the line-up still had crucial City regulars such as Kyle Walker, Ederson, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden. “No matter which players City put out there, they’re top players,” said Frank. “So they had 8 top Premier League players out there and 3 of the biggest talents in the world”. (Frank was probably referring to Cole Palmer, Rico Lewis and Sergio Gomez). What’s more, when Brentford beat City 2-1 earlier this season, at the Etihad, they did so against a full-strength team that contained the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Ilkay Gundogan.
HOW TO STOP CITY: TACTIC 4
Closing off City’s passing lanes in the centre and forcing them to the flanks
An example of how skillfully Brentford stopped City from building attacks in the middle of the pitch came in the 32nd minute of the match.
City defensive midfielder Kalvin Phillips was in possession in the middle of Brentford’s half of the pitch. He had Julian Alvarez, Palmer, Lewis and Foden ahead of him and around the Brentford penalty box. However, it was not possible or too risky to pass to any of these players as Brentford players had niftily placed themselves near all these 4 options. In the end, Phillips, Nathan Ake, Walker and Mahrez were all forced to go wide in their effort to hurt Brentford. This phase of play came to an end only when Palmer surged forward from his position at the mouth of the Brentford penalty box to receive a pass from Walker, in the process freeing himself from Brentford’s marking. Palmer’s attempted backheel off Walker’s pass, though, came to nothing as no City player followed his lead and capitalised on it. Brentford eventually cleared the ball.
In a match that was devoid of drama, Brentford managed to hobble City throughout the 90-plus minutes they played and ensured that the champions did not create any major chance to threaten the home goal. Offensively, Brentford’s attack was functional, trying to exploit spaces in the City backline whenever possible. One could argue that with better quality in their final third, they could have scored more than 1 goal against City.
Guardiola had little complaints with City’s defeat. “Congratulations to Brentford for the victory,” the Spaniard said. “It’s difficult to face them because of how quick they play, how aggressive, how fast (they are), and set pieces, all departments.”
“It’s an exceptional team,” he said of Brentford. “I have a lot of admiration for what Thomas Frank has done for many years.”
THE BRIGHTON WAY
If Brentford’s performance against City was based on a defensive masterclass in the middle of the pitch and exceptional man-marking, Brighton and Hove Albion’s recent 1-1 draw with the champions was an enthralling, counter-punching, box-to-box encounter in which the team with the second-lowest wage bill in the Premier League went toe-to-toe with one of the greatest teams of the 21st century.
Guardiola had paid tribute to Brighton’s manager Roberto De Zerbi in the run-up to the match on May 25, calling him “one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years.”
“There is no team playing the way they play – it’s unique,” Guardiola had said.
HOW TO STOP CITY: TACTIC 5
Playing aggressively, pressing City and forcing them to be on the backfoot
Brighton proved Guardiola right when they faced the champions, playing fearlessly, pressing the champions relentlessly across the pitch. To a man, they also tracked back diligently. When City tried to press Brighton, they got out of it by playing spectacular one-touch football. Though City had already won the Premier League title when they played Brighton, most of their big-hitters still took to the field. The Seagulls, on the other hand, had 2 teenagers and 3 other players aged 21 or below in their ranks — and they still played City off the park in the first 20 minutes of the match. By the end of the match, one could argue they were a tad unlucky not to have beaten City.
In the 9th minute of the match, an early Brighton manoeuvre reminded City what they were up against. Kaoru Mitoma, Brighton’s Japanese winger, dispossessed City captain Gundogan in Brighton’s half of the pitch. Mitoma entered the City half of the pitch, and when City winger Mahrez tried to press him, he passed right to Brighton’s Argentinean winger Facundo Buonanotte.
Buonanotte surged forward with the ball, but passed it on to forward Danny Welbeck when City midfielder Rodri — playing as a central defender — tried to press him. Welbeck found himself with the ball in plenty of space inside the City penalty box, and his shot at goal was blocked by Foden, but the attack showed how swiftly Brighton could mount an assault on the City goal.
Barely a minute after Welbeck’s attempt on goal, Brighton created another chance, this time by pressing City. In the 10th minute, City left-back Rico Lewis was trying to clear the ball from inside City’s penalty box. Brighton had Buonanotte, Pascal Gross and Welbeck in the area, and were trying to win the ball. City, on the other hand, had Rodri, Foden and Gundogan in the area and were trying to play the ball out of the area.
Eventually it was the home team that prevailed, Foden buckling under pressure and playing a weak pass to Gundogan, who lost the ball under pressure from Barry Gilmour. Brighton’s pressing allowed Gilmour to have a shot at the City goal, which was saved, but the Seagulls had shown how City’s defence could be breached through relentless pressing.
By the 38th minute of the match, the scoreline read 1-1 after both sides had scored once each. City had taken the lead against the run of play through a Foden goal, while Brighton’s equaliser came through a wonder goal scored by 19-year-old Paraguayan Julio Enciso. Spurred on by the momentum generated by the goal, Brighton almost pinned City to their defensive third, and in the 41st minute, something gave.
Enciso was in City’s half and in possession of the ball outside the City penalty box. As he tried to charge at the champions’ goal again, City midfielder Bernardo Silva resorted to tripping up the Paraguayan, stopping his progress. The Portuguese ace did not protest when referee Simon Hooper booked him. City, amazingly, were under pressure, something had to be done, and Silva had.
The post-match press conference following the 1-1 draw between City and Brighton were one of the few instances in which Guardiola was happy to take home a draw.
“The way we played was outstanding,” the City manager said. “Against a team that plays in such a way is so difficult… they have an incredible team. We knew it would be tough. They’re a fantastic team and are in the Europa League, well-deserved. And also we showed the reason why we’re the best team in England,” Guardiola said.
At half-time, when the score was already 1-1 and City were fortunate not to be trailing, Guardiola said he had told his team, “Guys! You were exceptional.” (But) they’re really good and you have to accept it.”
Asked if he considered Brighton to be one of the top teams in the Premier League, the City manager agreed right away. “Yeah, sure. They bring you to your limits.”
As City prepare to take on Internazionale in the UEFA Champions League final tonight in pursuit of a historic treble at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Inter manager Simone Inzaghi would doubtless fall back on his team’s strengths to try and overcome the runaway favourites.
While City are a formidable team to play against, their record shows that they are not unbeatable and the only cardinal rule is, as Thomas Frank said earlier this season, “If you only (play a) low block all the time, your team will struggle.” Inzaghi, who has a reputation as cup specialist with 3 Coppa Italia titles already, is too wily for that and will surely plan to exploit the few chinks in City’s armour, such as their vulnerability during set-pieces, the lack of a fool-proof method to deal with long-ball tactics, or some times finding it difficult to cope with a team that is exceedingly physical.
“We are humble enough and accept that if other teams do really, really good things they can beat you and they can overcome (you) in many, many moments,” said Guardiola after City’s 1-1 draw with Brighton. Inter, to quote Guardiola himself, will need to do “many, many good things” and play the game of their lives to beat City and lift the Champions League trophy. It’s a daunting task, but as City’s seven defeats earlier this season show, it’s possible.