Pep Guardiola

/Manchester City 2024-25

A case of one manager moving between style clusters

Transition-led + wide ball carriers + the lowest possession share of his career

Source: FBref / Sports Reference

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Style vector

Pressing IntensityLow

Ranked 20th per game, 14th out of possession (fouls: 20 · tackles: 20 · interceptions: ranked 19th)

Defensive LineHigh

2.2 opponent offsides per game, ranked 6th in the league

TempoVery High

15.9 shots per game, ranked 2nd in the league

WidthModerate

17.3 crosses per game, ranked 11th in the league

Build-UpVery Short

61.3% possession, ranked 1st in the league

Further notesWritten by hand — not compared against the league

DirectnessHigh

Goes forward immediately in transition

Midfield StructureAsymmetric

Shifted from a Rodri-centred side to a wide-centred one

Transition Speed After Winning PossessionVery Fast

The most counter-attacking goals in the league

Players only move where their role tag says — it's not a match replay

4-3-3

Less inverting into the box shape, and more attacking through the dribbling of wide players like Doku and Savinho. Less dependence on the Rodri axis, more fast vertical transitions.

MentalityBalancedBased on: Defensive Line High · Pressing Intensity Low

StyleClosest to Direct Counter-AttackSet the instructions below by hand instead — picking this overwrites them with the preset's values · Based on: Attacking Transition Counter · Passing Directness More Direct · Tempo Very High

Line of EngagementHigh PressDiagram block: High Press

Style axesPressing Intensity Low · Defensive Line High · Tempo Very High · Width Moderate · Build-Up Very Short

In possessionPassing Directness More Direct · Tempo Lower · Attacking Transition Counter · Attacking Width Wider · Build-Up Balanced

Overlay with another manager

Identity

·Same manager, same club as 2023-24, yet the style cluster moved — not because Rodri left, but because the recruitment policy itself turned to transitions
·The DM carries the same role name as in 2023-24 but almost none of the same demands — from judgement and escaping the press to ground covered and Work Rate
·The wide players progress by dribbling more than before, so one-v-one ability comes before combination play

Position mapping

Shows where the same player moves to between in- and out-of-possession phases.

In possession	Out of possession
GKBall-Playing Goalkeeper	GKSweeper Keeper
FB (L)Wing-Back	FB (L)Holding Full-Back
CB (L)Centre-Back	CB (L)Centre-Back
CB (R)Centre-Back	CB (R)Centre-Back
FB (R)Full-Back	FB (R)Full-Back
DMDefensive Midfielder	DMDefensive Midfielder
CM (L)Channel Midfielder	CM (L)Central Midfielder
CM (R)Advanced Playmaker	CM (R)Central Midfielder
AM (L)Inside Forward	AM (L)Tracking Winger
STPoacher	STCentre-Forward
AM (R)Wide Forward	AM (R)Tracking Winger

Team instructions

Most important first. Switch to in-game order when you copy it across.

Amber badges are the identity-defining instructions. We only set a value where the data gives a clear signal; where it does not, the FM default is left in place and shown faded — those are yours to adjust. Click an item to check it off.

In Possession

Out of Possession

Things FM's tactic settings cannot express

FM26 handles one in-possession shape, one out-of-possession shape, and the switch between them. The items below fall outside that — this card carries only what the game can take.

Chained rotations within a phase — Switching between the two shapes exists, but there is no setting for players swapping positions with each other depending on where the ball is.
Ball-position triggers — Conditional movement like "the right wing-back tucks in only when the ball is on the left" cannot be set.
Player-to-player rules — Roles are set per player and cannot reference each other — "when A pushes up, B covers" is not expressible.
Automatic changes by time or score — In-match tactical changes are manual; there is no way to pre-set a condition.

Players who defined this system

Not an appearance ranking — these players embodied the system’s roles.

Erling HaalandFinishing inside the box
RodriThe midfield anchor
Bernardo SilvaLink-up play in tight spaces, and pressing

Attribute profiles

Tap a position on the pitch and the attributes that spot needs appear right there.

DM (Transition)

Top priority

The same role name as the 2023-24 Deep Lying Playmaker, but different demands — ground covered and Work Rate come first, involvement in build-up drops

Required

Stamina 15+Work Rate 15+Pace 14+Positioning 15+

Preferred

Tackling 14+Aggression 13+Teamwork 14+

Common approach (reference only)

In possessionPassing Risk: Take Fewer Risks

A common tweak among users of this role — not something the game requires, so feel free to change it.

Weights: Stamina×3, Work Rate×3, Pace×2, Positioning×2

Wide Ball Carrier

Core

Inside Forward / Wide Forward in possession — progresses by dribbling rather than combining

Required

Dribbling 16+Pace 16+Acceleration 15+

Preferred

Technique 14+Off the Ball 14+

Set by the role

In possessionGets Further ForwardStays Wide

Out of possessionHolds PositionStays Wide

Every other player instruction stays at its default — those are yours to adjust.

Success rate in one-v-one dribbles matters more than passing here

Weights: Dribbling×3, Pace×3, Acceleration×2

GK Ball-Playing Goalkeeper

In possession: Ball-Playing Goalkeeper · Out of possession: Sweeper Keeper

Required

Technique 14+Passing 13+Pace 13+Positioning 14+

Preferred

Decisions 13+Marking 12+

CB L Centre-Back

In possession: Centre-Back · Out of possession: Centre-Back

Required

Tackling 13+Positioning 13+Strength 12+

Preferred

Heading 12+

CB R Centre-Back

In possession: Centre-Back · Out of possession: Centre-Back

Required

Tackling 13+Positioning 13+Strength 12+

Preferred

Heading 12+

FB R Full-Back

In possession: Full-Back · Out of possession: Full-Back

Required

Tackling 12+Crossing 12+

Preferred

Stamina 13+

Set by the role

Holds PositionStays Wide

Every other player instruction stays at its default — those are yours to adjust.

M L Channel Midfielder

In possession: Channel Midfielder · Out of possession: Central Midfielder

Required

Passing 13+Work Rate 13+

Preferred

Off the Ball 12+Teamwork 12+

Common approach (reference only)

In possessionAttacking Width: Move Into Channels

A common tweak among users of this role — not something the game requires, so feel free to change it.

M R Advanced Playmaker

In possession: Advanced Playmaker · Out of possession: Central Midfielder

Required

Technique 15+Vision 14+Passing 13+Work Rate 13+

Preferred

Passing 13+Teamwork 12+

Common approach (reference only)

In possessionPassing Risk: Take More Risks

A common tweak among users of this role — not something the game requires, so feel free to change it.

ST Poacher

In possession: Poacher · Out of possession: Centre-Forward

Required

Finishing 15+Off the Ball 14+

Preferred

Composure 13+Strength 12+

Common approach (reference only)

In possessionShooting: Shoot More Often

A common tweak among users of this role — not something the game requires, so feel free to change it.

This is a well-founded starting point — the FM match engine is a separate system, so real match performance is not guaranteed.

Pep Guardiola

Style vector

Further notesWritten by hand — not compared against the league

Position mapping

Team instructions

Players who defined this system

Attribute profiles

DM (Transition)

Wide Ball Carrier

GK Ball-Playing Goalkeeper

CB L Centre-Back

CB R Centre-Back

FB R Full-Back

M L Channel Midfielder

M R Advanced Playmaker

ST Poacher

About this card