Jeremy Doku and the Tactical Evolution of Guardiola
Manchester, England - At this point, the greatness of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City has been written about, discussed, and analyzed to an almost nauseating point. The Spanish manager has not only turned City into a world power but has established the side as one of the greatest dynasties in the history of club soccer. Last year’s treble winning squad looked like the crowning jewel of Pep’s EPL conquest. Capable of winning with an exuberant amount of possession or even playing on the counterattack, City was unbeatable at times. However, in true Pep Guardiola fashion, the manager has somehow improved the Cityzens once again, in large part due to the play of winger Jeremy Doku.
For avid fans of European soccer or even eagle-eyed viewers of World Cup 2022, Jeremy Doku might be a familiar player. The 21-year-old has been touted as one of the most skilled dribblers in the world and as a Belgian, the comparisons to Eden Hazard have flooded social media for the last couple of years. However, even with the hype surrounding Doku, his arrival to Manchester City from Rennes in August was puzzling.
Doku was the antithesis of what Pep Guardiola usually asked from his players. Guardiola has been synonymous with a selfless tiki-taka style of play since his time with Barcelona. The winger’s directness, need to play on the ball, and overall play style seemed to be in direct contrast to the profile of players traditionally associated with Pep and MC. In the last year the Belgian sits in the 22nd percentile in passes attempted compared to midfielders, and even when he’s compared to more attack minded players, he sits in the 56th percentile.
Photo Credit: Reuters
Yet, despite all the doubts and questions, Doku has arguably been Manchester City’s most influential player this year. Over the weekend, the Belgian put together a draw-dropping performance against Bournemouth, logging one goal and four assists. The match was the perfect proving ground for the 21-year-old as he proved what Manchester City could be with Doku humming.
While Doku’s transfer to City may have confused some fans, looking at the recent tactical changes and signings that MC have made in the last two years, the winger fits the ever-evolving vision of Pep Guardiola. As mentioned before, Pep’s tiki-taka style is what helped him to have success at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and even his first couple of years in Manchester. However, the popularity of his tactics and the evolution of possession-based soccer has meant that defenses are more equipped with dealing with the style of play.
Opponents of City found two main ways to exploit Pep’s positional tactics. One way was with “low blocks,” which essentially conceded possession to the Citizens and allowed teams to play on the counterattack. While not the most entertaining style of soccer, it has had some success against Guardiola. Another way that teams, especially Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, have attacked Manchester City is once again through conceding possession. In 27 matches against Guardiola, Klopp has won 12 and tied five. This has been in large part because of his teams’ willingness to allow MC to retain possession at the backline but put pressure on City’s midfield. The result being, like a counterattacking approach, Klopp’s sides can quickly jump on errant passes/touches and attack the City defense before it has time to set up.
So how has Pep combatted this? Well, by signing players like Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland, and of course, Jeremy Doku. All three of these players would’ve never been signed by City five years ago, however they are now instrumental figures in Pep’s system. Guardiola figured that the best way to beat opponents who are either extremely defensive or want to institute a strategic press, was with individual brilliance. City went from operating with Sergio Aguero as a false-9 to a traditional goal scorer in Erling Haaland in just a couple of seasons. The reason for this, along with Grealish and Doku’s signings, was in large part because of their ability to take advantage of 1v1 opportunities.
Doku specifically has thrived this season under Pep’s new system. His efficiency at beating defenders has unlocked Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez going forward. With a tight race at the top of the Premier League table, Doku’s individual ability could prove decisive in big matches.
