Age of tactical ideologues is over as Spain dominates new era of pragmatism | Jonathan Wilson
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Coaches such as Arteta, Iraola and Emery play variations of the Guardiola model – flexibility and adaptability are in vogue. Spain are the European champions. Real Madrid won the Champions League. Rodri won the Ballon d’Or and has only come to seem more important since suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Spanish managers won the Premier League, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 last season. No fewer than five Premier League clubs are managed by Spaniards.
![[Jonathan Wilson]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2018/04/24/Jonathan_Wilson,_L.png?width=180&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
It has been another year of Spanish domination but the manager who more than anybody has been the architect of what is now considered the Spanish style is facing the biggest crisis of his career. The speed of Manchester City’s unravelling has been remarkable. It is only two months ago that everything began to go wrong as City lost in a Carabao Cup tie at Tottenham. The reasons are manifold but, from a tactical point of view, two elements stand out.
![[Pep Guardiola on the touchline watching Manchester City]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/82686740ba606e2584a2c3ab5dbdea22250636ad/0_0_4485_2691/master/4485.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
First, that pressing is a high-risk way of playing the game. Operating with a high line squeezes the play and employs offside as an offensive tool, helping a side regain the ball, but it leaves an obvious vulnerability if insufficient pressure is put on an opponent in possession. Liverpool suffered similarly in 2020-21, minor glitches leading to a meltdown when they lost eight times in a run of 12 games – although there was never such a sense of distance between coach and squad as there appears to be at City. This is one of football’s great strengths as a sport: almost any ploy comes with jeopardy, strengths can readily become weaknesses.
