Pep Guardiola ditches tiki-taka for LONG BALLS as new signing Omar Marmoush sees Man City boss make THREE huge changes
Pep Guardiola ditches tiki-taka for LONG BALLS as new signing Omar Marmoush sees Man City boss make THREE huge changes
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OMAR MARMOUSH’S dazzling debut got Manchester City fans off their seats again. The £59million buy from Frankfurt ran Chelsea ragged for 74 minutes in their 3-1 win on Saturday — and was unlucky not to score. And in SunSport’s Tactics Exposed show, DEAN SCOGGINS looks at how Marmoush is central to Pep Guardiola’s new ‘direct’ tactical plan as he tries to reignite their push for trophies this season.
![[Omar Marmoush of Manchester City embraced by Pep Guardiola after being substituted.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/omar-marmoush-manchester-city-embraced-966623047.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Here are three tactical nuggets from City’s Etihad triumph…. Marmoush was electric, playing off the left as more of an ‘inside forward’ rather than a winger or No 10. It was noticeable how direct City were — it was not the short, quick passes between the lines we are so used to from Guardiola teams.
![[Omar Marmoush heatmap from Man City vs Chelsea match, showing his average positions and 28 touches.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/HEAT-MAP-AVERAGE-POSITIONS-MARMOUSH.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
But, instead, there were balls over the top and around Chelsea to the likes of Marmoush, Josko Gvardiol and Matheus Nunes bursting through the defence. Marmoush set the tone — pointing to where he wanted the ball played, coming short, off striker Erling Haaland, before spinning and darting into spaces behind Chelsea’s high line.
![[Soccer players on a field with arrows indicating a player's movement.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GRAB-7.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Norwegian striker Haaland had cut a lonely and isolated figure during City’s horror run in November and December but he was back smiling again on Saturday. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS. He scored a wonderful goal and had some mates to play with. Marmoush complemented Phil Foden on the other side in playing off and around the frontman.
![[Illustration of Man City's long passes in their 3-1 win over Chelsea, showing 23 successful and 30 unsuccessful passes out of 53 total attempts (43% accuracy).]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/LONG-PASS-MAP-MAN-CITY.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
