DBasia.news – Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has started a psywar ahead of the Manchester Derby against Manchester United in Week 28 of the Premier League, Sunday (06/03) at 23.30 WIB, which will be played at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola commented on Man United’s playing philosophy under the direction of the German manager, Ralf Rangnick. Guardiola had previously coached Bayern Munich in Germany, but he has never had a direct duel with Rangnick in his coaching career.
Although United’s form has been erratic since Rangnick took over, who replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the team’s progress has been seen with seven wins, five draws and one loss from 13 Premier League games.
Man United are still competing in the race for the top four zone, aka the Champions League, while City are competing with Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title.
Speaking of Rangnick and Man United, Guardiola praised him as the father of gegenpressing or the originator of the game. But on the one hand Guardiola also sees United joining the trend of playing in the Premier League with him.
“I would say Rangnick’s idea is a tendency (to play) that already exists in the Premier League. A lot of teams want to play that way. Rangnick is the father of gegenpressing, transitioning, playing inside,” Guardiola said as quoted by the Manchester Evening News.
“We saw that with Liverpool, Southampton and now Jesse Marsch with Leeds, a little bit with Chelsea with (Thomas) Tuchel but they play wider with the full-backs. It’s a trend.”
“Most of the top clubs in England, five or six teams play this way, and the important ones like Liverpool, United, Chelsea, Southampton are playing really well and Leeds now.
“The work he did in Germany was outstanding, creating a proper school at Red Bull (Leipzig). The teams in Austria, New York, all the teams play the same philosophy. He’s come here to try to do it again and you see some parts of what he wants to do.”
Gegenpressing is a way of playing by pressing (pressing the opponent), trying to grab the ball as quickly as possible from the opponent’s mistake, then launching a quick counter-attack to the opponent’s defense.
In current conditions City are superior to United, but the hosts are often bothered by United at the Etihad Stadium. The Red Devils have won their last three visits there and that should be a concern for Guardiola.