Pep Guardiola played a number of unusual tactics in London. He dedicated his players in Manchester City to play very defensively. People used to say it ‘parked the bus’. He did it during a match against Arsenal on September 21, 2025.
What do we know about Pep Guardiola tactics?
Manchester City Scored first, early in the game.
Then Guardiola organized his team in a defense scheme: five defenders, four midfielders, one attacker (5-4-1). They played deeply and tried to prevent Arsenal from developing opportunities.
City only had about 32.8% owned in that game. That is the lowest possession ever by a Guardiola team in a top class competition.
Guardiola then confessed that he did not feel comfortable there. He stated that he ‘suffered’ and saw that his team defended so much. Stated that it was not their style.
Why did he do it?
Tiredness: City played a Champions League match a few days earlier. Players were tired.
Respect for the opponent: ArsenaL is cool and solid, especially at home. Guardiola believed that he had to be more careful than normal.
The result
The strategy has almost paid off. City maintained their benefit during the game.
But Gabriel Martinelli, in stopping time (90+3 minutes), equalized for Arsenal with a smart lob. The match ended 1-1.
Guardiola stated that he admires Arsenal’s performance and sometimes you have to do things that you don’t want to get a result.
What does this tell us?
This shows that Guardiola can change the strategy when needed. In general, he prefers possession, control, attacks. But in this case he accepted a defensive strategy.
It shows the importance of peace and rejuvenation in contemporary football. If you have tight schedules, you may have to make difficult decisions regarding strategy.
It also shows that even the best teams can feel busy, especially when playing in stadiums such as those of Arsenal, or with expectations high.
Insight from the author
Guardiolas “Parking of the Bus” in London was a pleasure to see rarely. It was not his benchmark. But he made that decision out of fatigue and respect for Arsenal. The outcome: a draw, but many lessons. In football it is sometimes as tactical as it keeps stable as go for it. And that day Manchester City tried the posture strategy.
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