In their 1-1 draw with Everton, Manchester City attempted 683 passes but it was Nathan Ake’s refusal of a pass that highlighted the tensions in the team. Despite Everton’s first touch in the City box becoming a sensational equaliser by Iliman Ndiaye, the latter half began with a roar as City regained possession. Ake opting to turn back to find Bernardo Silva instead of utilizing Josko Gvardiol’s rush down the left flank led to Guardiola’s call for calm from the sidelines. City’s slowing attacks through the centre and averse strategy to fast breaks highlighted the tension at the core of the team.
The disorganization of a direct forward run could benefit City, as they appeared more threatening when they maintained a quick pace and aggressive movement. Despite long periods of safe attacking play, City showed some desperate urgency for the first goal during the first 15 minutes. They knew Everton’s defensive capabilities were strong due to recent clean sheets against Arsenal and Chelsea. However, after Silva scored the opening goal, Lewis returned to his more central role, signaling a shift to safer, controlled gameplay.
This safer approach, along with Lewis’s move back to midfield, left Brazilian winger Savinho unsupported on the flank, causing a drop in his touches per the first 15 minutes leading up to City’s initial goal. Data from SkillCorner shows that City is amongst the lowest-ranking teams for overlapping runs per 30 minutes in possession. Without frequent movement from forward players, the team becomes predictable, making it challenging to find players in crowded central areas.
There were some signs of promising strategies within City’s gameplay. In their 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, Jack Grealish and Gvardiol demonstrated effective positional rotation. Though City seemed resistant to embracing such disruptive strategies regularly, they could be more beneficial than their current cautious game plan.
The silver lining for City would be that at present, dropping points don’t carry the sting they once did, with the team already far off the summit. However, losing points in such winnable games still dulls the team’s confidence in scoring. An overhaul in strategy and embracing a more ruthless approach could do wonders for their game.
Though Ake’s choice not to pass may seem insignificant amidst the many other decisions made during the match, it was a prime example of the tentativeness and tension ruling City’s plays. Ake passing on the opportunity to utilise Gvardiol’s forward momentum, combined with Guardiola’s cautious strategies, limited City’s offensive strikes. Taking such risks and embracing a quick, aggressive pace could be the shot in the arm they need moving forward.
