Regarding his most recent tactical change, Pep Guardiola has been transparent.
Pep Guardiola, one of the greatest tactical innovators in the history of the game, no longer need an introduction.
The Spanish manager at Manchester City enjoys the distinction of winning not just one, but two Premier League championships, primarily without the aid of a striker.
Once again, Manchester City is favored to win the Premier League (Image)
The 51-year-old tore up the rulebook by implementing a false nine system to great effect, even though practically every league-winning team in the English top tier is associated with a clinical striker up front.
But this is just one of numerous occasions where the Catalan's tactical brilliance has been crucial to City's victory.
Another well-known instance is the usage of Gabriel Jesus as a left wing-back in a Champions League matchup versus Real Madrid, which shockingly produced amazing results.
Guardiola once again displayed his exceptional football intelligence during the Sky Blues' Premier League debut against West Ham United by using both Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo as inverted full-backs.
This has been the ex-Bayern Munich coach's go-to strategy ever since he moved to England, but he took things a step further by effectively using the two in a midfield double pivot.
The experiment undoubtedly worked last Sunday at the London Stadium.
The pair put out nearly flawless performances on and off the ball as part of Guardiola's intricate 2-3-5 formation in the build-up.
In fact, the four-time Premier League champion described Walker's effort as one of his best while wearing a Sky Blues jersey.
In action for Manchester City is Kyle Walker.
Pep Guardiola was questioned about the reasoning behind his experiment against David Moyes' team prior to the Blues' victory against Bournemouth.
It has happened before; in fact, it happened last season with a true striker or false nine. We play numerous games this season, or we don't. Depends on the opponent's shape or defensive strategy," the Catalan said.
"Whether they are four or five at the back, flat, how the wingers behave, this influences your attack," the Manchester City boss stated. You must adjust. I've been using it ever since Bayern."
Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker
The renowned manager is right to point out that the match against West Ham was far from the first time that this strategy was used, since Philipp Lahm and David Alaba also operate as an inverted full-back tandem in Bavaria.
Despite the experiment's effectiveness, Pep Guardiola is only supposed to use it in light of the opponent's setup and playing style for the Sky Blues.
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