Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has taken over from Pep Guardiola, a 10-year tenure that leaves many wondering if he'll follow in his mentor's tactical footsteps.
Maresca's appointment suggests a continuation in approach, but it's clear he has his own style. To understand Maresca's City, we need to look at Guardiola's principles. Guardiola's tactics are often mistaken for being strictly singular, but he had principles he stuck to throughout his career.
These principles included keeping as much of the ball as possible, as far away from his team's goal and as close to the opponent's goal. His game was also founded on positional play, as described by Domenec Torrent, a long-time assistant: "How you place yourself in relation to others on the field when you have the ball, and where you should be so you can continue pressing when you lose it".
Maresca's City also embody these principles. In their first pre-season game against Inter Milan, they had 64% possession. On the ball, players in Maresca's set-up play in clearly defined positions rather than moving around the pitch freely, echoing Guardiola's love of positional play.
We've also seen Maresca leave four or five players behind the ball whilst they attack, ensuring his team maintains a good 'rest defence'. This approach gives his team an advantage and shows Maresca is a champion of positional play, just like Guardiola.
The question now is how Maresca will adapt these principles to his own style and whether they'll be enough to sustain the high level of success Guardiola achieved during his time at Manchester City. Maresca will look to build on the foundations laid by his predecessor and make the most of his own managerial experience.
Source: Yahoo Sports