Man City tactics
‘Retain most aspects of our usual game-plan but be wary of Chelsea’s counter-attacks,’ seemed to be the message from Manuel Pellegrini for his team ahead of this game.
That meant pressing for possession from the offensive-half to win the ball early, keeping play in Chelsea’s half and creating chances through the fluid movements of attacking midfielders.
One of the key changes to City’s system involved Bacary Sagna, who started at right-back. Usually City allow both of their full-backs to freely charge down the flanks but Sagna remained goal side of Eden Hazard to curb last season’s player of the season. Aleksandar Kolarov was still allowed to supply width down the left flank.
In central midfield, Fernandinho remained as the holding midfielder, which freed Yaya Toure to break forward and join David Silva in working the ball centrally. Raheem Sterling drifted in from the left flank to join the central midfielders while Jesus Navas supplied width down the right flank.
Aguero completed the offensive formation as the centre forward making runs in behind as well as dropping into pockets of space between the lines looking to receive the ball to feet.
When out of possession, Silva pushed higher to join Aguero in leading the defending. Sterling and Navas pressed from the sides while Toure worked in central midfield with Fernandinho. The full-backs dropped to the defensive line to complete the defensive formation.
Chelsea tactics
Jose Mourinho approached this game with a more offensive game-plan than many expected with Cesc Fabregas in central midfield alongside Nemanja Matic.
Still, the Blues boss took his usual big game precautions: the central midfielders had to remain in front of defenders while the full-backs were not allowed to venture beyond the middle-third when attacking.
When defending, the champions protected their defensive half with Diego Costa leading the pressing while Ramires and Hazard tracked back with City’s full-backs.
In central midfield, Willian worked from the top of a central midfield triangle that included Fabregas and Matic. The central midfielders – Matic and Fabregas – had to squeeze the space between the lines where Silva and Toure are most dangerous.
When in possession, Chelsea had a counter-attacking option with Costa making runs in behind while Ramires looked to spin in behind Kolarov and join Hazard in supporting the centre forward.
Mourinho still expected his technically gifted players to rely on patient attacking play. Fabregas and Matic worked the ball from the base of midfield in those attacks, while Willian and Hazard feely rotated positions to get the ball behind City’s central defenders.
When the Blues had the ball in the attacking-third then Ramires attacked the inside right channel to add numbers in the box. Costa worked across the width of the 18-yard box to provide the cutting edge to the attack.
Key tactical changes
Manchester City were by far the best side in the first-half. They dominated play, Aguero got on the end of a couple of good chances by dropping in front of Chelsea’s back-four to receive the ball on the floor and one of Chelsea’s key offensive players, Hazard, was in Sagna’s pocket the entire game.
The Blues were trailing 1-0 by half-time and they struggled to execute effective patient attacks so Mourinho took the shackles off. He introduced Kurt Zouma in place of John Terry to cater for a higher defensive line that would result.
The full-backs were allowed to push all the way down the flanks, Fabregas had more offensive freedom and the Blues started pressing for the ball higher up the pitch. That led to a spell of sustained pressure, with Juan Cuadrado coming on for Ramires to add more ingenuity in the offensive-third.
In the last 15 minutes, the Citizens tried to protect their 1-0 lead by introducing Martin Demichelis to double-pivot with Toure at the base of midfield. Fernandinho, Silva and Samir Nasri operated behind Aguero looking to take the sting out of the game by retaining the ball.
The key moment in that period was Vincent Kompany’s goal as Chelsea lost their belief afterwards. Mourinho’s attempts to get something from the game by switching to a 4-4-2 formation were in vain.
Falcao joined Costa up top with Cuadrado and Hazard linking up with full-backs down the sides but that only gave City more control in central midfield. Pellegrini’s men cashed in with their third goal.
