Despite Manchester City’s somewhat unconvincing 2-1 win over Wolves, Pep Guardiola had every reason to be pleased with his team’s resilience and ability to secure victory yet again.
Reports suggest Guardiola isn’t overly concerned with the 115 charges against the club but remains laser-focused on “the hunger of his players.” On Sunday, City’s squad showed that hunger in abundance, battling hard to equalize and then snatch a late winner.
Reflecting on the win, Josko Gvardiol summed up City’s mentality, posting, “We will always fight till the end!” Jack Grealish echoed this sentiment, commenting on John Stones’ Instagram post, “No better feeling than scoring a last-minute winner!”
However, Guardiola’s tactical choices against Wolves raised a few eyebrows, and on another day, these decisions could have cost City points.
The Foden Conundrum: Why Was He Benched?
One of Guardiola’s most puzzling decisions was benching Phil Foden. There were no signs of Foden lacking match sharpness—he’d played for England recently and even started against Greece. Yet, the 24-year-old was left on the bench for much of the game.
Against Fulham, Foden had been part of a more cautious starting lineup, alongside Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva. But against Wolves, Guardiola opted for the riskier pairing of Savinho and Jeremy Doku, leaving Foden out and fielding a midfield lacking creativity in the final third with Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva, and Ilkay Gundogan.
As a result, City struggled to create chances, with Erling Haaland recording no shots and only 13 touches—the fewest he’s had in a full Premier League match. Foden eventually came on and assisted Stones’ winner via a corner, prompting the question: why isn’t the PFA Players’ Player of the Year a regular starter this season?
Flank Swap Backfires
Another curious decision was swapping Savinho and Doku’s flanks in the second half. Both players had been City’s most dangerous outlets—Savinho on the left and Doku on the right. But the switch made their play more predictable and less effective.
Savinho, playing on the left, was reduced to attempting crosses with his natural foot, which Wolves’ Nelson Semedo easily anticipated. Meanwhile, Doku, now on the right, struggled to cut inside with his weaker foot. Wolves neutralized both wingers’ threats due to this unexpected change.
The 3-1-6 Setup: An Unnecessary Gamble
Perhaps Guardiola’s riskiest move was sticking with the 3-1-6 formation in possession against a team known for counter-attacks. Wolves had proven dangerous on the break all season, scoring among the highest numbers of counter-attacking goals in the league.
Yet, Guardiola deployed a risky setup with only Mateo Kovacic shielding the backline, leaving Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and four attackers to push forward. Wolves exploited this, regularly breaking through City’s midfield. Had they been more clinical, City could easily have found themselves in trouble.
Wolves did open the scoring through Jorgen Strand Larsen, but Gvardiol and Stones stepped up to rescue the day. However, the game exposed vulnerabilities in City’s approach that could be problematic against stronger opposition.
For Guardiola, this win might prompt a tactical rethink as City prepare for their upcoming fixtures.
