{"id":1137780,"date":"2020-03-23T17:50:59","date_gmt":"2020-03-23T17:50:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1137780"},"modified":"2025-05-21T08:55:53","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T07:55:53","slug":"football-manager-2020-pep-guardiola-best-formations","status":"publish","type":"gaming","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/gaming\/football-manager-2020-pep-guardiola-best-formations\/","title":{"rendered":"FM 2020: The best Guardiola \u2018philosophy\u2019 formations, from Barca&#8217;s patient probe to all-out Man City"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Few managers have captured the imagination and inspired a new generation like Pep <span id=\"urn:enhancement-3933aea1\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-person\">Guardiola<\/span>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Catalan coach is one of the great tactical pioneers of the 21st century, building on from the work of his former manager Johan Cruyff, a man many have dubbed the inventor of modern football.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; max-width: 700px;\" title=\"Audioboom player\" src=\"https:\/\/embeds.audioboom.com\/posts\/7533381\/embed\/v4\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>As a disciple of Cruyffian football \u2014 a school of thought that focuses on creating, utilising and exploiting space \u2014 <span id=\"urn:enhancement-2ad9ab6c\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-person\">Guardiola<\/span> has attracted plaudits for his eye-catching style of play and effective blueprint.<\/p>\n<p>Since emerging on the scene as an innovative tactician with <span id=\"urn:enhancement-cb6d89e3\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-organization\">Barcelona<\/span> back in 2008, <span id=\"urn:enhancement-d240f60a\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-person\">Guardiola<\/span> has dazzled in the dugout with his &#8216;tiki-taka&#8217; philosophy and ability to adapt his approach depending on the league.<\/p>\n<p>From <span id=\"urn:enhancement-94a707de\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-organization\">Barca<\/span>, to Bayern Munich and now Manchester City, <span id=\"urn:enhancement-83a4e27e\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-person\">Guardiola<\/span> has mesmerised and won silverware aplenty wherever he has gone. During his time at each club, he has experimented with different formations, but very rarely has he strayed from his high-pressing, possession-heavy approach.<\/p>\n<p>So, if you fancy walking in the footsteps of <span id=\"urn:enhancement-e9eaa449\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-person\">Guardiola<\/span> himself on Football Manager, then we have three different iterations of his philosophy below, one for each club he has managed.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The methodology<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>When deploying any possession-orientated tactic, there are always a number of factors to consider. It is not as simple as just instructing your players to keep the ball and bombard the opposition half, but rather: how do the players react when out of possession? How do they respond during transitions up the pitch? How are numerical advantages created in key areas without leaving vulnerable space behind? What is your modus operandi when the ball reaches the final third?<\/p>\n<p>Indeed &#8216;tiki-taka&#8217; can seem relatively straightforward on paper. I mean, just keep the ball, right? Unfortunately not, there are a number of subtleties across the pitch that can go unnoticed but are equally important as say, the central midfield trident, and make the whole operation function in one fluid movement.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1137304\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/football-manager-2020-championship-all-star-premier-league\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1137304\" class=\"wp-image-1137304 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/18163523\/1137261_1137261_Football-Manager-Feature.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/18163523\/1137261_1137261_Football-Manager-Feature.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/18163523\/1137261_1137261_Football-Manager-Feature-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/18163523\/1137261_1137261_Football-Manager-Feature-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/18163523\/1137261_1137261_Football-Manager-Feature-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/18163523\/1137261_1137261_Football-Manager-Feature-66x37.jpg 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/18163523\/1137261_1137261_Football-Manager-Feature-620x350.jpg 620w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/18163523\/1137261_1137261_Football-Manager-Feature-940x530.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1137304\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">READ MORE:<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/football-manager-2020-championship-all-star-premier-league\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rooney\u2019s swansong under Bielsa: How a Championship All-Star squad fared in the Premier League on FM20<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>So, let&#8217;s begin. The first thing you&#8217;ll notice on the more recent versions of Football Manager, is that you are now able to select a default &#8216;tiki-taka&#8217; style when setting up your tactics.<\/p>\n<p>There is also the option of a &#8216;vertical &#8216;tiki-taka&#8217; but this is a brand more commonly associated with that of Maurizio Sarri. The difference in style is that the more\u00a0traditional &#8216;tiki-taka&#8217; leans towards a controlled domination of the ball, with distribution spreading horizontally, while &#8216;Sarrismo&#8217; is focused on creating quick, incisive vertical passes up the pitch. None of this ball-hogging malarky.<\/p>\n<p>But, as the legendary Johan Cruyff once mused: &#8220;Without the ball, you can&#8217;t win.&#8221; Hence, <span id=\"urn:enhancement-aca9ec78\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-person\">Guardiola<\/span>&#8216;s obsession with keeping the ball, even if that means to slow the play down and methodically look for openings, rather than say, <span id=\"urn:enhancement-3438d305\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-person\">Jurgen Klopp<\/span>&#8216;s &#8220;rock and roll&#8221; counterpress. Here, we are looking to create a patient buildup, drag the opposition out of position, and then ultimately, run riot when the ball reaches the final third.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Barcelona: 4-3-3 (4-1-4-1 DM wide) &#8216;tiki-taka&#8217;<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>So, onto the first and more traditional <span id=\"urn:enhancement-475e468e\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-person\">Guardiola<\/span> philosophy. His renowned &#8216;tiki-taka&#8217; first rose to prominence during his glittering Camp Nou tenure. The Catalan predominantly used a 4-3-3 &#8212; or 4-1-4-1 DM wide on FM20 &#8212; with attacking full-backs, ball-playing centre-backs, metronomic midfielders, and obscenely creative attackers.<\/p>\n<p>The default tactic offers a solid base, but we&#8217;ve made a few in-game adjustments to try and maximise your approach. For the player roles, they are as followed:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Goalkeeper: <\/strong>Sweeper Keeper (attack)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Full-backs: <\/strong>Complete Wing-Back (support)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Centre-backs: <\/strong>Ball-Playing Defender (defend), Central Defender (defend)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Central midfield:\u00a0<\/strong>Deep-Lying Playmaker (support), Roaming Playmaker (support), Advanced Playmaker (attack)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wingers: <\/strong>Inverted Winger (support), Inside Forward (attack)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Striker: <\/strong>Deep-Lying Forward (support)<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1137788 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22152959\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.28.53.png\" alt=\"FM20 best tactics: Guardiola's 'philosophy' formations for Barca &amp; Man City\" width=\"1414\" height=\"1368\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22152959\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.28.53.png 1414w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22152959\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.28.53-300x290.png 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22152959\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.28.53-1024x991.png 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22152959\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.28.53-768x743.png 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22152959\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.28.53-66x65.png 66w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1414px) 100vw, 1414px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>When in possession you\u2019ll look to play a patient game with shorter passes, hoping to replicate the famous \u2018triangles\u2019 which became synonymous with <span id=\"urn:enhancement-e15dbba\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-person\">Guardiola<\/span>\u2019s <span id=\"urn:enhancement-8fa50cc2\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-organization\">Barca<\/span>. As such, we advise that you switch your passing directness to \u2018much shorter\u2019, tempo to \u2018much lower\u2019, you \u2018play out of defence\u2019 and \u2018overlap\u2019 on either flank.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll also set your attacking width to \u2018fairly narrow\u2019, allowing your wingers to tuck in and exploit the half-space, while your buccaneering full-backs overlap and create dangerous overloads. Crossing will also be set to \u2018low\u2019, while your players are advised to \u2018dribble less\u2019 and \u2018work the ball into the box\u2019.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1137789 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153315\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.04.png\" alt=\"FM20 best tactics: Guardiola's 'philosophy' formations for Barca &amp; Man City\" width=\"1616\" height=\"986\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153315\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.04.png 1616w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153315\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.04-300x183.png 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153315\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.04-1024x625.png 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153315\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.04-768x469.png 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153315\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.04-1536x937.png 1536w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153315\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.04-66x40.png 66w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1616px) 100vw, 1616px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>During transitions, your players will \u2018counterpress\u2019 when possession has been lost, in homage to <span id=\"urn:enhancement-d335b773\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-person\">Guardiola<\/span>\u2019s famous &#8220;six-second rule\u201d. The idea being that the team will collectively close down like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves and not allow the opposition to gather their thoughts.<\/p>\n<p>When possession has been won back, your team will \u2018hold their shape\u2019, ensuring your side don\u2019t then go and lose the ball, but rather, retain possession and re-establish a patient buildup.\u00a0As for the goalkeeper he will be instructed to \u2018distribute quickly\u2019, \u2018take short kicks\u2019 and play out to the defenders. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1137790 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153353\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.20.png\" alt=\"FM20 best tactics: Guardiola's 'philosophy' formations for Barca &amp; Man City\" width=\"1616\" height=\"986\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153353\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.20.png 1616w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153353\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.20-300x183.png 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153353\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.20-1024x625.png 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153353\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.20-768x469.png 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153353\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.20-1536x937.png 1536w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153353\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.20-66x40.png 66w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1616px) 100vw, 1616px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Finally, when out of possession, your side will \u2018use the offside trap\u2019, which works well in tandem with a \u2018much higher\u2019 defensive line. \u2018Tighter marking\u2019 and the \u2018get stuck in\u2019 option for tackling will also be applied, to ensure maximum efficiency at the back, with your side looking to limit the space and win the ball back as quickly as possible &#8212; even if that means a few tactical fouls.<\/p>\n<p>Pressing will also be set to \u2018extremely urgent\u2019, the line of engagement will be \u2018much higher; and the \u2018prevent short GK distribution\u2019 button should be ticked, ensuring all areas of the pitch are working in full motion to stifle and suffocate the opposition.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0The\u00a0mentality of the side will also be set to &#8216;positive&#8217;,\u00a0guaranteeing\u00a0a patient probe, rather than an all-out assault.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1137791 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153413\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.28.png\" alt=\"FM20 best tactics: Guardiola's 'philosophy' formations for Barca &amp; Man City\" width=\"1616\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153413\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.28.png 1616w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153413\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.28-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153413\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.28-1024x608.png 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153413\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.28-768x456.png 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153413\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.28-1536x912.png 1536w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153413\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.29.28-66x39.png 66w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1616px) 100vw, 1616px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Bayern Munich: 3-4-1-2 (5-2-1-2 WB)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Such was <span id=\"urn:enhancement-82838b21\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-person\">Guardiola<\/span>&#8216;s dominance during his stint in Bavaria that he often experimented with various formations in the Bundesliga. It showed, not only a willingness to adapt his tactical blueprint in an effort to find solutions, but also showcased his versatility as a manager.<\/p>\n<p>One such formation he would often deploy would be a three-at-the-back system, notably a 3-4-3 or 3-4-1-2, with the latter being the basis for this next section.<\/p>\n<p>Tactically, not much changes, with the above settings remaining relatively unaltered, but depending on the personnel at your disposal it may be worth making a few tweaks.\u00a0First up, though, let&#8217;s take a look at the player roles in this formation:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1137792 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153443\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.28.02.png\" alt=\"FM20 best tactics: Guardiola's 'philosophy' formations for Barca &amp; Man City\" width=\"1418\" height=\"1228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153443\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.28.02.png 1418w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153443\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.28.02-300x260.png 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153443\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.28.02-1024x887.png 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153443\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.28.02-768x665.png 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153443\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.28.02-66x57.png 66w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1418px) 100vw, 1418px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Goalkeeper:<\/strong> Sweeper Keeper (attack)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Full-backs:<\/strong> Wing-Back (attack), Wing-Back (support)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Centre-backs:<\/strong> Ball-Playing Defender (defend), Central Defender (cover)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Central midfield:<\/strong> Deep-Lying Playmaker (support), Ball-Winning Midfielder (support), Shadow Striker (attack)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Strikers:<\/strong> Pressing Forward (attack), Deep-Lying Forward (support)<\/p>\n<p>As for the changes, you will want to untick the &#8216;distribute to full-backs&#8217; option in transitions, as you will have three competent centre-backs who are all able to create space and instigate attacking moves; while, depending on your options up front, it may be worth switching to &#8216;mixed crosses&#8217; in an effort to maximise any height you have in your side.<\/p>\n<p>For the above example, it would seem almost counterproductive not to utilise the aerial threat of both Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller. Of course, both forwards are better with the ball at their feet, but each player has shown a propensity to thrive in the air, so take advantage!<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Man City:\u00a04-3-3 (4-1-4-1 DM wide) attack<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>During his time at the Etihad, City have transformed into a goalscoring machine, often looking to collect the ball and play up the pitch in a much quicker tempo to that of the slow-building system <span id=\"urn:enhancement-99aa56cd\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-person\">Guardiola<\/span> favoured at <span id=\"urn:enhancement-b77dc294\" class=\"textannotation disambiguated wl-organization\">Barca<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>As such, his tactics reflect this, and there are a few changes to make in order to see this more ruthless machine come to fruition, mainly to the mentality and the player roles, and those are as followed:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1137793 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153511\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.27.45.png\" alt=\"FM20 best tactics: Guardiola's 'philosophy' formations for Barca &amp; Man City\" width=\"1412\" height=\"1258\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153511\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.27.45.png 1412w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153511\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.27.45-300x267.png 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153511\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.27.45-1024x912.png 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153511\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.27.45-768x684.png 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/03\/22153511\/1137780_1137780_Screen-Shot-2020-03-22-at-15.27.45-66x59.png 66w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1412px) 100vw, 1412px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Goalkeeper: <\/strong>Sweeper Keeper (attack)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Full-backs: <\/strong>Complete Wing-Back (support)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Centre-backs: <\/strong>Ball-Playing Defender (defend)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Central midfield:\u00a0<\/strong>Deep-Lying Playmaker (defend), Advanced Playmaker (support), Mezzala (attack)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wingers: <\/strong>Inverted Winger (support), Inside Forward (attack)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Striker: <\/strong>Advanced Forward (attack)<\/p>\n<p>Players will still be instructed to keep hold of possession and slowly build up from the back, but there is a greater emphasis to attack with more intensity, which is reflected in the switch from a &#8216;positive&#8217; to &#8216;attacking&#8217; mentality.<\/p>\n<p>This is also apparent with the inclusion of a few more attack-minded options in the starting XI, notably changing from a &#8216;deep-lying forward&#8217; to an &#8216;advanced forward&#8217;, as well as having a &#8216;mezzala&#8217; alongside an &#8216;advanced playmaker&#8217;.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1129886\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/football-manager-ultimate-under-21-sim-premier-league-champions-league\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1129886\" class=\"wp-image-1129886 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/02\/10181811\/Squawka-U21-FM-XI-1024x576.png\" alt=\"Football Manager | Squawka Ultimate U21 XI\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/02\/10181811\/Squawka-U21-FM-XI-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/02\/10181811\/Squawka-U21-FM-XI-300x170.png 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/02\/10181811\/Squawka-U21-FM-XI-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/02\/10181811\/Squawka-U21-FM-XI-66x37.png 66w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/02\/10181811\/Squawka-U21-FM-XI-620x350.png 620w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/02\/10181811\/Squawka-U21-FM-XI-940x530.png 940w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/en\/2020\/02\/10181811\/Squawka-U21-FM-XI.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1129886\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">READ MORE:<a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/football-manager-ultimate-under-21-sim-premier-league-champions-league\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Squawka\u2019s ultimate U-21 XI take on Europe\u2019s elite<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Few managers have captured the imagination and inspired a new generation like Pep Guardiola. The Catalan coach is one of the great tactical pioneers of the 21st century, building on from the work of his former manager Johan Cruyff, a man many have dubbed the inventor of modern football. As a disciple of Cruyffian football&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":1137794,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"FM20 best tactics: Guardiola's 'philosophy' formations for Barca & Man City","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Three unique Pep Guardiola philosophies from his stints at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Man City to explore on Football Manager 2020.","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"squawka-category":[],"class_list":["post-1137780","gaming","type-gaming","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>FM20 best tactics: Guardiola&#039;s &#039;philosophy&#039; formations for Barca &amp; Man City<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Three unique Pep 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