For the past decade, every aspect of Manchester City has been shaped in some way by Pep Guardiola. Guardiola’s influence on the club, which he turned into the dominant force in English football, was profound. The players that City signed had to play the Guardiola way. Access to the City first team was restricted as Guardiola attempted to protect his players as much as possible. There are countless other instances where Guardiola’s fingerprints were all over how City operated. Now, Enzo Maresca is the Manchester City manager. While there are similarities between Guardiola and Maresca, the image that Maresca is attempting to paint will be vastly different from Guardiola’s masterpiece.
Enzo Maresca will do things at Manchester City his way, whether that is on the pitch or off it.
Manchester City knew what they were getting when they appointed Enzo Maresca as Pep Guardiola’s replacement in the dugout. They were getting a manager they were familiar with. One who has similarities to Guardiola. However, what they were not getting was a Pep Guardiola clone. That doesn’t exist. Enzo Maresca will manage City his way. Whether that is on or off the pitch.
The change in tactical system that Manchester City will play with under Enzo Maresca is vastly different to Pep Guardiola’s. Maresca prefers to have two midfielders sitting deep. Guardiola always preferred one midfielder in this role. Maresca wants his wingers to have space in which to operate. His system is catered for this to occur. That has been impossible to miss throughout Manchester City’s preseason tour of Asia. Playing possession-based football is key for both Maresca and Guardiola. However, tactically they set up vastly differently.
In the transfer market, Manchester City will target a different type of player than that which Pep Guardiola preferred. There is a strong argument to be made that City began this process last summer. Also, this summer that does appear to be the case.
You could mount a strong argument that Pep Guardiola wouldn’t have wanted City to pursue a move to sign Chelsea’s controversial midfielder Enzo Fernandez. Especially considering the stigma that is attached to Enzo Fernandez both on and off the pitch. As Matt Law reports for The Telegraph, despite Chelsea’s self-imposed deadline passing for a bid for Enzo Fernandez to arrive, City remain interested in the Argentinian international.
Enzo Maresca wants a different profile of a player to Guardiola. Both on the pitch and in terms of a player’s personality. That was to be expected but in the analysis of potential City signings it does seem to get lost at times.
Enzo Maresca has his own method and if it leads to success at Manchester City that is all that anyone associated with City wants.
For the past ten years, every happening at Manchester City has been viewed through the prism of how Pep Guardiola does things or how he’d like his club to operate. It will take time for that view to swing. A major change has occurred at City with the change of manager. Guardiola was the figurehead of his club and this led City to an unparalleled era of success.
But now, Enzo Maresca is the man in the dugout at Manchester City. The Italian manager is similar to Guardiola in many ways. However, he is his own man and manager. He has his own methods and preferences for how his version of City will operate. That will take time to get used to. But, if it leads to success for City, that is all that is important.