Professional CoachesYouth Academy CoachesAcademy ManagersHeads of MethodologySince his arrival in the summer of 2016, Pep Guardiola has not only transformed Manchester City but has elevated the club to the very top of world football. In recent years, the team has put together an unprecedented era of success and genuine tactical innovation.
They have lifted six Premier League titles in eight seasons under his leadership and became the first English team ever to win the Premier League four seasons in a row (2020–21 to 2023–24).
Many opponents have tried to stop them by setting up with five-man backlines, to which City has responded brilliantly, showing the blueprint for breaking down these structures through positional play, rational occupation of space, and creativity. In this course, discover how Manchester City has dismantled such setups and learn how to apply these solutions with your own teams.
How Manchester City identifies the challenges posed by five-man defensive lines and the strategies to counter them.The principles of positional play used by City to stretch and destabilize compact defenses.How to achieve rational occupation of space to create gaps between defenders, just like City does in high-level matches.The use of overloads and numerical superiority in key zones to break down defensive blocks.Practical attacking patterns from Manchester City to unlock a five-man backline and generate clear scoring chances.How City leverages width, depth, and third-man runs to pull apart a defensive line.Creative solutions to overcome low blocks, combining structured movement with freedom for players to improvise.Real match examples showing step-by-step how City dissects five-man backlines, with tactics you can implement in your own team.