The Power of Fear in Football

City have been exposed due to the fact teams have shown no fear in their approach, exposing City for weaknesses which the fear had hidden.

This past week has seen a similar problem occur for Pep Guardiola like has happened in recent years. For Bayern they continued to fall at the semi-final stage. Last season it was worse for City, they went out in the Round of 16. Unfortunately it's becoming a trend, and for a coach who is regarded as the world's best, who is expected to win the Champions League every season, Guardiola is struggling to deal with the demands of expectation. 

Drawn against the man who isn't afraid

This time it seemed as though it would be different. There was a sense that Guardiola had overcome the problems of last season, leading his team to steamroll the league, which allowed him time to prepare to get his team ready to succeed in Europe. Some people believe that a more competitive run-in in the league helps keep the players focused. And there is a good argument for that idea. The problem was that Guardiola was drawn against the one coach who doesn’t fear Guardiola and his team. 

When the draw was made Txiki Begiristain showed clear anguish when Liverpool were drawn out to face his Man City side. Not only was it a team who had beaten City this season, but it was a team which posed the most challenging problems for City’s philosophy – immense speed and skill in their pressing and a ruthlessness and speed on the counter attack. Not only that, but this team appeared to approach City and Guardiola differently to other teams and managers. Other sides have very good players, yes perhaps none with as good a front three in the form as Liverpool’s, but Klopp makes the choice to attack City. As he said before the 1^st leg, "It'll be about doing more things right than the opponents, because you can't simply defend against City and hope that they won't score on the day. They're just too good."

And yet so many teams this season have approached their games with City with an ultra-defensive tactic which has provided very little attacking impetus with the belief that they will be able to contain and restrict City for 90 mins, allowing City to have 75%+ possession! It is an approach built on fear, seeking to restrict City from scoring 5+ goals rather than seeking to win or even draw. And an approach as foolish and naive as one can use. Yes it's naive to go all out attack and leave spaces for City to penetrate but can't coaches find a tactic and approach which allows for defensive security, denying transitions and yet which puts pressure on the opposition? 

City have become such a proposition that teams seemingly accept defeat before they even play the game. It has resulted in one sided affairs which have little competitive edge and which look more like a training practice for City to refine their attacking play and finishing. It’s been quite embarrassing and quite boring to witness. And that’s why Klopp deserves a lot of credit for how he approaches the games against Guardiola. And perhaps not surprisingly why he has the best winning record against him. 

Embrace the underdog, create the atmosphere to intimate and be brave. 

Klopp embraces the underdog role perfectly, he has spoken of his love for Rocky Balboa and how he overcome the odds to be the champion. This mentality personifies Klopp’s style, both as coach and his style of football. And it works. He has overcome the beast of the Bundesliga of Bayern to take Dortmund to the top of the Bundesliga (before Bayern took Dortmund's stars), has contested Guardiola better than anyone else, and is now seeking to build a once great club back to their heights of the 1980’s. It’s been a long time Liverpool dominated English football. That crown was passed to Ferguson’s United and is now seemingly up for grabs again, with City best placed to take the mantel. But it's not guaranteed yet. 

In preparation for the game at Anfield, the talk was of how much Liverpool could stop City, who were the favourites for the competition (to be honest I never felt City were deservedly favourites; the big boys of Madrid, Bayern and Barca were the better options to win it, City still seem young and inexperienced in this competition.)  Not only did Liverpool stop City, they beat them up, knocked them down and look to be an away goal away from a big knockout. It was mightily impressive. The energy, the aggression, the cohesion, the tactical masterplan and of the course the atmosphere. Ah that atmosphere, that was something special. Klopp spoke about making ‘things unpleasant’ for City and boy did Liverpool do that. Do not underestimate the power of the atmosphere and how important the fans were in creating this unpleasantness. 

The scenes prior to the game were enthralling. Yes perhaps they went too far throwing bottles and damaging the bus, of course no-one should be threatened with physical violence and or hurt on their way to watch football. But boy oh boy was that the enemy entering the lion pit. Imagine that atmosphere! That cauldron of noise, smashing bottles, flares going off and red smoke everywhere. It’s not something we have enough of in England, and to be honest that’s a shame. What theatre. And that set the tone for the game. And credit to the Liverpool fans for creating that environment. 

Home fans are there to create an atmosphere to intimidate the opposition, to frighten them, to feel scared. They are there to galvanise and inspire their own players. How many times however have stadiums lacked atmosphere, lacked noise. Just look at Goodison Park on Saturday, for a Merseyside derby?! Good grief!  It was shocking! Fans may argue that the players need to inspire the fans but I think it’s the reverse. A great crowd creates the environment for players to thrive. To feed off the noise, the energy. That’s what Anfield created for Liverpool’s players last week. And that put a touch of fear into City. 

Guardiola's stubbornness thwarts his team again

City tried to play their game but they looked nervous, scared of the potential counter attack, not prepared for the speed of Liverpool's pressing and added to that the atmosphere from the crowd. City were already worried, you could tell in how Guardiola spoke prior to the game. He knew that Liverpool posed a serious counter to his teams approach and his own stubbornness to change his approach was his downfall. Yes he changed to be more defensive with having Gundogan in the midfield but it affected the teams balance while not changing the approach. Keep the speed of Sterling, Sane and Jesus with De Bruyne supporting and be more counter attacking. Liverpool have shown they are much poorer a proposition when they have more possession and City have blistering speed to be a counter attacking side. For a 1st leg Guardiola could have been more cautious in terms of a counter attacking approach and come away in a much better position. 

I’ve felt that while Guardiola’s obsession with his philosophy and approach is admirable and of course has proven a success for many years now, there is this sense that he refuse to change and adapt to a game – especially one in the latter stages of the Champions League – where he leaves his team susceptible to defeat. 

He does two thing, he second guesses himself and alters formations/personnel in his attempt to find the approach to overcome his strong opponent. Or he seeks to push more boundaries and seeks to approach a high risk strategy. Look at the 2^nd leg  4-0 defeat to Real Madrid in 2014 where his side were ripped apart in the space of 15 minutes.  Or the 3-0 defeat the following season to Barca where it went from 0-0 to 3-0 from the 77^th minute to the final shot of the game in the 94^th. In 2016 Bayern played with more caution yet couldn’t score an away goal and ended up going out on away goals to Atletico. And last season Man City went out after conceding 6 goals to Monaco over two legs in the Round of 16 and losing on away goals. While many people enjoyed the game against Monaco at the Etihad, a 5-3 win for City, it screamed as naïve and dangerous to approach a game in a manner of seeking to have a goal fest. 

There seems a trend which is showing across the Champions League as a whole where we are seeing more goals in these latter stages; just look at the 1^st legs of these Quarter Finals. 3-0, 3-0, 4-1 and 2-1; quite emphatic results for the final eight of Europe’s top competition. It shows that while teams are seeking to attack more, there is also a sense that team’s aren’t defending as well as they used to. And perhaps most evident, and this is the case with City, is that when they concede one, these teams seem to fall apart. Perhaps teams aren’t just settling for 1-0 wins like they did a decade ago. 

Or perhaps these teams who are dominating their respective domestic games so often, aren’t being tested enough defensively. When the pressure does come, as in these games, they are found lacking. Even Juve, unfortunately, have reached the end of their glorious defensive trio of Buffon, Chiellini and Barzagli, perhaps the end of a great era of world class defending. Watching Otamendi defend this past week and you have to ask questions whether he really knows his position like the defensive greats of the past. I’ve held these doubts on Kompany before and Stones is regarded more for his possession ability than defending. 

Bravery trumps fear

But let’s get back to that aspect of ‘fear’. City have been imperious all season, mainly due to the fact teams have approached them as such superior specimens that to get anything from the game is pointless. It’s sad to be honest to see that kind of approach. But perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised when these ‘safe’ and ‘defensive’ minded coaches dominate our ‘best league’ and are seen as sure bets for teams seeking only to survive in the league. No wonder the disparity between the best and the rest is so large. It’s a league filled with mediocrity, led mainly by managers who have no bravery in their approach. 

But look at what Wigan's Paul Cook did when he came up against Guardiola, he didn’t approach it with fear but bravery, he duelled Guardiola on the side, brought the energy and belief in his own personality which resonated on the pitch, and they overcame the big beast. So did Wolves, who didn’t let City score over 120 minutes. No surprise that Cook and Nuno’s sides look set for promotion from their respective leagues. They are brave coaches, who take risks. And when you try, you stand a chance. Better than just hiding under a rock and hoping the beast won’t find you. Bristol City gave them a great two legs in the League Cup. And Klopp is the same in his approach. And look what happens! 

I’m not saying City are poor, or are pretenders, not at all. They are a truly remarkable side, with some great footballers, who play some mesmerising football. Their league title win is very much deserved and how they’ve done, the style of football, the entertainment, it’s been delightful. But they can be beaten, can be overcome, if you show some bravery. 

Man United invited a thrashing in their first half on Saturday, playing in a way which screamed fear. They were so worried about City, about what they could do to them, that they allowed them to dominate and they fell apart. Only City’s prolificacy prevented a thrashing and United having the embarrassment to see City lift the title. The second half was a complete change-around  United actually attacked City, Pogba and Alexis went at City’s defence, drove at them, broke lines and what happened? They score 3 goals and won the game. City capitulated once again as soon as the opposition put pressure on them. 

Pogba did what he should be doing all the time, breaking lines and getting into the area. United have played with this handbrake on all season, playing too cautious, lacking fluency and seemingly restricting their attacking players. Mourinho has been rightly criticised for this approach. But perhaps this 2^nd half turnaround was a turning point for the team and coach. Why have all this attacking talent and not seek to maximise it? Why approach this game with trepidation and fear? It seems to be Mourinho's MO but perhaps he needs to evaluate if his defensive approach is just too darn defensive and perhaps a more Klopp style approach would be a better bet. 

It’s a positive week for English football to be honest, two of it’s biggest sides have overcome City with an attacking energy, pointing to the fact that City can be got at, if you want to be brave. It may make next season more exciting a campaign  And I always prefer to see teams embrace bravery (with intelligence – look at Liverpool’s tactical plan and formation and you see a very well worked out strategy which was carried out perfectly) than sit back and invite pressure, simply seeking to delay the inevitable. That’s not good football.

City and Guardiola have been slightly exposed this past week, the coach got his line-up wrong, he actually showed fear in his approach and paid the price. It is a trend which has continued now since 2014. His teams look vulnerable in these moments, seem capable of capitulating  don’t seem to have another stategy or plan to turn to in difficult moments. It is a test of Guardiola’s coaching credentials, not just next week but in his career. Remember it was 2011 when he last won the Champions League. Mourinho won it in 2010. It’s been a while for both of these coaches, regarded as the world’s best. 

City may overturn the deficit and progress like Barca did last season against PSG. But it’s not likely. City have some great players but they don’t have a Neymar or Messi, not yet anyway. And the way they are defending right now makes them look vulnerable to conceding several more goals. Klopp has realised that his side needed defensive improvements and van Dijk does appears to have steadied a rocky defence. Guardiola and Mourinho also need to consider making sure their defence is stronger next season, because even though the game has become more attacking, a strong defence is still an important commodity in the world of football. 

The Whitehouse Address @The_W_Address