How Pep Guardiola Uses Inverted Full-Backs At Manchester City - Tactical Theory

Inverted full-backs are a relatively recent innovation in football.

Understanding them and their prominence fully emerged during Pep Guardiola’s spell at Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.

During his first season at Bayern in 2013, Guardiola realised the impressive technical proficiency of Philipp Lahm and his ability to play in a more central role.

Over the years, during Guardiola's tenure at Manchester City in the Premier League, players such as Fabian Delph, Kyle Walker and Oleksandr Zinchenko have been associated with this role.

The inversion of these wide players aligns with a key principle of positional play, controlling the midfield and occupying central areas.

For this analysis of the annotated images, the offensive team will predominantly play in a 4-3-3 formation, primarily because Guardiola has used this formation when implementing this concept, and he is the main trailblazer of inverted full-backs.

This tactical analysis piece, focusing on tactical theory, examines the advantages and disadvantages of inverted full-backs.

Additionally, this analysis will examine the impact of inverted full-backs in both the offensive and defensive phases, as well as the tactics employed when using them.

Build-Up Phase

Before anything else, let's examine a more linear build-up, with the relevant team here playing a 4-3-3 formation.

Naturally, the build-up method changes as the formation does, which needs to be a factor when evaluating the viability of the full-backs inverting.

From a goal-kick scenario, the ball is almost certainly going to be played short to the centre-back - this is a trigger for the winger to press as the ball is now in play.

Depending on the intensity of the opposition, the only feasible passing option is to the full-back out-wide, one of the few who has no immediate marker.

However, due to the touchline pinning them in, subsequent passing options are limited, especially when the opposition shifts across to maintain compactness.

Furthermore, you are relying on the pass being accurate and the ball being controlled swiftly.

A scenario like this is likely to result in a loss of possession.

Because the inversion of the full-backs essentially sacrifices the wide channels, the conditions for the full-back to invert must be advantageous.

This is particularly relevant during the build-up phase, as a turnover may occur closer to the goal, with subsequent poor defensive coverage likely.

In essence, the primary objective of the build-up phase is to establish superiority.

In the third part of the pitch, where this process is happening, the only possible advantages are numerical and positional.

The deeper aspiration here is the creation of a ‘free man’.

A back-three is likely to create a numerical superiority on the horizontal line on which they’re situated.

A lone or double-pivot can serve a similar purpose by dropping in or forming a diamond shape, albeit this requires a degree of positional awareness.

We will now look at some examples of where the inversion of full-backs can be helpful in the mechanism of ball progression through the thirds.

In this example above, the team in-possession is playing a 4-3-3 while the defensive side is lining up in a 4-2-3-1.

Appropriate positioning and coordinated pressing can create significant difficulties for the offensive side.

The two wingers can cut off the passing lanes between centre-back and full-back, while the ‘10’ can apply heavy pressure to the pivot.

Looking at the image, there is no obvious option to aid clean ball progression - the opposition employs a mix of zonal and man-marking that is structured in an idealistic way.

Of course, because football is so fluid and variable, such scenarios are tough to achieve consistently.

To counter this, and to create space aiding ball progression, movements need to be made to disrupt and imbalance the opposition defensive shape, such as the full-backs inverting.

Since such an action is still quite rare in modern games, it can cause the opposition to become confused due to the unusual positioning of the full-back(s).

Whilst in the aforementioned pressing structure, the full-back is in the cover shadow of the winger, a benefit to this is also possible.

In the image above, a sequence involving a full-back inversion is demonstrated.

This can be successful because the actual inverting motion is on the blindside of the winger who is covering the obvious passing lane between CB and FB.

And because the matchup of these two specific formations creates numerical equality in the midfield, the opponent’s midfielders cannot step out to press, fearing they will leave the more offensive players free; they are therefore being pinned.

It's also worthwhile to examine the effect of this mechanism compared to alternative formations and how superiority can be achieved.

First, let’s examine its practicality in comparison to a 4-3-3 formation.

As we can see above, unlike the 4-2-3-1, there is no designated ‘10’, which is helpful in this case, as that area of the pitch is where an inverting full-back would receive possession.

The blue centre-midfielders are effectively pinning their markers.

However, the opposition ‘6’ may have the freedom to advance and become an auxiliary ‘10’ – something we’ve seen Fabinho do for Liverpool this season on occasion.

The roles of the opposition front three are similar to those in a 4-2-3-1, albeit the striker needs to be warier of the pivot’s movements in the absence of a ‘10’.

Nonetheless, the core principles remain the same for the offensive team.

A curved pressing run from the opposition winger (no.11) can prompt an inversion into the somewhat empty pivot space.

The likelihood of this being successful can increase if the pivot temporarily drops into the defensive line, bringing his marker with him, thus giving the full-back more space to receive.

How viable are inverted full-backs against a three-man defence?

Well, I think more so, depending on the midfield structure, though.

A 3-4-3 formation, which typically features just two central midfielders, creates conditions that are arguably perfect for full-backs to invert against a 4-3-3.

The only alteration in this formation compared to a 4-3-3 is the pivot becoming a centre-back, resulting in less presence centrally.

A 3-4-2-1 or 3-4-1-2, like that employed by Niko Kovač at Borussia Dortmund, though, would mean the full-backs inverting wouldn’t be a wise strategy.

This is because of the now intense central occupation, as well as the wide channels where full-backs traditionally operate being vacant.

In the image above, a large amount of space is evident between the forwards and midfield.

This allows for the inversion of the full-backs to a greater extent.

The increased space potentially means the full-back can receive the ball on the move or arrive there, encouraging dynamic movements.

Compare this to the image below, where the opposition is playing a 3-4-2-1 formation.

The logical pass is out-wide, to exploit the free space there.

The whole purpose of inverted full-backs is to bypass pressure and take advantage of situational superiorities that have arisen centrally.

However, when a situation like this arises, it is essential to apply common sense and continue using classic methods for ball progression.

Offensive Phase Inverted Full-Backs

They can help maximise the skillsets of their teammates in other, more offensive positions.

Their occupation of the centre and half-space can allow the wingers to stay wider, which can suit them if they’re particularly good at dribbling directly.

The space afforded is especially useful if the winger’s strong foot is the side they’re playing on, like a traditional winger in the mould of Leroy Sané.

The book, Pep Confidential, documents the moment Guardiola formulates his innovation and details it.

“Rafinha and (David) Alaba are no longer full-backs at that point – they join the midfield. In principle, they occupy the space infield…”.

That quote implies two things: ensuring control and superiority of the central regions and creating space for the wingers.

The image above portrays the broad attacking structure with inverted full-backs.

What is apparent, in conjunction with the role of the attacking midfielders between the lines, is the triangles that have been created.

Furthermore, an overload(s) has been generated over the opposition winger and full-back.

The attacking inverted full-back can either pass to the winger, who would have a 1v1, or to the ‘8’ in a dangerous position where he has numerous possibilities, for example, then playing a slide pass in-behind to the striker due to the left-centre-back having to shift across and pressure the ‘8’/RCM.

These potential attacking opportunities all stem from the positioning of the inverted full-back.

Their occupation in the half-spaces allows for better spacing relative to their teammates, thus forming triangles and overloads, making compact defending more difficult for the opposition, with the inevitable conclusion that space opens up to be exploited by the forwards.

We can see this play out in the example above from Man City’s second goal against Tottenham.

In the wide channel, a 3v2 overload has been set up.

Right-winger Bernardo Silva initially plays a diagonal pass back to Kyle Walker, causing the Spurs midfielder to push out.

Seeing this, Walker immediately returns the pass.

This pass triggers Spurs' left-back to pressure Silva, despite having no cover behind him.

Unsurprisingly, Silva slips in Kevin De Bruyne to cross to City's striker to finish.

This goal is possible due to Walker’s slightly inward positioning.

If he had been on the touchline on the same vertical line as Silva, then the passing lane would have been shut by Spurs midfielders’ pressing movement.

As they are usually situated in the half-spaces, the full-backs are more suited to underlapping in the final third, rather than an overlap that we expect from a player in that position.

The winger hugging the touchline can attract the opposition full-back, generating a gap between full-back and centre-back that the inverted full-back can run into and cross from.

Continuing with the concept of the aforementioned triangle, such a run can also drag a marker with it, leaving the ‘8’ free to cross from deep.

Nevertheless, it is important that a rotation like this with the ‘8’ occurs anyway in order to maintain balance to the attack, in addition to keeping an appropriate rest defence.

As I’ve explained, this is illustrated in the figure below.

Defensive Role Of Inverted Full-Backs

The basis of an inverted full-back is that they are positioned centrally, which means they are in a more suitable area to make a defensive impact, especially when they are defenders first and foremost.

The primary defensive responsibility of an inverted full-back is to prevent counter-attacks at their source and facilitate an easier defensive transition for his team if necessary.

Rest defence is a key component of their role; they need to keep a solid structure so that, in the case of a turnover, an effective counter-press can be launched.

The most common structure for a rest defence is 2-3, meaning a 5-5 split of offensive and defensive players.

The five structures of the five defensive players can be seen below.

Instead of being wide as you would expect, which would leave the centre-backs and pivot exposed and isolated to counter-attacks, the full-backs have inverted.

This means they are closer to their teammates, allowing for a more compact defensive shape that is harder to penetrate.

Of course, the wings are sacrificed by this action; therefore, there is a duty upon the offensive wingers to cover defensively if required.