Manchester City’s build-up play against Chelsea showcased their trademark precision, positional structure, and tactical intelligence. Their ability to progress the ball from defense to attack efficiently allowed them to control possession and dictate the tempo of the match.

1. Structured Build-Up from the Back

City’s approach to build-up play began with their defenders and goalkeeper:

• Ederson’s Distribution: His ability to play short, medium, and long passes helped bypass Chelsea’s press when needed.
• Center-Back Positioning: Ruben Dias and John Stones split wide to create passing lanes, allowing City to build calmly from the back.
• Rodri as the Deep Pivot: He dropped between or beside the center-backs, acting as the link between defense and midfield while dictating tempo.

2. Overloading the Midfield

City created numerical superiority in midfield to bypass Chelsea’s pressing:

• Box Midfield Formation: Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva operated as free-moving midfielders, linking up with Rodri and an inverted full-back.
• Kyle Walker or Joao Cancelo Inverting: This provided an extra midfield option, ensuring City always had an available passing lane.
• Quick Triangular Passing: City used short, quick passes to break Chelsea’s press and transition smoothly into the attacking third.

3. Wide Progression and Exploiting Space

City effectively used width to break Chelsea’s defensive structure:

• Wingers Staying High and Wide: Jack Grealish and Phil Foden pinned Chelsea’s full-backs, preventing them from tucking in too much.
• Full-Back Overlaps and Underlaps: This created overloads on the flanks, forcing Chelsea to adjust their defensive shape.
• Switching Play Quickly: City often shifted the ball from one flank to another to exploit gaps in Chelsea’s defensive setup.

4. Beating Chelsea’s Midfield Press

Chelsea applied high pressure in midfield, but City’s technical quality allowed them to escape:

• One-Touch Passing: Quick combinations between De Bruyne, Silva, and Haaland helped City break lines effectively.
• Rotational Movements: Players constantly interchanged positions to disrupt Chelsea’s man-marking approach.
• Press Resistance: Rodri and Silva’s ability to turn under pressure ensured Chelsea’s press was often ineffective.

5. Final Third Penetration

Once City advanced into Chelsea’s half, they used:

• De Bruyne’s Creativity: His vision and passing unlocked Chelsea’s defense, creating goal-scoring chances.
• Haaland’s Movement: He made intelligent runs behind Chelsea’s center-backs, giving City an outlet in attack.
• Combination Play at the Edge of the Box: City’s intricate passing sequences allowed them to create high-quality chances inside Chelsea’s defensive third.