Play like Pep Guardiola's Bayern An AMAZING 4-1-4-1 SCORED MORE THAN 100 GOALS DOMINATE XG MORE THAN 3 XG X GAME AND POSSESSION

Hi guys, welcome back to my channel and to another episode of my series dedicated to Pep Guardiola's tactics.
Today we will delve into his four-one-four-one tactic he used at Bayern Munich. I recreated it in Football Manager 2024 and used a retro database of the season 2013-14, I added Lewandowski and Xabi Alonso to recreate the same formation he had at Bayern Munich.
The first thing we need to point out is that he invented a new role, the inverted full-back that instead of staying wide as a normal full back or wide back, inverts and gets in the middle area, Lahm and Alaba, probably the best two wing-backs at that time moved closed to Xabi Alonso, creating a pivot trio , this helped Bayern Munich deep lying playmaker Xabi Alonso in defense and allowed the formation in attack to switch to a 2-3-5, while width was provided by the two wingers Ribery and Robben. In Pep's Barcelona, the full backs provided width and wingers cut inside, here it's the opposite.


Pep Guardiola's Tactical Blueprint at Bayern Munich (2013-2016)

Pep Guardiola managed Bayern Munich from 2013 to 2016, leading them to three Bundesliga titles, two German Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, and a FIFA Club World Cup. He employed a variety of tactics, with a focus on possession-based play and high pressing.

Formations and Flexibility:

Guardiola used various formations, including 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, and even a 3-5-2 in specific situations. He adapted his tactics based on the opponent and injuries within the squad.

Inverted Fullbacks:

A key feature was the use of inverted fullbacks, like Philipp Lahm and David Alaba, who tucked inside during build-up play. This created a numerical advantage in midfield and offered passing options for the center backs.

Build-up Play:

Guardiola aimed to build from the back, utilizing goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's excellent footwork. The center backs would split wide to force the opposition press wide, freeing up central passing lanes.

High Pressing and Defensive Strategy:

Bayern employed an aggressive high press throughout the pitch, aiming to win the ball back quickly. They maintained a high defensive line with a sweeper keeper to minimize space for opponents. When defending deeper, they used a 4-1-4-1 formation, with wingers pushing high and the midfield shifting to create pressing traps.

Attacking Tactics:

Their attacking strategy centered around getting players wide and rotating the ball. They used overloads on the flanks to create space for crosses into the box for players like Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller.

Impact and Legacy:

Guardiola brought a unique tactical approach and attacking flair to Bayern Munich. While the team has continued success after his departure, their dominance hasn't quite matched the Guardiola era.
 

Recreating Pep's Bayern Munich in Football Manager 2024
This tactic aims to capture the essence of Pep Guardiola's dominant Bayern Munich team from 2013-2016.
Formation and Mentality:
Formation: 4-1-4-1 flat
Mentality: Positive - This allows for control, proactive attacking, and minimizes counter-attack vulnerability.
Team Instructions:
In Possession:
Playing Style: Narrow width with focus play through the middle to overload centrally.
Passing: Short and controlled tempo.
Play from Defense: Distribute from the goalkeeper (Neuer) with center-backs (Dante and Boateng) dropping deep and wide to avoid pressure.

Crossing: Mixed deliveries with "Work ball into the box" to encourage patience and possession.
Dribbling: Less frequent dribbling and increased expression.
In Transition:
Counter-Press: High intensity pressing for 6 seconds followed by holding shape and patient build-up after regaining possession.
Out of Possession:
Defensive Line: High pressing line with a slightly higher defensive line to avoid long balls.
Pressing: Frequent pressing with forwards instructed to pressure the opponent's goalkeeper and disrupt short distribution.
Offside Trap: More frequent use of the offside trap.
Tendency: Force play inside to exploit a numerical advantage in midfield.
Player Roles:
Goalkeeper: Neuer (Sweeper Keeper - Attack)
Fullbacks: Lahm (Inverted Wing-Back - Support) and Alaba (Inverted Wing-Back - Attack) - Both tuck inside during possession to form a pivot with the Deep Lying Playmaker.
Center-Backs: Both instructed to stay wider to support build-up play alongside Neuer.
Deep Lying Playmaker: Xabi Alonso (Support) - Drops deep to create a numerical advantage against opposing forwards.
Central Midfielders: Thiago Alcântara (Deep Lying Playmaker - Support) and Thomas Müller (Mezzala - Attack) - Push forward to create a four-man midfield line with the wingers.
Wingers: Robben and Ribery (Winger - Attack) - Stay wide to provide width and cross from wider areas.
Overall:
This tactic prioritizes possession-based control with a focus on overloading central areas and patient build-up. The inverted fullbacks create a flexible midfield structure, and wingers offer width and crossing opportunities.
This is all for this tactic, I hope it works for you too