Pep Guardiola played some unusual tactics in London. He instructed his Manchester City players to play very defensively. People used to say it was “parking the bus.” He did it during a game against Arsenal on September 21, 2025.
What we know of Pep Guardiola Tactics ?
Manchester City scored first, early in the game.
Then Guardiola organized his team in a defense scheme: five defenders, four midfielders, one forward (5-4-1). They were playing deep and attempted to prevent Arsenal from developing chances.
City only had around 32.8% possession in that game. That is the lowest possession ever by a Guardiola-team in a top-class league game.
Guardiola afterwards confessed he did not feel comfortable with it. He stated he “suffered” seeing his team defend so much. Stated it was not their style.
Why he did it?
Fatigue: City played a Champions League match a few days prior. Players were fatigued.
Respect for the opponent: Arsenal is tough and solid, particularly at home. Guardiola believed he needed to be more careful than normal.
The outcome
The strategy nearly paid off. City maintained their advantage throughout the game.
But Gabriel Martinelli, in stoppage time (90+3 minutes), equalized for Arsenal with a clever lob. The match ended at 1-1.
Guardiola stated that he admires Arsenal’s performance and at times you need to do things you don’t want in order to obtain a result.
What this tells us?
This demonstrates that Guardiola is able to change strategy when required. He generally prefers possession, control, attack. But in this case, he accepted a defensive strategy.
It displays the significance of rest and rejuvenation in contemporary football. If you have tight rosters, you might need to make difficult decisions regarding strategy.
It also shows that even the best teams may feel pressure, especially when playing away at stadiums like Arsenal’s, or with expectations high.
Author’s Insight
Guardiola’s “parking of the bus” in London was a sight to see seldom. It wasn’t his yardstick. But he made that decision out of tiredness and respect for Arsenal. The outcome: a draw, but many lessons. In football, at times keeping things steady is as tactical as going for it. And that day, Manchester City attempted the holding strategy.
