'Today, modern football is the way Bournemouth, Newcastle, Brighton and Liverpool play,’ reflected Pep Guardiola. ‘Modern football is not positional. You have to rise to the rhythm.’
That was quite the admission back in January from the Manchester City boss, a coach who has built his many kingdoms on precisely that kind of positional obsession – control space, create overloads and dominate possession.
For so long, it’s permeated every level of English football and seen as the blueprint for success. But now, the sands are shifting and it was Bournemouth’s name that was at the front of Pep’s mind when he admitted his grip on the game might be starting to loosen.