As the most decorated club manager in European football, Pep Guardiola’s tactical philosophy is well known to just about anyone who follows the sport.
While he has used multiple formations throughout his career, Pep generally prefers a 4-3-3 with a focus on possession over long balls and wing play.
In FIFA 23, you can use his tactics and formations to build your own version of Manchester City FC—and dominate your friends in multiplayer games!
Defense
Pep Guardiola’s Man City tactics for FIFA 23 is built around the strength of his defense. His philosophy is centered around starting with a high defensive line and maintaining possession, which makes him a dangerous opponent in Ultimate Team Season mode.
Here’s how you can replicate his team’s success on the pitch in FIFA 23:
Man City’s Defense is the Backbone of This Team’s Success
Pep Guardiola has always been known for designing strong defenses that are difficult to break down, but he really mastered this game of cat-and-mouse during his time at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
In fact, he has won six out of nine league titles when he was head coach because his teams were so hard to beat. That includes winning five consecutive Bundesliga championships from 2013 until 2017!
Offense
In FIFA 23, Pep Guardiola’s Man City tactics for FIFA 23 are based on the principle of ball possession. The passing style will be short and quick with a high level of accuracy, as Guardiola prefers to keep possession of the ball and look for an opening in your opponent’s defense rather than playing long balls.
Passing game can be improved through training mode or by applying some basic principles when playing such as:
- Use a winger at one side who makes wide runs towards the center giving teammates options to pass to them inside the penalty area or use them as decoy runners;
- Use two central midfielders who play behind strikers;
- Use one central defender who plays behind his two central defenders (this player should preferably have good passing skills);
The players that you want should possess high ratings in Passing Accuracy, Long Passing Accuracy, Short Passing Accuracy etc., so that they can make accurate passes even from distance
Roles
Roles are tactical instructions for players. They are assigned to players in the Squad screen, and can be changed in the Tactics screen. Roles define what type of player a player is best suited to, based on their attributes. In FIFA 23, you’ll have access to three different role types:
- Attacking roles – these focus more on attack than defense, allowing them more freedom when attacking but with some limitations when defending
- Balanced roles – balanced between attack and defense
- Defensive roles – these focus mostly on defensive duties
Squad
Summary: The squad is a decent one. The players are good enough to perform well, but there are some gaps in the team that need to be filled. Most notably, your defense lacks a strong defensive midfielder.
You also lack quality wingers who can contribute more than just occasional crosses into the box. Your best options for these roles would be PFA Team of the Year nominee Fernandinho or Manchester United’s Ander Herrera (both cost around £40 million).
Another place where you could improve is at goalkeeper; it doesn’t seem like Claudio Bravo has hit his stride yet with City and could probably use some competition from another starting caliber keeper like Petr Cech, Hugo Lloris or Thibaut Courtois (all around £50 million).
Formation
Pep Guardiola’s Man City Tactics. Pep’s preferred formation is the 4-3-3, but he sometimes plays with a 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-1-4-1 if he feels the need for more defensive options. So how do you go about using it?
To use this formation effectively, you need to use wingers and attacking midfielders who can link up well with your strikers. You also want players who have good passing stats so they can move defenders out of position when setting up chances for your forwards.
Tactics
Players you should play: David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero. You can also give Gabriel Jesus a chance to prove himself if he has been bought.
Bench players: Nicolas Otamendi, Fernandinho and Fabian Delph will be your best defensive options while Leroy Sane, David Silva and Raheem Sterling are your most important attackers.
Player Instructions
Player Instructions are the ways you tell your players to play. You can set Player Instructions for individual players or for the whole team.
You can also apply different player instructions to different parts of the pitch. For example, you could tell your fullbacks to stay back while telling your wingers to attack at will.
In FIFA 23, there is a new feature called “Tactics” which allows you more control over team shape and style of play than ever before!
Defensive Midfielder (CDM)
Defensive Midfielders (CDM) are the workhorses of a team. They are tasked with winning back possession, breaking up attacking moves and setting the tempo for their side.
They should be best in defence and passing. They need to have high work rate but not too high as to leave the team exposed, while they must have good tackling, marking and positioning too.
A good defensive midfielder will also have good anticipation and positioning when it comes to recovering loose balls or intercepting passes before an opponent can reach them.
Also read; Check Out Best Tiki Taka Possession Tactics for FIFA 23
Center Midfielder (LCM)
- Passing
- Dribbling
- Shooting
- Crossing
- Free kicks
The Center Midfielder is the highest rated player in the midfield, and he’s also the most important. He has all stats at least 10 points higher than any other player on your team. This versatility makes him a crucial part of Pep Guardiola’s system, as he can be used to attack as well as defend.
Center Midfielder (RCM)
The Center Midfielder (RCM) is the second most important player on the pitch. He bridges the gap between attack and defense, covering both areas as needed.
The Center Midfielder (RCM) is a key player in Pep Guardiola’s Man City Tactics for FIFA 23 as he helps to initiate attacks, while also providing defensive support to his teammates.
The role of the center midfielder in Pep Guardiola’s Man City tactics is to act as a link between defense and offense by circulating possession from side-to-side across their half of the pitch.
The center midfielder should attempt to maintain possession of the ball whenever possible, waiting for opportunities to counterattack if necessary. When you have possession of the ball, look for passing lanes so that you can pass it off your teammate’s feet rather than having them run towards him/herself).
Wingers (LW, RW)
The left and right wingers should be used for overlapping runs. Set their tactics to attack on the overlap, run with ball, and run at defenders. The left winger will cut in from the left while the right winger cuts in from the right.
The reason we have both a LW and RW is so that you can counter attack more effectively, giving your opponent less time to form up defensively after your first goal of the match.
Striker
The striker is the most important position on the pitch, and can make or break your team. Here are some tips on how to use them effectively:
- Choose your best players. You should try and pick players who fit with your formation (GK, RB/LB, RB/LB), since they will be more effective in those positions. If you don’t have any good strikers, it’s best to change formations until you find one that works well with what you already have available.
Goalkeeper
The goalkeeper is the most important position on the pitch. As such, you should have a tall, agile player with a high diving rating and reflexes. Goalkeepers are also good with their feet so be sure to pick one who has a low dribbling rating at least.
Have your goalkeeper take up space on your half of the pitch when defending rather than man-marking an opposing striker or trying to catch crosses into the box.
This will allow him/her to make more saves during games and help prevent any easy goals from being scored against you in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team mode (FUT).
Center backs (LCB, RCB)
If you’re a fan of the Premier League, then you know that Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City has been one of the most dominant teams in recent years. With a solid defense and a few stars up front, they’ll be tough to stop.
They’ve also got some incredible pace on their team with Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling tearing defenses apart with their pacey play.
Take note that this formation does not feature wingbacks; instead it uses center backs to play out from the back into midfielders who can pass effectively further up field or for wingers who run fast enough to get ahead of defenders before crossing into dangerous areas as well as being able to finish chances themselves.
When presented with them by teammates making runs into space behind defenders or cutting across goal from wide positions where they’ve been allowed time by opposition defenders who have been turned around following an attack down either side of the pitch.
Also Read; Check Out Jose Mourinho’s ‘Park The Bus’ Tactics for FIFA 23
Fullbacks (LB, RB)
The fullbacks should be fast and strong. You want them to be able to tackle the opposition and cross into the box, but they need to be able to pass as well.
They’ll also need good dribbling ability so that you can attack from deep positions with your fullbacks. They should also have a decent shot in order to put away those crosses that they’ve managed to pick up.
Conclusion
Pep Guardiola’s Man City Tactics for FIFA 23 is a great way to get started with the game. We hope you enjoyed this article and that it has given you some insight into how to play as Man City in FIFA 23. Happy gaming!
