Pep Guardiola has declared that complaining about the increasing tactical focus on set pieces in modern football is pointless, with the Manchester City manager emphasizing that adaptation is the only viable response to this evolving aspect of the game.
The Statistical Reality of Set Pieces
While Manchester City have scored 57 Premier League goals this season—just one fewer than league-leading Arsenal—only nine of those have originated from dead-ball situations. This represents a mere 15.8% of their total goals, the lowest percentage in the entire division. In stark contrast, Arsenal have netted 24 goals from set pieces, accounting for a substantial 41.3% of their overall tally.
Guardiola's Historical Perspective
"Set pieces have started to be an important part of strategy," Guardiola stated during his Tuesday press conference. "It was different when I started as a manager back in 2008. When I was a young boy in Spain, we used to say that people in England celebrate corners and free-kicks like actual goals—I remember that perfectly, so nothing has fundamentally changed in that regard."
The City manager acknowledged that Arsenal have been particularly influential in driving this tactical trend across the league. "It is true that Arsenal dictate a little bit how they—and consequently every team—approach set pieces, and it has become incredibly important," he explained.
The NBA Comparison
Guardiola drew a compelling parallel between football's set piece evolution and basketball's three-point revolution. "Four years ago in the NBA, the three-point shot wasn't involved as much," he noted. "But the Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, began making three-pointers more and more frequently, and everyone had to adapt. Now, so many teams employ that strategy extensively."
He continued: "This is simply part of the evolution and part of the dynamics of sport. You can sit and complain about it, but ultimately you have to adapt. It's an integral part of the game. I understand that the game stops with set pieces—it's not as dynamic—but it remains part of football. You must adapt, especially to how set pieces are whistled and conducted specifically in the Premier League."
Agreement with Slot's Perspective
Guardiola's comments come just days after Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed his dissatisfaction with the growing emphasis on set pieces, stating that the Premier League has become "not as joyful" as a result. Guardiola revealed that he understands and partially agrees with his counterpart's perspective.
"Every country has a specific way of approaching football, and every club has specific ways of playing," Guardiola said. "I understand completely the reason why Arne said that, and in some aspects, I agree with him."
However, when pressed about the increased physical jostling that occurs in the penalty area during set pieces, Guardiola remained characteristically guarded. "I have my own opinion on that matter," he stated. "I share many things with my players, but what happens inside the box and outside the box remains absolutely private to me, and I don't want to share those thoughts publicly."
Team News Ahead of Nottingham Forest Clash
Looking ahead to Wednesday evening's match against Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola confirmed that both Erling Haaland and Nico O'Reilly will face fitness tests after missing Saturday's narrow 1-0 victory at Leeds United due to injury concerns.
The City manager also reflected on his previous encounters with Forest head coach Vítor Pereira. Guardiola's Barcelona side defeated Pereira's Porto 2-0 in the 2011 UEFA Super Cup final, and in 2014, Pereira offered tactical advice to Guardiola during his Bayern Munich tenure regarding defensive transitions.
When reminded of this exchange, Guardiola responded with characteristic humor: "I'm pretty sure he gave me good advice back then, and I probably gave him some pretty terrible suggestions in return."
