Pep Guardiola's Manchester City Revolution Is Only Just Beginning

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City revolution is going to take time.

There were signs during their 2-1 win over Sunderland on the opening day of the new Premier League season on Saturday that his ideas are beginning to take hold.

City pressed superbly in the first half and were winning the ball back quickly after losing it. Their players were operating in multiple roles and switching fluidly with one another. Tactically, this was far more detailed and intricate than anything we’ve seen from the team before.

But there were also some teething problems. They saw plenty of the ball, as you would expect from a Guardiola side, but much of their possession was sterile, with City struggling to create the kind of clear-cut chances they would have liked. From 77 percent possession they mustered just four shots on target. That won't be good enough against the Premier League's elite sides, let alone the best in Europe.

They beat Sunderland 2-1 thanks to a late Paddy McNair own goal—but should have been out of sight long before the former Manchester United defender nodded into his own net.

But this was never going to be easy. Guardiola has inherited a side that limped to a fourth-place finish last season under Manuel Pellegrini and were beginning to look completely out of ideas. The players had become bored of the Chilean’s reign and new direction was needed. The squad was unbalanced, tired-looking and disjointed. Big changes were necessary.

Sunderland manager David Moyes acknowledged the challenge ahead for the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss:

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Moyes: "Guardiola's a sensationally good manager. He's proved that with his trophies. He needs time and it won't be easy for him in the PL."

— Rob (@RobPollard_) August 13, 2016"

Guardiola has spent close to £150 million this summer in an attempt to breathe new life into the ailing squad, but the only new boys available to him for this match were John Stones and Nolito.

Leroy Sane has a hamstring problem and needs a few days to be considered for action. Gabriel Jesus won’t join until January after his involvement in Palmeiras’ league season is over. Ilkay Gundogan’s dislocated kneecap will need further time to mend and Marlos Moreno has gone out on loan.

With Vincent Kompany also on the sidelines recovering from injury, it’s clear City will get stronger in the coming weeks when their pool of talent is at its best.

Jon Super/Associated Press

The big pre-match talking point was Guardiola's decision to start Willy Caballero ahead of Joe Hart in the City goal; a clear sign the England No. 1's position at the club is far from secure in this new era at the club.

There has been speculation throughout the summer about a new goalkeeper being sought, one comfortable with the ball at his feet who can start attacks and involve himself in the team's buildup play.

That isn't Hart's strong suit, and if Guardiola wants to buy a goalkeeper who fulfils that remit, that is understandable. What has confused the City fans, though, is his gamble on Caballero, a goalkeeper who has rarely impressed since his move to the Etihad Stadium from Malaga in 2014.

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Can understand Guardiola wanting a keeper with better feet than Hart, but until he gets one, is Caballero really the answer over Hart?

— James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) August 13, 2016"

“I think Willy [had] a good pre-season—really, really good,” Guardiola said after the game. “He gave me today a lot of confidence for his buildup play, for his personality, and that's why I chose him.”

Guardiola’s admission that it was Caballero’s superior ball-playing ability that saw him preferred was ominous for Hart. In terms of shot-stopping, the England international is far superior—but Guardiola’s desire to see his side pass the ball in every area of the pitch means he needs a ‘keeper prepared to leave his goal and join in with general play.

It’s likely he will look to bring a new goalkeeper before the window slams shut, with Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen an option.

Perhaps the biggest positive for Guardiola was the performance of Raheem Sterling, a player suffering a crisis in confidence toward the end of the last campaign but who looks to be gradually improving under the Catalan’s guidance.

Guardiola used him on the right during pre-season, keen to see him attack the byline and go down the outside rather than cutting infield. It worked well. Sterling impressed last week against Arsenal and was arguably City’s best player in the win over Sunderland.

His pace was a constant threat, and he looked to beat defenders every time he picked the ball up. A Cruyff turn saw him win a penalty early on that Sergio Aguero converted to give City the lead. He was superb, and Sunderland struggled to contain him.

Jon Super/Associated Press

A switch back to the left in the second half didn’t blunt his impact. By then, he was feeling good—confident his pace and directness could get him in behind the Sunderland back four.

Having signed for an initial £44 million last summer from Liverpool, City are expecting more from the 21-year-old, but the signs are he is responding to Guardiola’s style of management.

“He played amazing,” Guardiola said. “He played good against Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal and St. Johnstone [in pre-season]. We need that. We need people who stay wide and have the quality one against one.

“He has the quality to play right or left, go byline or go inside. That is so important. He is a fighter, and of course we want more of him, but for the first step we are very happy.

“He is a very nice guy. From the beginning I had a feeling that this guy is good. I saw him many times playing for Liverpool. All my staff want to help him to see the real Sterling.”

Stones’ debut was assured and impressive. He was dragged out of position recklessly for Jermain Defoe’s equaliser, but he was superb in possession, prepared to put his foot on the ball, look up and pick the right pass. He looks ideally suited to a Guardiola team.

City played with a back four of Bacary Sagna, Stones, Aleksandar Kolarov and Gael Clichy when they were defending—but as soon as they won possession and went on the attack, it changed to a back three, with Fernandinho joining the former Everton man and Kolarov at the back.

Sagna and Clichy would then push on into narrow midfield positions—like old-fashioned wing-halves—while Nolito and Sterling on either flank would play as wide as possible to stretch the Sunderland defence.

These are tactics never seen in English football before, and City’s players will need some time before they are fully implemented. What’s clear from this game, though, is watching how the team develop under Guardiola is going to be fascinating.

And Guardiola is under no illusions about the task he faces. “I realise how difficult it is definitely,” he said. “You are not safe until the referee says 'OK, go home.'

“Long ball, free-kick, throw-in, ball in the box, tall guy, second ball—I can imagine the last five minutes in an away game. That is why we have to create more chances. But I was so happy the first minutes. I was so excited with what I saw and felt.”

This was just the first step in what looks likely to be a special journey for the City fans. There's excitement in the stands at the Etihad again.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and follows the club from a Manchester base. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.