Two weeks into his reign as Bayern Munich coach, Pep Guardiola is continuing to work on new ideas for the German Treble-winners, with reports suggesting
he will change their system from 4-2-3-1 to 4-1-4-1.
Former coach Jupp Heynckes led the Bavarians to glory with two holding midfielders – most often Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez, with Brazil international Luiz Gustavo as the first back-up option.
But as the Bundesliga champions continue pre-season training at their camp in Riva del Garda, Guardiola is looking for ways to make them an even more dominant attacking force.
‘If the coach wants it like that, we cannot say we want to play like last year,’ midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri said. ‘He has a new philosophy, and he has had success with it.’
Bayern captain Philipp Lahm said he felt adapting to a new system ‘will take time’, adding: ‘These are only little adjustments, but in a couple of weeks we will see what our ideas of football will be.’
Defender Daniel van Buyten said Guardiola starts thinking about football at the start of each
day and addresses the players at a breakfast meeting.
‘He always has a little tactics board to explain a couple of things to us,’ Van Buyten said, adding that he was not concerned by a likely switch to a zonal marking system at corners. ‘That’s not a problem for me,’ he explained. ‘It is only a question of concentration.’
The Belgium international, 35, who is approaching his eighth season for Bayern after signing a new one-year deal, added: ‘What the coach intends to do will make us even better. He is keen on the details.
‘He tries to improve things that were not perfect last season. We might not have realised, but we are aware of them now. We are working on it, and that will make us better.
‘If you have no goals left, you get weaker. Pep Guardiola will get us in a position to play an even better season. He wants more, he is ambitious.’
-With New Age input
