FA Cup semi-final with no strikers suits Man City: Neil Humphreys
Chelsea must tweak approach to challenge Guardiola's goalscoring machines
Manchester City and Chelsea are in a similar position. The English sides have reached the Champions League and FA Cup semi-finals with an intriguing paradox.
Pep Guardiola's freewheelers lack strikers, but play as if they are not required.
Thomas Tuchel's technocrats boast at least a couple of reliable No. 9s and play without them, even though they are often required.
Welcome to the confusing world of false strikers, pragmatic line-ups and two goalscoring sides not using recognised goalscorers.
| CHELSEA | MANCHESTER CITY |
On Sunday morning (Singapore time), Chelsea and City meet in the FA Cup and it's quite possible that Wembley won't see a striker in the starting line-ups.
Clearly, the unorthodox tactic has served both managers well, but the advantage lies with Guardiola.
His case for the missing centre-forward is relatively straightforward and watertight. City don't need one.
Guardiola's line-up in yesterday morning's 2-1 second-leg win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-finals bore the hallmarks of his finest achievements at Barcelona.
There were no strikers, but the goalscoring threat was omnipresent.
City swarmed forward in precise, selective attacks. Kevin de Bruyne smashed one against the bar. Phil Foden teed up Riyad Mahrez, who went close, but Foden later scored anyway, his long-range drive epitomising his side's philosophy.
Everyone has a go. Guardiola insists on it. Goals and assists are liberally sprinkled around like kids' treats at Christmas.
Interestingly, Erling Haaland lingered on the pitch after the final whistle, chatting with City players. The Dortmund striker is flirting with all wealthy suitors, but his style looks a less comfortable fit in a Guardiola line-up.
City boast reliable scorers in de Bruyne, Foden, Ilkay Guendogan, Mahrez and even Raheem Sterling, despite his recent form wobble. Haaland would just be another one. He'd be the best and most conventional finisher among them, certainly, but not a critical addition.
Chelsea, on the other hand, are making pragmatism go much further than striking pedigree.
Tuchel and his predecessor Frank Lampard both agreed that the squad was a work in progress. The difference is Tuchel's eagerness to play up to the Germanic stereotype by grabbing his toolkit and going to work on the sputtering machine now, rather than wait for new parts.
He's found a temporary attacking balance, of sorts, with a possession-based triumvirate of Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic and one other (it was Mason Mount against Porto).
Less deadly, more practical, they score plenty against accommodating minnows like Crystal Palace and keep the ball against elite opponents like Porto.
City fall into the latter category, obviously, and Tuchel might be contemplating a tweak. Unless they're planning for a penalty shoot-out, the Blues need to score at some point, and they have options.
Two regular, muscular, no-nonsense battering rams with an eye for goal are available to Tuchel. But Tammy Abraham seems out of favour and Olivier Giroud remains a respected veteran mostly kept on the bench for cameos.
Will Tuchel be tempted to start either of them?
Dortmund's goal against City will undoubtedly have a bearing on his decision. Poor John Stones was exposed again.
The renaissance of England's most naturally gifted centre-back remains a highlight, but his positional awareness has been questioned of late. High balls can leave him looking like a dog chasing a plastic bag in the wind.
Dortmund's 40m pass gave him enough time to adjust his feet, but he moved like he had cement clogs. His dithering led to Jude Bellingham's wonderful strike.
The pace of Abraham and a pest like Giroud have the potential to disturb Stones. Or Tuchel may call upon his preferred attacking trio to bypass the centre-back.
Either way, his choices will make or break Chelsea's FA Cup run. The Blues have more strikers in their squad, but only City can score from anywhere.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now