Source: Live broadcast
The Manchester Evening News on September 22, that Manchester City signed Donaruma was exactly the response to the new trend of high-balling.
In the first month of the Premier League season, a retrospective tactic was clearly coming to pass. Nowadays almost every team has seen the value of using the outer field to hang the ball in the banned zone and strengthen the positioning of the ball. The goalkeepers know what’s ahead, and it doesn’t feel good.
During the September International Match Day, Tuehr announced the "return of long-ball tactics", and Sky Sports' "Monday Night Football" program has also specialized in analyzing the increasing trend of the phenomenon of extraterrestrials directly to crowded banned areas.
The data showed that the average length of the pitch has increased from less than two times last season to a little over three times this season, and the threat created by the team has significantly increased. Crystal Palace and Brentford have scored goals through the long-ball tactics.
Manchester City is expected to frequently encounter opponents blowing the ball into the penalty area this season. When Burnley visit Etihad Stadium next, long throws and set-pieces will be regarded as the most likely way for them to cause trouble for the home team.
But it can be said that no club has a stronger defensive weapon than Guardiola's, signing Donaruma for £26 million, which is likely to deal with the cheating code of this latest retro tactic of the Premier League.
When the blockade is under pressure, you need a dominant goalkeeper, and Donaruma is the kind of player. Though Arsenal’s Sunday kick was great, someone may question Donaruma’s positioning choice, but his steady performance in dealing with the positioning ball bombing is undeniable, and the gunman’s captain Arteta clearly believes he plays a key role.
After the game, Altera said: "He is very dominant in the banned zone, and every time the ball enters near the small banned area, his timing judgment and action execution are extremely efficient."
Donaruma is not only strong in control and determined in decision making, he can quickly judge whether to strike and resolutely execute, delivering a cool airfield when defending against the Arsenal offensive, a feature that is likely to let the opponent think back and forth when facing Manchester City.
Burnley's coping strategy this weekend deserves attention, but what is even more fascinating is how Brentford will move in two weeks. They are the master practitioners of the Premier League's long throwing tactics.
Although they would try to pressure Manchester City, Donaruma quickly resolved the crisis. When Manchester City signed the goalkeeper who seemed to not be in line with Guardiola's philosophy, it was questionable that he might be the perfect goalkeeper for modern Premier League.