Pep to utilise Philipp Lahm in midfield.

The former Barcelona coach had a couple of surprises during his first season as Bayern Munich coach. The first one were the utilization of Philipp Lahm. Pep Guardiola’s switch of Philipp Lahm from full-back to midfielder raised some eyebrows but this decision now appears logic. The double pivot of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez was a key to Bayern’s success last season but Guardiola went far from it utilizing just one holding player. The result was the switch from Jupp Henyinckes’ 4-2-3-1 to a more offensive 4-1-4-1 with a central midfielder sitting between two banks of four. Guardiola has called Lahm "the most intelligent player I’ve ever coached" and his movements remembered the job Sergio Busquets has done for Guardiola at Barcelona. The Uefa's Champions League magazine some months ago descrive Lahm as "a modern libero". It works as Guardiola relocated him into the centre of midfield more than as a simple holder: he acted like a ball carrier able to contribute on team’s flow of play. The use of Lahm as a holding midfielder allows Guardiola to utilize Schweinsteiger, Thiago Alcântara and Toni Kroos in more attacking roles, growing up their influence on Bayern’s offense. In the new position, Lahm quickly became a Pep Guardiola’s key player. It was far from a definitive move as Lahm was lined up at full-back against City. By the way, in lining him as a holding midfielder, Guardiola found his man. Lahm is the passer around which to build a lot of offensive line of passes.