I have seen player that will partner with Rodri and Haaland he will start today

The pressure of modern football never truly stops, especially at a club like Manchester City where expectations are sky-high every single week. Every pass, every tactical decision, and every individual performance is studied closely by fans, journalists, and analysts around the world. At the center of this intense environment stands Pep Guardiola, a manager famous for his tactical brilliance and his ability to transform players into something greater than they were before.

Recently, Guardiola found himself speaking about a young talent in his squad, a player he believes has a special ability but who is still learning how to use that talent in the most effective way. His comments sparked conversation among supporters because they revealed something interesting about how Guardiola thinks about football and how he develops players.

The player in question is Ryan East, a youngster who has started attracting attention for his technical ability and natural instinct on the ball. Guardiola did not criticize the young player in a harsh way. Instead, his explanation sounded more like the words of a teacher trying to guide a student toward improvement.

According to Guardiola, East has something unique. Talent is not the problem. The challenge is how that talent is used on the pitch. In Guardiola’s tactical system, positioning is everything. A player can have incredible technical skill, but if he occupies the wrong space on the field, his impact can become limited.

Guardiola explained that East sometimes drops too deep to receive the ball. Young attacking players often do this because they want to feel involved in the build-up play. They want touches, they want to see the ball often, and they believe coming deeper helps them influence the match.

But Guardiola sees football in a different way. He believes East should position himself about ten meters further forward on the pitch. Those ten meters might sound small to someone watching casually, but in tactical football they can change everything.

When a player stays closer to the attacking area, he becomes a threat to the opposition defense. Defenders must pay attention to him. Midfielders must track his movement. Suddenly space opens in dangerous zones. And that is exactly where Guardiola wants East to operate.

Guardiola even explained the issue in a very simple way. If East stands next to Rodri in midfield, then the team loses part of what makes him special. Rodri already controls the deeper area of the pitch. He dictates tempo, protects the defense, and distributes the ball across the field.

Having East beside Rodri would mean two players occupying similar spaces. Guardiola does not want that. Instead, he wants East much closer to the attacking line, almost like a second creative attacker.

That is why Guardiola mentioned that he prefers East to play near Erling Haaland. Haaland is one of the most dangerous strikers in world football. His movement inside the penalty area creates constant pressure on defenders.

If East positions himself near Haaland, the possibilities multiply. He can deliver quick passes into the striker’s path. He can combine with him around the penalty area. He can also arrive late into scoring positions if defenders focus only on stopping Haaland.

This is the kind of attacking dynamic Guardiola loves to create. Instead of players standing in predictable positions, he wants them forming dangerous triangles and combinations that confuse the opposition.

The manager also acknowledged that East is still young. Youth naturally brings mistakes. It also brings learning opportunities. Guardiola made it clear that he is not frustrated with the player. In fact, he sounded quite impressed with the impact East has already made during the season.

Young players entering a team like Manchester City face enormous pressure. The squad is filled with world-class stars. Competition for minutes is fierce. Every training session becomes a test of ability and mentality.

For East, simply earning Guardiola’s attention is already a significant achievement. The manager is known for demanding extremely high standards from his players. If he sees potential, he invests time explaining exactly how he wants that potential to develop.

Guardiola even highlighted specific moments from matches that showed why he believes in East’s ability. One example came during a goal against Nottingham Forest. In that moment, East provided the assist that led to a crucial goal.

Assists are often the clearest sign of creative intelligence in football. They show a player can recognize the right moment to deliver a pass that leads directly to a scoring opportunity.

Guardiola also referenced another match, this time against Leeds United. In that game, East delivered a pass that helped create another important goal.

Moments like these are exactly why Guardiola wants him closer to the penalty area. When East operates in advanced positions, he becomes much more dangerous. He can see the movements of attackers more clearly, and he has the opportunity to play decisive passes.

Guardiola described this idea very simply. He wants East near the penalty area where the player can “do what he wants.” In other words, once he reaches that zone, his creativity can flow freely.

Near the opposition box, instinct becomes more important than structure. A player like East can improvise passes, attempt quick combinations, or even shoot at goal himself.

But if he stays next to Rodri in deeper midfield areas, that freedom disappears. The responsibilities of defending and controlling possession become heavier, and his natural attacking instincts are reduced.

This explanation reveals something fascinating about Guardiola’s philosophy. Many people think his system restricts players with rigid positions and complex instructions. In reality, the system is designed to place players in areas where their creativity becomes most effective.

Once players reach those areas, Guardiola often allows them to express themselves more freely.

For East, learning this balance could define the future of his career. Understanding when to drop deep and when to stay high is one of the most difficult tactical lessons for attacking midfielders.

Some of the greatest players in history mastered this skill perfectly. They knew exactly when to collect the ball from deeper areas and when to remain near the goal waiting for the decisive moment.

Guardiola clearly believes East can reach that level if he continues learning and improving.

Another important detail from Guardiola’s comments was the tone he used. Rather than criticizing East harshly, he spoke with patience and optimism.

That attitude matters enormously for young players. Confidence can disappear quickly if a player feels constantly criticized. Guardiola understands that development requires encouragement as well as correction.

By highlighting East’s positive contributions this season, the manager showed that he appreciates the effort and impact the youngster has already delivered.

Manchester City supporters are also beginning to notice the player’s progress. Whenever a young talent starts contributing assists and creative moments, fans naturally become curious about what the future might hold.

City have built a reputation not only for signing world-class stars but also for developing young players who can eventually shine on the biggest stage.

Training every day under Guardiola provides an education that few players in the world ever receive. His tactical insights, his attention to detail, and his understanding of positional play can transform the way a player thinks about football.

For East, every training session becomes a lesson about movement, space, and timing.

If he absorbs those lessons, his development could accelerate rapidly.

Playing near Haaland could also be a huge advantage for him. Few strikers in the world offer such explosive movement inside the penalty area.

A creative midfielder who learns how to anticipate Haaland’s runs can produce assists regularly.

Just imagine the possibilities: East receiving the ball just outside the penalty area, spotting Haaland’s movement between defenders, and delivering a perfectly timed pass that leads to a goal.

Moments like that are exactly what Guardiola wants to see.

At the same time, the manager knows patience is necessary. Young players rarely become complete overnight.

They must make mistakes, analyze those mistakes, and gradually adjust their decision-making.

That learning process is part of becoming a top-level footballer.

Guardiola’s comments suggest he believes East is already on the right path.

The key now is positioning.

Those ten extra meters forward could transform how the player influences matches.

Instead of simply participating in possession, he could become one of the players who decides the outcome of games.

That difference separates good players from truly special ones.

As the season continues, many fans will start watching East more closely to see whether his positioning changes.

Will he stay higher on the pitch?

Will he combine more often with Haaland near the penalty area?

Will his assist numbers increase as a result?

These are the questions supporters will be asking in the coming weeks.

For now, Guardiola’s message remains simple.

The talent is already there.

The potential is clear.

The next step is learning exactly where on the pitch that talent becomes most dangerous.

If Ryan East masters that lesson, Manchester City might have another exciting attacking weapon emerging from within their squad.

And in a team already filled with creativity and firepower, that could make Guardiola’s side even more frightening for opponents in the seasons ahead.