Good article. Another benefit to Bravo’s play is his long, low-trajectory passes that quickly break the opponents’ lines. For my part, this is as much as anything the biggest improvement over Hart.

In an overall sense, City’s build-up has been torturously slow pretty well all the way back to Mancini’s early years. Last year was the worst. They would laboriously walk the ball — largely sideways — up the field. Opponents would have all day and forever to set their defenders. Following which, the ball would be worked out to the wings and crossed in to a solitary Aguero (usually) who would be surrounded by 5 defenders at that point.

The fact that Hart often just lumped the ball aimlessly downfield in proper English keeper fashion obviously did little to open up opportunities for City. It was not uncommon for them to create zero quality scoring chances in any game. Against Gladbach the other day I could think of at least ten off the top of my head.

Also, note in that game how City’s defenders have not adapted yet to Bravo’s game and are still playing deeper than I suspect Pep wants. That will change — you can bet that.