Fowler: Sarri based his system on Guardiola's

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler thinks Sarri-ball is an adapted tactic similar to that used by Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.

Maurizio Sarri has arrived in the Premier League with the reputation of playing offensive football entitled "Sarri-ball", but it has not worked at Stamford Bridge yet.

After a good start to life in Chelsea, Sarri has now supervised a period of bad form who saw them slide into sixth place in the Premier League with heavy losses against Bournemouth and Manchester City in recent weeks.

The Blues face City in the EFL Cup final at Wembley today and Fowler has asked what is Sarri-ball.

"Seriously, what is it? System and tactics of a manager. Like no other manager had any tactics, "said Fowler at Daily Mirror, speaking of Sarri-ball.

"With Chelsea facing City today in the cup final, do you think Pep Guardiola has no system? Do you think he has not defined a tactical plan during his years as a high-level leader?

"In fact, Guardiola's system – let's call it Guardio-balla – is strangely similar to Sarri's, in terms of maintaining possession and moving the ball quickly when a space is created.

"Except that he's been doing it for a longer time, at a much higher level.

"So, Sarri based his system on Guardiola. Who based his on Johan Cruyff. Who took it from Rinus Michels. Who adapted various systems dating back to Hungary in the 1950s.

"So, Sarri-ball is just a" total football "for the fast paced modern game.That's what Guardiola's system is and Jurgen Klopp's."