It's hard to tell what Pep is thinking sometimes. I think he's simply experimenting by trying to push the limits. He wants to see how offensive the team can play while remaining functional and getting the result. Perhaps he figures this is the best time to experiment.

I also think he wasn't too worried about losing, given how early it is in the season. Guardiola also knows that his players can easily get complacent and think they are too good. They've won everything, and a lot of people are saying this is the best team in history.

If he's just testing formations though, why doesn't he pick easier games? Why does he pick sociedad and milan?

On the flip side, there's the madman theory. He could be simply using this Barcelona team as a vehicle to live out his uber-offensive football fantasies. Other known madmen include guys like Wenger and Van Gaal - both crazy and offensive minded. Hopefully, this will never happen to Pep. Football has a dark side.