Rodri Disaster Makes Inevitable Problem Immediate For Manchester City

As often happens with Manchester City players the narrative around Rodri has been redrawn since he became the best defensive midfielder in the world.

The reality is that he was far from Guardiola or City’s first choice to succeed Fernadinho.

It was only after having tried and failed to bring in Fred, Jorginho and Frenkie De Jong that the Citizens eventually decided the Atletico Madrid player, who was not even considered the best in his position at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium, should be hired.

Rodri arrived in England at a Manchester City side who’d just pipped Liverpool to the Premier League title and won a domestic treble.

But, despite an impressive showing in that season’s Community Shield, it soon became clear that his adaptation to replace the Brazillian would be far from seamless.

The Spaniard struggled to impose himself on the starting lineup to the extent that Guardiola often opted to pair him with Ilkay Gundogan, a tactical move that was not especially popular with the fanbase.

As City languished behind an all-conquering Liverpool side in the Premier League standings, Rodri often was caught out and punished having not quite mastered the art of knowing the moments to press and when holding his position was beneficial.

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The difference between the sweeping way in which Fernandinho would snuff out a counter-attack was pronounced and highlighted.

Rodri admitted as much in the wake of a season that ended with only the Carabao Cup lining the Etihad Stadium trophy cabinet that season.

"I realized straight away that in this league you need to think really quickly. I tried to adapt my game in the first games of the season,” he explained.

"When I got the pace of the Premier League, I also started adapting my game and my skills to the team.

"It wasn't easy, because we have lots of attacking players, but we need to defend as well. One of my biggest responsibilities in the team is specifically that part."

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As City licked their wounds from missing out on the big prizes that year it was fortunate that he had one of Guardiola’s most trusted lieutenants, Fernandinho, to guide the fledgling Spaniard.

"He has helped me a lot," Rodri said of the Brazillian.

"He is now playing more often as a center-back so that he can have a bigger picture of the game.

"He has helped me a lot from the back, [telling me] where to find the spaces.

"What I learned the most from him is the experience he has. He's 35 years old, he has been at the club for seven seasons now. So I listen to him a lot and try to learn a lot from him."

Rodri’s appetite to learn saw him improve a lot in his second season when Guardiola used a false 9 formation to regain the Premier League title and reach the Champions League Final.

But a reminder of the midfielder’s status at the club came in Europe's biggest game against Chelsea. He was dropped to the bench as City slumped to a 0-1 loss.

It seems strange to consider it now but it has only been in the last three years that the Spaniard reached the position where he is considered irreplaceable.

In those first two years, there was a lot of faith shown by Guardiola.

"To me, he is the best coach in the world. His success speaks for himself. Everything that he's won with all the clubs he's been at," Rodri said after his first year.

"I have learnt lots of things from him, I couldn't say only one. He has lots of experience as a player and as a coach. It helps me a lot that he played in the same position as me. It's not easy for me as a young player, coming from La Liga, to fit in the Premier League with such competition, [where it's] so strong physically, with great teams, but it has been an amazing experience this first season.

"I try to learn every day from [Guardiola]. He has helped me a lot, especially tactically. It's been the first time I played alone as a holding midfielder, so I have to adapt to the new situation. I'm happy because I fit very well with the team and the club. I feel I'm growing every day."

Since he became the world’s best it has been the lack of alternatives for Rodri that have become the problem for City.

The ludicrously high tally for minutes is by virtue of the fact there is no one who can adequately replace him and the task of finding a deputy all the harder because the possibility of dislodging the Spaniard from the lineup is so remote.

So when Rodri collapsed on the turf in pain after jarring his knee and news came through he’d torn the dreaded Anterior Cruciate Ligament [ACL] muscle that puts a player out for at least 9 months the sense City’s season could implode was palpable.

However, it is not a dissimilar situation to the one that five years ago Rodri was brought to solve.

And if Manchester City is honest with itself a challenge the club must have known was on the horizon once again.

Whether forced by a transfer approach from Real Madrid or simply the fact that Rodri turns 29 next year, relying on the midfielder to play a similar volume of games for the next five years is totally unrealistic.

A solution will have to be found sooner given, as Guardiola correctly pointed out, players returning from ACL injuries often struggle with other problems in the year after the setback occurs.