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Newcastle – No Rodri, no party. But the questions are many. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola cannot escape the shadow of the injured midfielder – arguably the best in the world at his position – and his angry reaction when asked about the 28-year-old after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle. United have revealed the extent of the loss they will suffer against the English Premier League champions.
“Guys, I know you will ask me all the time,” Guardiola said after the match. “But Rhodri’s not there.” Kova (Matteo Kovacic) and Bernardo (Silva). Rico (Luis) did a good job, but I have to find solutions. “I would like Rodri to be here.”
This was the first match City had played since it was confirmed this week that Rodri, who is shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or, would miss the rest of this season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during last Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City. . Arsenal.
When Rodri left the field against Mikel Arteta’s side in the 20th minute with an injury, City were 1-0 up and comfortable. In Rodri’s last 51 Premier League games, dating back to February 2023, City have not lost any.
But with Rodri off the field, Arsenal quickly came from behind to take a 2-1 lead and were only able to win the match when they conceded an equalizer in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
At Newcastle, City took the lead again, with defender Josko Gvardiol scoring in the 35th minute after good work from Jack Grealish, but were unable to maintain their advantage and Anthony Gordon’s 58th-minute penalty earned Newcastle a point and left City wondering when. They will win again without Rodri.
Naturally, City will find a way to win without the former Atletico Madrid player. Let’s not forget that Guardiola’s side won their first three league games this season without Rodri in the team due to him taking a long break after his efforts in helping Spain achieve Euro 2024 glory in Germany.
But the fact that he was absent for the rest of the season presented a selection problem and a psychological blow for the champions. Their record with and without Rodri – they have failed to win their last five matches (l4, d1) without him and Kevin De Bruyne in the starting line-up – points to his importance and the team now knows they will have to find a way to cope without him. Even Guardiola, the coaching genius, admits that he is still searching for a solution.
Rodri is perhaps more important to Manchester City than prolific striker Erling Haaland. City have so many attacking options that they can usually find a way to score when Haaland is not on the scoresheet, but Arsenal have managed to outflank City’s midfield in the period between Rodri’s departure and Leandro Trossard’s red card in 45 minutes last week, and Newcastle have also enjoyed spells. A long period of dominance in midfield at St James’ Park.
Guardiola used a 4-1-2-3 formation with Kovacic in Rodri’s role, and Luis and Ilkay Gundogan provided an extra layer of protection between Kovacic and the attacking three.
Kovacic is a top-class player, he won the Champions League with Real Madrid and Chelsea, but he is not Rodri. If Rodri is an A+ midfielder, Kovacic might be a B+, which still isn’t bad. But City are all about their level of superiority, and despite Kovacic’s fame, he does not give City confidence on the ball or Rodri’s vision.
As for Luis, the 19-year-old is still learning the game and is not ready to be one of Guardiola’s main solutions. Gundogan has all the qualifications and has done it before, but the former Germany international will turn 34 next month and will look a shadow of his former self after returning to the Etihad this summer following a season at Barcelona.
Gundogan was substituted early in the second half after a poor performance in which he looked off the pace. He may improve once his fitness levels improve, but his age suggests this may be an optimistic proposition.
It may be interesting that Guardiola referred to Bernardo Silva rather than Gundogan when talking about midfield options against Newcastle, but the Portugal international is more of an attacking player than a potential solution for Rodri. Defender John Stones is another player, but he spent the match on the bench, while the injured De Bruyne failed to make the squad.
Like Gundogan, De Bruyne has all the qualifications to fill Rodri’s void, but he is also 33 years old and affected by regular injury problems.
How will Guardiola replace the irreplaceable?
In Newcastle, City had good periods in the first half, but lost control of the midfield as the home team built momentum in the second half.
The midfield of Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães had more energy and tenacity than City’s midfield, while Joelinton’s height and strength was an issue Guardiola’s side were unable to deal with in Rodri’s absence.
City now have comfortable league games in October against Fulham, Wolves, Southampton and Bournemouth, so they have the chance to prove to the world, and to themselves, that they can cope without their best midfielder.
City will likely win all four of those games and do so, but there is no doubt they are not as strong without Rodri and the crucial test will be against their title rivals.
Newcastle did not do that on Saturday, but it exposed City’s weaknesses and teams better than Eddie Howe’s side will be more ruthless.
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