Manchester City, the reigning Premier League champions, are on the brink of crisis this season. What’s special about this is that it’s not just because the players aren’t performing well, it’s because two of them are Pep Guardiola His greatest strengths have become his greatest weaknesses.
The first problem lies with Manchester City Squad depthor lack thereof, in the defensive midfield position. Guardiola had the luxury Yaya Toure And Fernandino at his disposal, which developed into Rodri And Fernandino.
However, the only committed defensive midfielder has been signed since Fernandinho’s departure Calvin Phillipswho was never given a real chance. This has led to an over-reliance on Rodri, which has led to his current cruciate ligament injury, which has sidelined him for the season.
The second and perhaps more important problem concerns Guardiola tactical tinkering in the last few seasons. To counter narrow and deep defending teams, Guardiola introduced a midfield diamond system that was extremely effective.
This system allowed City to outnumber opponents in the creative zones, making it almost impossible for opponents to apply pressure effectively.
However, the success of this system depended heavily on Rodri’s unique skills. Rodris physicality, positioning, And Ability to quickly convert possession into attack were crucial for the effectiveness of the system.
Without Rodri, the cracks in the system have become gaping holes KovačićThe substitute lacks the same level of defensive awareness and passing range.
Without Rodri’s presence, City’s transitional defense has become vulnerable and opponents are now able to counter through the midfield and expose the backline.
Guardiola’s attempt to address this problem push the full-backs further up just exacerbated the problem and made the pivot location even more isolated.
Furthermore, the team is greater attack options have also raised concerns. The signing of Alvarez The aim was to provide City with two real dribblers who could reach the ball Haaland consistently.
However, the team’s new shape has made them more vulnerable to losing the ball and the lack of that dribbling threat was noticeable.
Individually, the team Top scorer And Assistants The players from last season also suffered a decline in form, with only Haaland able to maintain his high standards.
This perfect storm of tactical, squad and individual problems has left Manchester City in a precarious position. Guardiola, known for his adaptability and development, now faces his biggest challenge yet. The question remains: can the master tactician find a way to turn things around and regain City’s dominance?