Current Premier League champions Manchester City are on the brink of crisis this season. What’s strange is that it’s not just because the players aren’t performing well; pep guardiola’s His greatest strength became his greatest weakness.
The first problem lies with Manchester City. squad depthor the lack thereof in the defensive midfield position. Guardiola had the following luxuries: yaya toure and Fernandinho At his disposal, it evolved into Rodri and Fernandinho.
However, the only dedicated holding midfielder brought in since Fernandinho’s departure is calvin phillipswho have never been given a real opportunity. This resulted in an over-reliance on Rodri, who is currently sidelined for the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The second, and perhaps more important, issue is that of Guardiola. tactical tinkering Over the past few seasons. To counter teams that defend narrowly and deeply, Guardiola introduced a highly effective midfield diamond system.
This system allowed City to outplay their opponents in the creative zone, making it nearly impossible for their opponents to press effectively.
However, the system’s success relied heavily on Rodri’s unique skill set. Rodri’s physical, positioning, and Ability to quickly convert possession into attack These were critical to the effectiveness of the system.
With Rodri gone, the cracks in the system became a gaping hole. KovacicHis replacement lacks the same level of defensive awareness and passing range.
Without Rodri, City’s transition defense would be vulnerable, allowing opponents to break through the midfield and mount a counter-attack, exposing their last line.
Manager Guardiola is trying to deal with this problem in the following way. push the full-back high up the pitch It only makes the problem worse, leaving the pivot position even more isolated.
Furthermore, the team Expands attack options is also a concern. signature of alvarez The aim was to provide City with two genuine dribblers who could deliver the ball. haaland Consistently.
However, the team’s new shape made them susceptible to turnovers and the absence of dribbling threats was felt.
Personally, the team top scorer and assistant Their results have been sluggish since last season, with Haaland being the only player to maintain a high standard.
This perfect storm of tactical, team and individual problems has left Manchester City in a precarious position. Guardiola, known for his ability to adapt and evolve, now faces his biggest challenge yet. The question remains: can the master tactician find a way to turn the situation around and restore City’s advantage?
