Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
Recent discussions in European media have highlighted the challenge Pep Guardiola will face in replacing City's midfield anchor, Rodri. Given his contributions to the side, Rodrigo Hernandez stands out as one of the key players in Guardiola's system.
Yet, Guardiola has masterfully navigated similar challenges before. A notable instance occurred at the end of the 2019/2020 season when Sergio Aguero suffered a knee injury. Pep boldly repositioned Ilkay Gundogan as the team's offensive spearhead for the next season.
Remarkably, Gundogan ended the 2020/2021 season as Manchester City's top scorer. The German midfielder scored 13 crucial goals, helping City secure their third Premier League title in four years.
Given his proficiency in finding solutions during challenging situations, one is left to wonder if Pep Guardiola has another innovative solution up his sleeve. Let's explore the potential replacements available to him following Rodri's injury. Visit the Eagle Predict website for the best football betting predictions.
Manchester City is not short of quality players, which is not in question. Below are our views on the various possible options.
As a football lover, the first name to come to mind when discussing Rodri's replacements within the squad should be the former Galactico and Chelsea player Kovacic.
He came in as a replacement for Rodri in the Arsenal game. However, he had started in midfield multiple times already earlier in the season. Mateo was paired successfully with Kevin De Bruyne and Rico Lewis in matches against Chelsea FC and West Ham United.
Kovacic's ability as a controller in the middle shone clearly in his 70-minute appearance against Arsenal. He amassed a passing accuracy of 95.3%. He has also been immense in defense, having completed roughly 68% of his tackles this season. The Croatian has also scored three goals in the Premier League.
However, will these abilities make him a worthy replacement for Rodri? Given his experience in top-flight football, he should be able to fill the role.
Stones is well-acquainted with adapting to new positions under Pep Guardiola's guidance. During the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League final, Stones played as a midfielder for the Citizens. In that game, he completed the most dribbles—up to six—against Inter.
He has also fervently played at right-back, center-back, and defensive midfield. Stones may be the most worthy of all the replacements available to Pep because he has been tested and evidently can be trusted to pull such a task off.
Like Rodri, Stones is also capable of scoring important goals. The Englishman scored the equalizer against Arsenal to secure a 2:2 this season. He also scored the last-minute winner against Wolves on matchday 8 of the league. With a wealth of talents available to Pep in defense, John Stones could be up for a new role in the midfield.
Nunes, the former Wolverhampton rising star, could finally have his chance to show Guardiola what he is truly capable of.
Mattheus has played three full 90 minutes for Manchester City this season, none of which have been in the EPL. He has only managed 23 minutes in the English League, managing an assist against West Ham United.
However, he has showcased his talent in the League Cup, having netted a crucial goal against Watford. Most recently, he played a huge role in City's win against Sparta in the UCL, scoring once and assisting twice.
Nunes remains an enigmatic choice, with his primary strengths lying in ball retention and forward progression into attacking zones. However, these attributes raise valid concerns about his suitability as Rodri's replacement, particularly given his defensive limitations.
As Nunes prepares for his Premier League debut for City against Southampton, questions linger about Guardiola's newfound faith in partnering him with Mateo Kovacic in midfield. The effectiveness of this combination remains uncertain.
Pep Guardiola might just explore the January market. However, the feasibility of this option remains to be seen. If City were to dip their toes in the market waters in January, the likely candidates could be Bruno Guimaraes, Adam Wharton, Martin Zubimendi, or Samuele Ricci.
However, pulling off the Bruno signing might be difficult as Newcastle may demand that the city break the bank for the Brazilian midfield sensation. However, going for Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace, Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, or Samuele Ricci from Torino may be easier.
In the 2023/2024 season, Wharton briefly demonstrated a level of maturity a 20-year-old should not possess in the Premier League. Martin Zubimendi is Rodri's replacement for the Spanish national team. The Spaniard has the ability to keep things ticking without missing a beat. Over in Italy, Samuele Ricci has proven himself to be intelligent and capable of reading the game, too. If City decide to go this route they are not short of options.
Man City's record without Rodri has been rather shabby in recent times. To put it in perspective, City lost all three games in which Rodri did not feature in the 2023/2024 EPL season, with the player serving suspensions during each match.
Since Rodri arrived from Atletico in the summer leading up to the 2019/20 season, he has missed 21 of the 195 City EPL matches. Out of these 21, City has lost seven. Furthermore, with Rodri, City has managed a 74.1% win rate while managing 61.9% in his absence.
Since his injury, City has not lost any game across all competitions. However, they have not been as ruthless as usual due to his absence. Also, the Cityzens have not faced any top side in recent games.
With several serious fixtures still to come, Pep must find a way to maximize his available options. Depending on Manchester City's position by the end of December, they may consider entering the market in January.
Pep Guardiola has faced similar challenges in the past and emerged stronger. However, with Arne Slot's Reds current form, Pep has serious competition on the road to his fifth league title in a row.
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