Big Season Ahead For Rodri

This is a guest post from Steve.

Much of the focus on Manchester City following the humiliating defeat to Leicester City centred on issues in defence, with three penalties conceded, a vulnerability to the counter attack and the absence of a commanding figure at the heart of the back four to take control of proceedings.

Pep Guardiola moved swiftly to rectify some of those problems with the arrival of Ruben Dias from Benfica, but it perhaps went under the radar that there were issues in midfield, notably with regards to the protection of the afore-mentioned defence.

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Rodri experienced a mixed first season in Manchester in that role, with some promising signs and some slightly concerning features. His physicality in that role and his aerial strength is welcomed – shielding the back four from long balls – but there are significant questions to be asked about his mobility, which can sometimes leave City’s defence overly exposed.

It’s a tough role to fill, a demanding position for a demanding manager, but it is pivotal to the way the Blues play. Being able to mop up loose balls, win possession back quickly and snuff out the danger of a counter-attack in its infancy are crucial to enabling City to stay on the front foot and overwhelm opponents – but whereas Fernandinho has fulfilled that role for a number of years with aplomb, Rodri endured a series of shaky displays in his first season at the club.

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He is far from the first player to struggle to adapt to Guardiola’s system and its rigorous demands. The likes of Bernardo Silva, Leroy Sane and even Riyad Mahrez all took a good few months to get to grips with Guardiola’s precise style, and so there are hopes that Rodri will kick on this season and really make that role his own.

To do that, he’ll have to work on his positional sense and knowing when to press if he is to help City’s defenders with a secure shield. If can implement those tweaks to his game and progress on a consistent basis, the support he offers to City’s backline will prove invaluable.