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Is Manchester City Struggling To Cope Without Rodri?

Manchester City star, Rodri, has developed into one of the best defensive midfielders of all time and is arguably the best midfielder of his generation. The Spanish star recently got the highest recognition a footballer can achieve when he was awarded the 2024 Ballon d’Or award. This goes to show just how important a player the Spanish star is for both his club and country. This is why it comes as no shock to see Manchester City struggle now that the midfielder has been injured. This article talks about Rodri’s injury and how Manchester City are struggling to cope with having to play without him this season.

Has Losing Rodri Been Tough On Manchester City?

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Manchester City star Rodri got injured in City’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the Premier League. The injury turned out to be the worst possible news for City as it was revealed that the Spanish star needed to get an ACL surgery on his knee and had meniscus damage as well. This rules Rodri out for the rest of the season as an ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) tear is the worst type of injury a footballer can have and takes a lot of time to recover from.

Rodri has been one of if not the most important players for Manchester City. He completely transforms their attack and defence and is an extremely dominating player in the midfield. While the Cityzens have a vast squad filled with extremely talented players, replacing Rodri is simply a near-impossible task. The Manchester City Midfielder’s understanding of the game is simply outstanding, and having a presence like that in the midfield helps you win both games and championships.

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The effect of losing Rodri can already be seen in Manchester City’s style of play. They are no longer dominating games, winning by comfortable margins and dictating the play. While one may think one player cannot have such an adverse effect on how the team plays, the loss of Rodri in midfield is being felt in a massive way by City. In fact, after their 4-1 loss to Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League recently, Manchester City lost each of their last three games, with analysts claiming that this was due to their inability to cope with the loss of Rodri.

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Manchester City’s problems have been compounded by their reliance on a compact midfield structure that Rodri helped to establish. His unique skill set allowed for seamless fluidity, ensuring that City maintained possession even in high-pressure situations. The midfield, now devoid of his calming presence, has become erratic. Guardiola has had to experiment with different formations and personnel, but none have replicated the results that Rodri created, and if they do not find a solution soon, it could cost them big time.

The injury to Rodri is not something minor, which is why it’s not like Manchester City can just wait for him to come back and then return to their dominant gameplay. He has been ruled out for the season, which is why the Cityzens must find a proper long-term solution and try to work with the same efficiency as they did with Rodri on the team. It is now up to Pep Guardiola to try and tweak his tactics to better suit the players who will be replacing Rodri, whether it be a natural replacement like Matheus Nunes or a budding star like Rico Lewis.

Rodri’s significance to Manchester City transcends mere statistics; his leadership, control, and intelligence on the pitch have redefined the midfielder’s role in Guardiola’s setup. The challenge of overcoming his ACL injury will invoke further assessments of the squad’s resilience and depth as they strive to maintain their high standards in the competitive arena of football. While recovery and rehabilitation are paramount for Rodri, Manchester City must adapt to a harsh reality as they continue their campaign without one of their most vital players and try and maintain the standards set by them in the past if they want to keep winning trophies this season.

For more news and updates on Manchester City, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram.

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