Another game, another loss, without Rodri. Supporters of Manchester City were correct to worry that their evening would be more challenging at Aston Villa if their pivotal midfield player was absent. When John Stones returned, he appeared as though he hadn’t played football in weeks, and Rico Lewis was playing one of his hardest games to date. Villa took advantage of City’s incoherent midfield formation to secure a well-earned three-point victory. Rodri’s significance to City was highlighted that evening, but there were also a number of transfer market choices that have not yet paid off. Rodri has missed City’s last four games, and in his test match against Newcastle, Kalvin Phillips did not start. John Stones and Mateo Kovacic are partnered with Rico Lewis, and Matheus
Nunes, who also hasn’t graced a starting lineup in the interim, was hooked at halftime against the Wolves.
At Villa, Stones and Manu Akanji alternated in pushing into midfield, leaving Kovacic and Nunes out in the cold. Lewis hung around aimlessly, and Julian Alvarez occasionally dropped back. Despite spending nearly £80 million on talent this summer, both of Villa’s summer additions came off the bench halfway through the second half and were unable to stem the flow of the Villa attack.
Neither Kovacic nor Nunes could move the ball forward to find a way to tie the score when City eventually fell behind. Nunes’ puzzling backheel in the box encapsulated his inability to get consistent playing time. Kovacic appears more attractive next to Rodri than he does alone.
At the half against the Wolves, Nunes, who hasn’t exactly graced a starting lineup in the interim, was hooked.
Stones and Manu Akanji took turns pushing into midfield at Villa, leaving Kovacic and Nunes unnoticed. Lewis stood around doing nothing, and every now and then Julian Alvarez would step back. The two summer additions for Villa, who spent close to £80 million on talent this summer, came off the bench midway through the second half and failed to stop the Villa attack.
When City eventually fell behind, neither Kovacic nor Nunes could advance the ball to find a way to equalize the score. Nunes’s perplexing backheel in the box perfectly captured his lack of regular playing time. In Kovacic’s presence, Rodri seems more appealing than
Normally, that should be no problem, but the three signings designed to help exactly this scenario have not yet managed to offer Guardiola a genuine alternative. City are reliant on their defenders to help support the base of midfield, and a teenage fullback who should be allowed to have off-days.
What they would give for Ilkay Gundogan back in the midfield, capable of dropping back when needed. He was never as good as Rodri as the number six, but he was completely in tune with Guardiola’s demands of his midfielders. But with his contract winding down, City didn’t offer him the assurances he wanted, and Barcelona did.
