Frank Christian
During Erling Haaland’s absence for nearly two months last season, from December to January, Manchester City maintained their unbeaten streak in the Premier League and achieved a series of victories, including six wins in the UEFA Champions League group stage, a FIFA Club World Cup title, and a place in the FA Cup final.
In the current season, City faced three Premier League losses while Rodri was suspended, marking their only defeats in their quest for a record fourth straight English title.
This season, without Julian Alvarez, City may struggle more should Haaland become unavailable, especially with recent reports indicating Rodri could be out for the remainder of the 2024/25 season due to ACL injuries. This creates a tactical challenge for Pep Guardiola.
Nonetheless, Guardiola has a highly capable squad and enjoys tackling complex tactical issues. His success in navigating this situation may significantly impact City’s prospects for success in domestic and international competitions this season.
Who will step in for Rodri at Man City? Kovacic stands out as the top choice
Fortunately for Manchester City, they have valuable insights from recent games on managing without Rodri in midfield.
Rodri suffered a hamstring injury during Spain’s Euro 2024 final against England and missed the first three Premier League matches of the season. City secured victories in all these matches, including a 2-0 win over Chelsea, and impressive performances with two consecutive hat-tricks from Haaland against Ipswich Town and West Ham.
Mateo Kovacic filled in for Rodri, delivering a strong performance and even scoring at Stamford Bridge. However, finding an equally skilled replacement for a midfielder of Rodri’s caliber is a challenge.
Rodri, Manchester City 2023/24
2.0 percentile radar template. This is what City will be missing from their midfield as they look to defend the Premier League title pic.twitter.com/rUc4PVZREY
— StatsBomb (@StatsBomb) September 23, 2024
Kovacic expressed his preference for a deeper playing role during City’s pre-season in the United States, indicating he thrives with support around him. He acknowledged that playing as the sole pivot requires improvement for better spatial coverage when isolated.
Although Rodri is a significant presence in midfield, he has his support system. Kovacic previously mentioned that he enjoys playing alongside Rodri, and Guardiola’s tactics include using defenders in midfield, minimizing Rodri’s isolation.
Nonetheless, the recent games against Ipswich and West Ham indicated a potential lack of defensive stability without Rodri. When Kovacic operated as the midfield anchor, City controlled their first three games effectively, with Rico Lewis and Silva also adjusting their positions to support Kovacic.
Potential contributions from Ilkay Gundogan and Rico Lewis in Rodri’s absence
Using a 3-3-1-3 formation in attack, it appears Guardiola will initially adapt his tactics, allowing Kovacic, Lewis, and Silva to create quick passing options and leverage their ball-carrying abilities.
Ilkay Gundogan is expected to play a pivotal role moving forward. After returning from Barcelona, he showcased his readiness during an impressive performance against Arsenal. Although Guardiola may prefer him in advanced positions given his goal-scoring ability, the need for a deeper role is now pressing.
Guardiola’s previous decisions to position Gundogan in a holding role have yielded positive results, such as during crucial matches when the regular holding midfielder was unavailable.
Having learned from long-serving players like Gundogan and David Silva, promising youngsters like Rico Lewis aspire to take charge in midfield. The 19-year-old expressed confidence in his midfield capability, despite often being deployed as a full-back for club and country.
Lewis believes he can make an impact in midfield roles, although his height has raised concerns. Rodri’s injury creates an opening for the young player to transition into a key figure for City.
Guardiola’s strategic options to cope with Rodri’s absence will likely hinge on Kovacic, Gundogan, and Lewis, often with Silva supporting the midfield trio.
Thanks to Guardiola’s experiments, many City players are familiar with playing in various midfield roles. The manager might even consider deploying center-backs John Stones or Manuel Akanji as holding midfielders if needed.
Additionally, youth standout Nico O’Reilly, who has impressed during pre-season in midfield, is regarded highly and may receive chances in domestic cup competitions this season.
