#16 | Rodri - 2020/21 Performances

[doobyedoobye]

kdb next to him with either bernardo or Foden in front of those two?

I'd love to see Bernardo make that role his but he seems a long way off

 

[simon23]

I'd love to see Bernardo make that role his but he seems a long way off

Cant do it if Pep doesnt play him....in his minimal appearances this year he does seem to have got some of his spring back ...just needs a goal

 

[Blu3m00n91]

I don’t think he’s a bad player, he is just not suitable to our team/style whatsoever. But this is another assessment on our crap recruitment again because they should of spotted this prior to signing. That’s why they get paid so much.

 

[Tb1981]

Totally agree. Need a box to box next to him not another recycler..

That’s it
Not saying he can’t do a job (he does for Spain)
But would rather have Bernardo or foden in there and actually do things quickly
If pep doesn’t think he can do it he shouldn’t play him
Would love to get aaour in there

 

[mosssideblue]

no, bollocks, he offers nothing to this team

You're talking crap fella

 

[samarasra]

Totally agree. Need a box to box next to him not another recycler..

Absolutely agree if that box to box player's style is to play with a recyler and is a genuine ball playing midfield player, not a forward playing midfield or a defender playing midfield. Some of the great midfield partnerships were players with dissimilar attributes, Pirlo/Gattuso, Makelele/Zidane, Kroos/Modric, Iniesta /Xavi, DiStefano/Puskas and Stiles/Charlton to name a few where the combination of the 2 is greater than the individuals alone. Pep's idea may be modeled on Cruyff/ Neeskens given his background.

 

[samarasra]

I dont note points to prove a point - they are just there. Rodri slows our game down and the fact that Pep is playing someone alongside him (Ferna or Gundogan) means that Pep thinks he cant do it on his own - I just happen to agree with Pep - he cant. He isnt mobile enough. He retains the ball well when he has it and completes lots of passes and reads the game well but he also makes mistakes quite regulalry - that misplaced pass (no pressure on him) isnt the first time he has done that.
He is a good player but not what we need if we are going to play more attacking football..having to play a second more defensive midffielder next to him reduces our creativity

I would suggest that there is little or no evidence to claim Pep is playing Ferna or Gundogan beside him because he " thinks he cant do it on his own" doing what. What is it that he should be doing "on his own" in your opinion, in the context of it being a team game. You agree with Pep, how ?, Pep, imo has never said he "needs" to play Ferna or Gundo with him because he has issues with Rodri, if he has please supply a link to that quote
Rodri's critics rarely answer this question except by saying he's slow or "slows the game down". After all Rodri is the one who has been selected for every game until Wednesday and not always with Ferna or Gundogan, is it possible that he is not the problem. Why not speed up the game by bypassing midfield and just boot the ball from the back or if we want to be constructive pass it to Ederson and let him boot it up, that's fast if you enjoy that type of football. We have 6 clean sheets in a row and are primarily failing to win more because we are not taking our chances and I agree not creating enough to benefit from the law of averages. But here's a thought, maybe Pep plays a second defensive mid because he wants to bed in Dias & Ake with more cover, or stop leaking the crazy goals from breaks we had, or maybe he realises that we don't currently have the forward strength to outscore teams and not let a few in at the back, so he needs to get the defence sorted/settled as a strong foundation to attack from and at least win 1-0 instead of lose 2-5. Rodri is 24 and you say he is a good player, very few currently claim he is more, at least yet. Ferna will imo be replaced by an attack minded mid. who will be as different in attributes & style as chalk & cheese from Rodri & Gundo but will form a strong partnership with either of them, then Kevin/Foden/Bernardo/ Raheem can attack with more freedom without leaving huge gaps behind them when possession is lost, as has happened too often. I suggest you read this article from May 2020 ( I know it's Sky and they don't like us) which suggests that stats. are not as supportive of negative opinions from posters as some believe. As an aside can you honestly name the players who don't make mistakes and misplace passes when not under pressure. https://www.premierleague.com/news/1673213

 

[samarasra]

Either play him as the sole defensive midfielder or bin him
If he needs a double pivot to protect him then he is the wrong man for the role
We are playing one less creative player to get him in the team
And it’s not like accommodating him seems to have any positive effect anyway

6 consecutive clean sheets for a team who reportedly are "defensively weak", maybe we are playing a second defensive midfielder to protect our ever changing defence, not to protect Rodri. Maybe, that tactic has worked defensively and City will bring in a replacement for Ferna to partner Rodri or Gundogan, who will be a different type of player to them, but work with either or both in a more balanced midfield unit. Pep has never said he is playing 1 less creative player to get Rodri in the team or accommodate him, he wouldn't because it is the tactic of an inept small time manager. You say he is the wrong man for the "role", some others say this too. So for clarity define what you understand to be "his role" and what the role of the other midfielders should be, that would be helpful.

 

[Tb1981]

6 consecutive clean sheets for a team who reportedly are "defensively weak", maybe we are playing a second defensive midfielder to protect our ever changing defence, not to protect Rodri. Maybe, that tactic has worked defensively and City will bring in a replacement for Ferna to partner Rodri or Gundogan, who will be a different type of player to them, but work with either or both in a more balanced midfield unit. Pep has never said he is playing 1 less creative player to get Rodri in the team or accommodate him, he wouldn't because it is the tactic of an inept small time manager. You say he is the wrong man for the "role", some others say this too. So for clarity define what you understand to be "his role" and what the role of the other midfielders should be, that would be helpful.

Seeing as most people on here know exactly what I mean I won’t bother explaining any further.
I can’t be arsed explaining the entire midfields roles Just because you can’t see the issue
If you don’t think Rodri is a problem that’s fine.

 

[lastmanback]

Seeing as most people on here know exactly what I mean I won’t bother explaining any further.
I can’t be arsed explaining the entire midfields roles Just because you can’t see the issue
If you don’t think Rodri is a problem that’s fine.

Strange the manager does not think rodri is a problem, but what would he know compared to your managerial experience :-)