Martín Zubimendi

[alexmcity]

It's extremely easy to have them both play together.

Just have Rodri do the Stones role, defend as a CB, then move into the CDM spot next to Zubimendi.

Rodri is clearly tall enough to win aerial as a CB.

I do want Gvardiol learning that role over Stones in the future though, he can be so good if you let attack more, which our CDM's would have alot more license to go forward than a left back.

Rodri contributed over 20 goals/assists last season. His talents would be wasted at CB. He can play box to box or in a double pivot with a license to press higher up the pitch and attack the box.

 

[mancityscot]

All I want for Christmas is Zuuuuu

 

[M23 Citizen]

It's extremely easy to have them both play together.

Just have Rodri do the Stones role, defend as a CB, then move into the CDM spot next to Zubimendi.

Rodri is clearly tall enough to win aerial as a CB.

I do want Gvardiol learning that role over Stones in the future though, he can be so good if you let attack more, which our CDM's would have alot more license to go forward than a left back.

Rodri would be the one to step into the 8 role if Zubamendi played at 6. Rodri had more assists than Foden last season, he scores fucking rockets n’all.

For me, he’s like Yaya. Rodri is a proper pure midfielder, both a defensive and attacking box-to-box midfielder. There aren’t many around anymore. Everyone seems quite specialist, very much either a defensive mid or attacking mid.

You couldn’t get most of the world’s attacking mids to do what Rodri does defensively but you also couldn’t get most of the world’s defensive mids to do what Rodri does in attack.

 

[WallyA]

Rodri contributed over 20 goals/assists last season. His talents would be wasted at CB. He can play box to box or in a double pivot with a license to press higher up the pitch and attack the box.

Rodri would be the one to step into the 8 role if Zubamendi played at 6. Rodri had more assists than Foden last season, he scores fucking rockets n’all.

For me, he’s like Yaya. Rodri is a proper pure midfielder, both a defensive and attacking box-to-box midfielder. There aren’t many around anymore. Everyone seems quite specialist, very much either a defensive mid or attacking mid.

You couldn’t get most of the world’s attacking mids to do what Rodri does defensively but you also couldn’t get most of the world’s defensive mids to do what Rodri does in attack.

Im gonna have to disagree with you both.

I like that as a nice "backup" option since Rodri can get goals and assists, but here are the 2 reasons why its a bad default option compared to my solution.

1) Rodri got alot of goals and assists as a CDM because of the space afforded to him. Thr attacking 5 would be hard pressed to have no space giving our CDMs or eve LB (Gvardiol) space to make a shot or goal.

Putting Rodri as an 8 now forces him to play more in the pockets, which reduces the strongest impact of his in possession game.

2) This is very important... WHY do we miss Rodri right now?

Goals and assists? Those are nice, but we are missing his defensive presence.

The second you ask Rodri to be the 8 (like Gundogan), in possession he is part of the attacking 5, not defensive 5 (the 3-2 shape).

So if we lose the ball up the pitch and get countered (our number one defensive problem), then Rodri is too high to help our defense. Him being a part of the defensive 5 to counter press or use their physicality when the attack is bypassed is SORELY missing, Kova and Gundogan cannot do it.

These are 2 massive reasons I wouldnt ask Rodri to be an 8 as the 1st backup option, maybe as the 2nd backup though.

Asking him to do the Stones role preserved a big part of the defensive stability out of possession, but still lets him contribute to goals and assists as a CDM.

 

[Blue Bogey]

Im gonna have to disagree with you both.

I like that as a nice "backup" option since Rodri can get goals and assists, but here are the 2 reasons why its a bad default option compared to my solution.

1) Rodri got alot of goals and assists as a CDM because of the space afforded to him. Thr attacking 5 would be hard pressed to have no space giving our CDMs or eve LB (Gvardiol) space to make a shot or goal.

Putting Rodri as an 8 now forces him to play more in the pockets, which reduces the strongest impact of his in possession game.

2) This is very important... WHY do we miss Rodri right now?

Goals and assists? Those are nice, but we are missing his defensive presence.

The second you ask Rodri to be the 8 (like Gundogan), in possession he is part of the attacking 5, not defensive 5 (the 3-2 shape).

So if we lose the ball up the pitch and get countered (our number one defensive problem), then Rodri is too high to help our defense. Him being a part of the defensive 5 to counter press or use their physicality when the attack is bypassed is SORELY missing, Kova and Gundogan cannot do it.

These are 2 massive reasons I wouldnt ask Rodri to be an 8 as the 1st backup option, maybe as the 2nd backup though.

Asking him to do the Stones role preserved a big part of the defensive stability out of possession, but still lets him contribute to goals and assists as a CDM.

Excellent post. Found it really intriguing.

It just goes to show that being a coach can be difficult and it is a fine balancing act of how you use the players without it being detrimental to the team or the player.

 

[alexmcity]

Im gonna have to disagree with you both.

I like that as a nice "backup" option since Rodri can get goals and assists, but here are the 2 reasons why its a bad default option compared to my solution.

1) Rodri got alot of goals and assists as a CDM because of the space afforded to him. Thr attacking 5 would be hard pressed to have no space giving our CDMs or eve LB (Gvardiol) space to make a shot or goal.

Putting Rodri as an 8 now forces him to play more in the pockets, which reduces the strongest impact of his in possession game.

2) This is very important... WHY do we miss Rodri right now?

Goals and assists? Those are nice, but we are missing his defensive presence.

The second you ask Rodri to be the 8 (like Gundogan), in possession he is part of the attacking 5, not defensive 5 (the 3-2 shape).

So if we lose the ball up the pitch and get countered (our number one defensive problem), then Rodri is too high to help our defense. Him being a part of the defensive 5 to counter press or use their physicality when the attack is bypassed is SORELY missing, Kova and Gundogan cannot do it.

These are 2 massive reasons I wouldnt ask Rodri to be an 8 as the 1st backup option, maybe as the 2nd backup though.

Asking him to do the Stones role preserved a big part of the defensive stability out of possession, but still lets him contribute to goals and assists as a CDM.

Enrique played Rodri at CB in order to accommodate him and Busquets: it didn't work.

Also, goals/assists from midfield is always a big thing. Gundo and Rodri saved us in 21/22, they won us the Treble in 22/23, etc.

Rodri shouldn't play the Stones role for he is a better, much more complete and versatile player. It's like asking Baresi to play the Dias role.

 

[WallyA]

Enrique played Rodri at CB in order to accommodate him and Busquets: it didn't work.

Also, goals/assists from midfield is always a big thing. Gundo and Rodri saved us in 21/22, they won us the Treble in 22/23, etc.

Rodri shouldn't play the Stones role for he is a better, much more complete and versatile player. It's like asking Baresi to play the Dias role.

Enrique isnt Spains manager, oh you mean the 2022 world cup over 2 years ago?

He was fine: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.th...dri-defence-paying-off-luis-enrique-world-cup

Him having to cover for an aging Busquets who cant run anymore was alot to ask him.

He is alot more experienced now than back then.

Again, I already answered the goals and assists, you are looking at it too simply, playing as an 8 in the pockets is different than deeper as a 6 in possession.

Saying he is versatile is true, but its not a waste to play him in the Stones role as a backup, its better defensive stability, id rather a more offensive 8 player molded there than Rodri as a backup.

Mind you, this whole discussion is about a backup spot. It should already be clear to everyone that his best position is the CDM he had already been doing.

 

[skillman]

Rodri contributed over 20 goals/assists last season. His talents would be wasted at CB. He can play box to box or in a double pivot with a license to press higher up the pitch and attack the box.

His ideal role is an 8 I think. He's too good to be stationed at the back. Or have two "6s" in the middle but allow Rodri to go forward with the comfort blanket of somebody else behind him. Kovacic would be good for that role.

A bit like Yaya having Fernandinho or Barry or De Jong which let him push on.

 

[Gaz (FMwkdsoul)]

Zubimendi leaves the team injured. He seems to be showing signs of pain in his abductor muscle.A good brown. Let it be a scare, but in 9 days we will be in San Mamés.

 

[M23 Citizen]

Im gonna have to disagree with you both.

I like that as a nice "backup" option since Rodri can get goals and assists, but here are the 2 reasons why its a bad default option compared to my solution.

1) Rodri got alot of goals and assists as a CDM because of the space afforded to him. Thr attacking 5 would be hard pressed to have no space giving our CDMs or eve LB (Gvardiol) space to make a shot or goal.

Putting Rodri as an 8 now forces him to play more in the pockets, which reduces the strongest impact of his in possession game.

2) This is very important... WHY do we miss Rodri right now?

Goals and assists? Those are nice, but we are missing his defensive presence.

The second you ask Rodri to be the 8 (like Gundogan), in possession he is part of the attacking 5, not defensive 5 (the 3-2 shape).

So if we lose the ball up the pitch and get countered (our number one defensive problem), then Rodri is too high to help our defense. Him being a part of the defensive 5 to counter press or use their physicality when the attack is bypassed is SORELY missing, Kova and Gundogan cannot do it.

These are 2 massive reasons I wouldnt ask Rodri to be an 8 as the 1st backup option, maybe as the 2nd backup though.

Asking him to do the Stones role preserved a big part of the defensive stability out of possession, but still lets him contribute to goals and assists as a CDM.

I get what you’re saying, but when Stones (or Akanji or the full back) has stepped into midfield with Rodri, it’s Stones who plays as a 6 and Rodri as an 8 or at least a deep 8... CL final for example and especially last season:

Rodri: Much, Much More Than a Defensive Midfielder | Opta Analyst

When Rodri arrived at Manchester City, he was a number six. He is now far more than that, making key contributions at both ends of the pitch

theanalyst.com