Rodri wins his battle to fit in
Decision not to panic buy after Jorginho snub proved correct
EYEBROWS were raised when Pep Guardiola decided not to sign a defensive midfielder in 2018 following the failed pursuit of Jorginho.
City had identified the Chelseabound player as the ideal replacement for the ageing Fernandinho, but he opted to move to Stamford Bridge over the Etihad.
Rather than try to bring in a back-up, Guardiola stuck with his current options.
The decision did not prove to be costly as City edged out Liverpool on the final day of a thrilling title battle to win a second-successive Premier League trophy. That summer, though, a defensive midfielder was a priority.
In came Rodri, who had replaced Jorginho as City’s No.1 holding midfielder target. The Blues had given themselves time and finally got their man. It’s proved to be the right decision already.
The Spaniard has not had the perfect season, but injuries dictated that Fernandinho was needed in defence, so Rodri was not given time to ease into Guardiola’s demands.
Now he has admitted his early performances may have suffered as he adjusted to a new league.
“The first challenge obviously was to adapt to the Premier League game,” he said. “It’s another style of football.
“You can’t take a breath or relax during the 90 minutes - not even for one second.
“I realised straight away that in this league you need to think really quickly. I tried to adapt my game in the first games of the season.
You can’t take a breath or relax during the 90 minutes - not even for a second Rodri on life in the Premier League
“When I got the pace of the Premier League, I also started adapting my game and my skills to the team.”
Tellingly, Rodri let slip that the holding role in a midfield three is one he had never played before, having been in a more traditional defensive midfield position for Atletico Madrid.
“I try to learn every day from him [Guardiola],” he explained. “He has helped me a lot, especially tactically. It’s been the first time I played alone as a holding midfielder so I have to adapt to the new situation.” Considering how much he has had to adapt, Rodri’s impressive performances are even more remarkable and he should be considered one of City’s best players this season.
His passing ability and consist
ency in midfield have made up for the absence of Fernandinho in that position with minimal disruption.
Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero might be in line to win the club’s end of season awards - and possibly some league-wide honours too - but City would surely have found themselves further behind Liverpool without the performances of Rodri.
Just like Fernandinho was the previous season, Rodri has been City’s unsung hero who has proved integral to the tactics Guardiola demands. In less than a season, the Blues boss has been justified in waiting to find the perfect player in a critical position, rather than be rushed at the end of a transfer window and pay over the odds for second-best.
So as this summer approaches, fans should look at the success of Rodri’s signing and trust Guardiola when it comes to finding a centreback to replace Vincent Kompany.
His new transfer priority is clear, but history suggests he will get it right.