When Aké headed the ball towards Gvardiol, it looked as if Manchester City had escaped the Feyenoord threat in that occasion. But Gvardiol's lofted pass back to Ederson was quickly intercepted by Hadj Moussa. The Algerian forward ran past the Brazilian and scored into an empty net.
Feyenoord would go on to equalize a match they had been losing 3-0 in the 74th minute. A comeback for the ages that officially signaled the beginning of an unprecedented reality: Guardiola's Manchester City was undergoing a process of humanization. This was no longer about six unfortunate losses. The team was out of ideas, physically drained, and caught in a perpetual state of panic.
The injury to Rodrigo Hernández, one of several absences during that period, dealt a massive blow to the team. Guardiola hadn’t just lost the best player of 2024. Rodri was holding the system together on his own. Without him, the team spiraled into chaos, impatience and reliance on individual efforts. Problems that had subtly emerged at City came to light in dramatic fashion during a stretch of 9 losses in 12 games. This was compounded by the constant aging of a squad that hadn’t seen a significant refresh in years. One that now seems to be underway.
Chaos has become a recurring theme in Manchester City’s matches this season. The team’s average PPDA has dropped to 13.9 from 11.8 last season, meaning City take longer to regain possession and look to finish quicker than ever before (fewer passes per shot — 34.9 compared to 37). Guardiola has witnessed his team’s possession percentage drop by four points, with opponents averaging 38.4% possession compared to 34% previously. For someone who champions control football, this is chaos.
What Rodri brought to the table cannot be replicated by City with any of their current midfield combinations. All their midfielders are offensive-minded players and as a result of that they do not like to follow to follow shadows and want to regain the ball as soon as possible, despite lacking the safety net the Spaniard provided, and in some cases (De Bruyne, Gündogan) also the physicality they once had to do so effectively. Continuing to play the same way has often left City stuck in a limbo. Caught between pressing and sitting back.
Brighton’s winning goal exemplified City’s struggles this season. When City failed to press high or sit in a intense mid-block, they were able to keep it compact but were neither putting pressure on the passer nor cutting off passing lanes.
As a result, Baleba passed to Welbeck, who laid it off for João Pedro. With just three passes, Brighton played through City’s block and exploited the space behind the high defensive line. A line far too advanced given the lack of pressure on the ball.
At the other extreme are City’s difficulties in deciding when to press and when not to. After losing possession in the opposition half against Manchester United, Foden, Haaland, and De Bruyne pressed to recover the ball. However, De Bruyne’s half-hearted effort left a gap between himself and Gündogan. A simple ball allowed United to bypass the press entirely.
These indecisions have been exacerbated by the lack of a specific replacement for Rodri. Against Brighton, it was Nunes and Kovacic; other times, it’s been Kovacic and Gündogan, or Kovacic as the lone pivot. No one has cemented their place. The absence of John Stones, a temporary ‘6’ during City’s Champions League-winning campaign, hasn’t helped rebuild the midfield either. Kovacic, in particular, has struggled as a lone pivot.
In the loss to Aston Villa, City’s pressing issues were glaring. In one instance of high pressing, Kovacic had to decide whether to block a potential pass to Rodgers, who had dropped from a forward position, or to Tielemans.
The Croatian shifted decisively toward one option. Dibu Martínez exploited this by passing to Tielemans, whose movement Stones tracked slightly late.
At this point, there wasn’t much danger. Stones prevented Tielemans from turning, but Kovacic completely lost sight of Rodgers, who slipped in behind him. By the time Kovacic realized where his mark was, Rodgers was already running into the space between the center-backs. Kovacic’s focus was entirely on the ball—precisely the type of situation Guardiola hasn’t been able to address since Rodri’s injury.
An Indirect but Necessary Solution
Ironically, none of the signings Manchester City has made—or is planning to make at the time of writing—directly addresses these issues. Instead, they aim to improve City in areas they’ve struggled with: verticality to create chances, aggression to avoid passivity in the block, and speed to defend space.
Still, beyond tactics, City must address a deeper issue: they need to rejuvenate the squad.
City currently has the fourth-oldest squad in the Premier League, with an average age of 27.2 years. Only five players are in their prime years (24-28): Haaland, Dias, Foden, Rodri, and Nunes. Meanwhile, 11 players can be considered past their peak.
For this reason, the names linked to City include Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Vitor Reis.
Omar Marmoush is a versatile forward, though it remains unclear where he will play under Guardiola. Primarily a second striker, he enjoyed freedom of movement at Frankfurt.
This year, his scoring has taken off: 13 goals from 8.3 xG. Marmoush seems poised to replace the goals lost with Julián Álvarez’s departure. He’s also self-sufficient; only six forwards in Europe’s top five leagues average more than his 3.2 successful dribbles per game, and none lose possession less often. Marmoush combines dribbling ability with excellent decision-making.
In defense, City is betting on potential. Abdukodir Khusanov is a defender with controlled aggression, difficult to beat one-on-one, and quick to cover space. However, his passing ability raises questions about whether he can meet Guardiola’s demands. His 0.9 dangerous turnovers per game place him in the 17th percentile among defenders. While his progressive passing is slightly above average, his carrying ability and progressive carry numbers are significantly below.
Vitor Reis, on the other hand, excels in the passing departments. Among 89 defenders with over 450 minutes in the 2024 Brasileirao, he ranked 11th for pass danger added (Passing Contribution - 14.2%). He is above average in all passing metrics. However, defensively, he was dribbled past in 3 of 10 of his tackles on average and had a duel success rate of just 56.7%. Reis will need to develop physically to make a significant contribution.
While recent signings haven’t consistently lived up to the club’s high expectations, City’s latest acquisitions seem like relatively safe bets. They don’t directly replace Rodrigo Hernández, but they bolster the squad for the short term and, most importantly, invest in the future—a crucial step for a team that desperately needed it.
