Rodri's return to top form: When the Ballon d'Or wasn't enough to help Man City overcome Chelsea.
Despite Rodri's outstanding performance following his ACL injury, Man City were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea at the Etihad and remain six points behind Arsenal in the league table.
Manchester City's 1-1 draw against Chelsea was a testament to Rodri's class – the "lighthouse" in midfield – but it also exposed alarming flaws in Pep Guardiola's system. This result allowed Arsenal to extend their lead to six points, putting The Citizens in a fierce chase for the title.
The return of the midfield "master".
More than a year has passed since his horrific ACL injury, and this was Rodri's first time playing a full 90 minutes. Manchester City fans had worried after every collision involving the Spanish midfielder, but his performance at the Etihad dispelled all doubts. The best version of Rodri – the Ballon d'Or winner – has truly returned to redefine the concept of controlling the game.
Impressive statistics
The performance of number 16 was a combination of defensive steel and sharp tactical vision. Post-match statistics showed his absolute dominance in the central midfield area:
- Most wins in one-on-one duels in the match (9 times).
- Make 5 successful tackles.
- There were 10 successful ball recoveries.
- Not once was he dribbled past by an opponent.
In the first half, Rodri turned the midfield into his own "territory". The moment he dribbled past Josh Acheampong before delivering a pass that tore through the Chelsea defense for Erling Haaland to hit the post was clear evidence of his excellent physical condition and superior footballing intelligence.
Concerns arising from collective weaknesses
Despite Rodri's brilliance, Manchester City's tragedy lies in their lack of cohesion. The Spanish midfielder created four excellent scoring opportunities for his teammates, but Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both squandered them in a disappointing manner. When the attack is ineffective, the defense becomes the burden.
The departures of Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol due to injury caused Pep Guardiola's defense to collapse. Enzo Fernandez's equalizer, after a pass from Malo Gusto, was the inevitable consequence of a makeshift defense that lost focus at crucial moments.
A red alert for championship ambitions.
A point against Chelsea isn't a disaster in terms of points, but being six points behind Arsenal is a red flag. Rodri's return offers hope for a devastating winning streak in the second half of the season, a hallmark of Manchester City. However, football is a game of 11 players.
Pep Guardiola has reason to be hopeful now that the team's "heart" is functioning again. The current challenge is how to get the supporting players to operate in sync with the level Rodri is currently demonstrating. Without a quick improvement in effectiveness at both ends of the pitch, even the best midfielder in the world would struggle to salvage a trophyless season for Manchester City.
