The sight of Rodri parading the Ballon d’Or earlier than kick-off on the Etihad Stadium was a reminder of what they had been lacking. However that was nothing in comparison with what occurred subsequent. Tottenham Hotspur imposed brutal penalties.
Manchester Metropolis’s key man may solely watch as Anj Postkoglu’s facet ran amok in an space of the pitch the place he normally dominates. In his absence, the world turned a vacuum. The flaw was evident even earlier than Metropolis’s outcomes started to deteriorate. Nevertheless it was solely now that issues got here to gentle.
This was evident in how James Maddison accelerated into a niche within the Metropolis protection with nobody monitoring him and scored the primary objective. He repeated the transfer seven minutes later, solely this time he caught Son Heung-min’s move as a substitute of Dejan Kulusevski’s cross.
Tottenham’s third objective will likely be extra painful for Guardiola as he summons the braveness to overview the sport, which began with Kulusevski breaking by way of powder puff resistance in his personal half and ended with Pep Dro Polo is surrounded.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra handy video participant
Gary Neville feedback on Manchester Metropolis’s 4-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur
“What are we taking a look at?” requested sky sports activitiesGary Neville mentioned on joint commentary. However in some way issues obtained worse for Manchester Metropolis and Tottenham Hotspur’s fourth sport noticed Brennan Johnson rating from Timo Werner’s cross to offer them a win over Pep Guardiola suffered the heaviest dwelling defeat beneath his management.
In reality, it was the worst dwelling defeat of Guardiola’s profession.
The sight of Werner easing previous Kyle Walker over the thigh earlier than the fourth objective was a reminder that Rodri’s absence isn’t Metropolis’s solely drawback in the meanwhile. “It is not simply Rodri,” Neville mentioned. However its significance can’t be overstated.
This time round, Mateo Kovacic’s harm has sophisticated the state of affairs, leaving 20-year-old full-back Rico Lewis and 34-year-old Ilkay Gundogan as their deepest midfielders.
“They’re each nice gamers however who needs to do the soiled work in midfield?” Jamie Redknapp requested at half-time.
The pair made nearly no passing errors, and neither did Guardiola’s third participant within the midfield, Bernardo Silva. However none of them obtained shut with out the ball. There have been extra fouls between them than tackles. Spurs crushed them – and never only for the targets. Postkoglu’s crew carried out brilliantly from begin to end.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra handy video participant
Watch highlights from Tottenham Hotspur’s win over Manchester Metropolis free of charge
After all, Metropolis have been right here earlier than.
They’ve clawed again a wider hole than their present five-point hole with Liverpool. That can stay the case even when Arne Slott’s facet beat Southampton on Sunday, as Metropolis recovered from a 10-point deficit to win beneath Jurgen Klopp in 2018/19 The Pink Military.
However this time it felt completely different. Metropolis had been unbeaten within the first two months of the season however the warning indicators have now turn out to be deafening alarm bells. This temporary phenomenon has turn out to be a disaster that not even the information of Guardiola’s contract extension can alleviate.
Neville added: “Man Metropolis have misplaced the odd sport right here however hardly ever will we see them crushed in each side and that is what we noticed.”
“They regarded quick, the shortest I’ve seen since Guardiola’s first season. I’ve by no means seen something as dangerous as this.”
The numbers actually help this declare. Manchester Metropolis has conceded 17 targets in 12 video games this season. That quantity is identical as 18th-placed Crystal Palace and is a median of just about 40% greater than in Guardiola’s first trophy-less season in cost.
That is the results of giving up greater high quality alternatives. With out Rodri, his absence has turn out to be a psychological drawback in addition to a technical and tactical drawback. They open up the state of affairs too simply. No crew within the Premier League has given up extra pictures in fast breaks this season. They’re fortunate no more groups took benefit of this chance.
In addition they have points on the opposite finish. Erling Haaland stays prolific. His scoring price is greater than final season. However the issue is, on an off-day like in the present day, when he missed a string of tantalizing possibilities within the first half, there was nobody else to step up.
The Norwegian’s goalscoring share has elevated from round 30% up to now two seasons to over 50% this season. Manchester Metropolis’s second-highest scorers within the Premier League this season are Josko Gvaldiol and Mateo Kovacic, with three targets every.
Metropolis’s forwards have supplied dependable goalscoring in earlier seasons. This time, there is just one participant, Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku, Savinho and Jack Grilli. That is unsustainable, particularly with 33-year-old Kevin De Bruyne’s declining health and Julian Alvarez lengthy gone.
Sunday, December 1, 3:30 pm
Begins at 4:00 pm
Nevertheless, even their goalscoring woes are not less than partly all the way down to Rodri’s absence. He will not win the Ballon d’Or simply for giving Metropolis a defensive stability. The participant scored 9 targets final season, eight of which got here within the Premier League. He was missed each offensively and defensively.
Metropolis will undoubtedly flip to the switch market in January to discover a resolution. However there are nonetheless seven Premier League video games to be performed earlier than the switch window opens, beginning with a visit to Anfield to face leaders Liverpool subsequent Sunday.
Primarily based on this proof, issues might worsen earlier than they get higher.
