Rodri the 'best midfielder in the world,' says Guardiola
BEST IN THE WORLD: Pep Guardiola believes that Rodri is the best midfielder in the world as he can do everything.
THE goal may not have been as memorable as the one he scored on that eventful night in Istanbul on June, but as Rodri let rip with the latest in his line of massive contributions to the Manchester City cause, there was a timely reminder about his place in the club’s hierarchy of importance.
There have been millions of words, graphics and sound bites expounded on the superlative qualities of Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland; even Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, during City’s recent record breaking exploits.
But the Spanish midfielder is often an after-thought when pundits examine how City won the treble last season and how they might very well do it again this season.
Pep Guardiola does not make such a mistake.
Never one for over-stating the merits of his players - after all, when your first superstar is a youngster called Lionel Messi, the bar has been set high - Guardiola has no doubt where Rodri currently belongs in the conversation.
The best midfielder in the world, he says … by far.
“I would say if the holding midfielder doesn’t get the same appreciation as the strikers or the number 10 then that is good!” joked Guardiola. “So when a holding midfielder has a lot of appreciation, it is not good.
“The holding midfielder has to play positive, for him and for the team, and make the team play. This is the role for the holding midfielders.
“All the highlights have to be for the guys up front who score goals and make assists and so on.
“But Rodri always has the ability in important moments to score goals, so he’s an unbelievable player. He’s the best midfield player in the world currently by far because he is able to do everything, set the tempo, especially his character.
“When the situation is going wrong, making a step forward, arrive to the box, the ability to play, the short, the long (pass) and always ready.
“So, what a signing. Manchester City signed a player that it’s difficult to understand how we could haver done what we have done in recent years without him. It would have been difficult.”
Even setting aside that goal that clinched the Champions League Final against Inter Milan in June, which is impossible to do as it secured the treble, one statistic underlines Rodri’s peerless contribution more than any other.
Not since February 5 last year, and defeat to Spurs, has Rodri been on the losing side playing for City - over 12 months and a stretch of 55 games.
The flip side of that coin is even more startling. Of the seven games Rodri has missed this season, four have been against Premier League opponents - three in the league and one in the Carabao Cup - and City have lost them all. The only wins a non-Rodri City side has managed to record this season have been against Young Boys, Red Star and Huddersfield.
His durability is even more impressive - 237 games for City now in four and a half seasons - when one considers the physical nature of the position Rodri plays.
And, after the disappointment of falling behind to Raheem Sterling’s opening goal and having to wait for his dramatic late equaliser, Rodri also turned motivational analyst as he looked at his team’s shortcomings.
"It’s a matter of defending better,” he said. “We tried in the second half. [We had more] spirit, we wanted the ball and wanted to take risks. We were a bit scared of the counter-attack [in the first half]. You have to be brave."
Bravery is not usually a quality found lacking in Guardiola teams although a gap of four points to leaders Liverpool, even with a game in hand and visit to Anfield pending, is hardly ideal, especially with a powerful Arsenal team standing in-between them.
“My responsibility is, okay, let’s go, let’s try to do it again,” said Guardiola. “For me, it’s not necessary in years to come, or with this result, to know that never ever in this sport, in football, in this competition, in this league, with these contenders, is it easy.
“It looks like it for the people who are not involved in that. But it’s not. Always it’s difficult. That’s why it’s nice. If it was easy, what sense? It’s not.” For Sterling and Chelsea, this was the latest in a line of recent improvements and the implementation of a masterful gameplay from Mauricio Pochettino who recognised that, with City employing only one defensive midfielder in Rodri, there was plenty of scope to hit them on the break.
City outshot Chelsea 32-9 and had 71 per cent of the possession but could very easily have lost the game.
“The game plan was set by the manager and I think it worked really well,” said Sterling. “We caused City a lot of issues on the counter and created a number of chances.
“Coming to the Etihad, we knew they would have a lot of the ball and would use it really well. We knew we would have difficult moments and we just had to stay with them, use our brains and opportunities would come in the transition.
“I think in the end we can be pleased with a good point but I also think there’s a bit of disappointment not to win the game.”
: Ederson 8; Walker 5, Akanji 6, Dias 5, Ake 6; Rodri 7; Foden 7, De Bruyne 7, Alvarez 6 (Silva 64), Doku 7; Haaland 5. Substitutes (not used) Stones, Kovacic, Ortega, Gomez, Nunes, Bobb, Susoho, Lewis.
: Petrovic 7; Gusto 8, Disasi 7, Colwill 6, Chilwell 6; Caicedo 6, Fernandez 6; Palmer 5 (Chaobah 71, 5), Gallagher 7, Sterling 7 (Nkunku 64, 5); Jackson 6 (Casadei 81). Substitutes (not used) Mudryk, Madueke, Bettinelli, Gilchrist, Samuels-Smith, Harrison.
: A Madley 6
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