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What’s Going Wrong With Manchester City?

November 30, 2024
Tactical Analysis, Premier League Analysis

Manchester City has not won a singular game since the 26th of October which was a 1-0 win against Southampton. It sounds unfathomable that the team who are the current champions of the world and have won the last four Premier League titles consecutively is finding it hard to even keep a 3-0 lead, as Feyenoord were able to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the UEFA Champions League to earn a point in the League Phase. Everything is going wrong for Manchester City at the moment. This leads to the question, “What is happening to Manchester City” ?

 

There are a number of causes that could be attributed to this poor run of form and it is highly possible that some of the issues did not start this season. Manchester City have had problems with being unable to win second balls, defensive duels and weaknesses in their pressing structure since the 2023/2024 season. The images below show how weakened the defence has been especially this season, conceding so many big chances which can easily be created from singular transitions.

 

Photo: Opta

 

According to Opta Analyst, no Premier League team has faced more big chances in the past two months than City. What’s more, they have conceded more big chances (37) this season than they have created (36), a stark contrast to last season when they had a positive differential of +64.

 

The absence of Rodri who was able to win second balls and defensive duels is very obvious especially because Manchester City do not have other midfielders who would be able to do the same thing due to age and their current physical states. Mateo Kovačić, İlkay Gündoğan and Bernardo Silva are all 30+ years old and cannot do the job Rodri was able to do in that aspect over the course of a season.

 

Asides that, the press structure itself has had some holes due to improper personnel to fill it or teams having easier solutions to break through City by either targeting the wide areas when there is a turnover because the fullbacks are up high and the defensive midfielders cannot properly screen and cover those areas in time or take the risk through the middle with quick through balls to carve the defence open.

 

Erling Haaland: Manchester City’s Unstoppable Attacking Phenom

 

Manchester City also have nine players over the age of 29 who have played so many minutes over the past few seasons and still start a lot currently and their bodies are failing them a bit like the captain Kyle Walker, Silva and Gündoğan. The squad’s current physical state especially in midfield and defensive areas is not the best at the moment. The recruitment since the treble season has not been the best to fill the needs Manchester City were having since last season. 

 

The team is also having problems with the attack, but that’s even without considering the big chances missed. Whenever Kevin De Bruyne or Rodri are not on the pitch, what City tend to have is “stale possession” , passing the ball from side to side with few penetrative openings exploited when the opportunity was there for more but the players either cannot make the pass or do not want to attempt it in the guise of risk minimisation.

 

Without any of those two, it’s difficult for City to properly progress from deep or quickly switch play to wingers to isolate them 1v1 or finding players in the pockets to increase the likelihood of creating more chances closer to goal. Kovačić and Gündoğan who have been playing this deeper role for City so far cannot do this at the level required, Gündoğan is closer to the level required but his skillset in that matter is not enough to overlook his off the ball deficiency.

 

 

Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne have been carrying Manchester City’s penetrative passing statistics since 22/23. De Bruyne led the club in through ball, key passes and passes into the penalty area in 2022/23 and was second to Rodri in switches and progressive passes. In 2023/24, Rodri led the team in progressive passes, final third passes and switches.

 

 

He was only second to Phil Foden in passes into the penalty area and was top 5 in chance creation last season effectively taking the roles of both a 6 and an 8 in the absence of De Bruyne and due to the inability of the club to bring a player who could do the central midfield role properly while being able to constantly win defensive duels and also been a pass heavy midfielder. The injuries to both so far have made Manchester City look very predictable on the attack and it is easy for teams to shut them out by letting them have the ball and just look to get them at the break instead. 

 

In addition to the recruitment, tactical and personnel problems, the short term reason for Manchester City’s struggles is simply player injuries. Rodri is out for the season, Oscar Bobb is out till at least January, Jérémy Doku, Nathan Aké, Manuel Akanji, John Stones, Rúben Dias, Walker, Kovačić and even Sávinho have all suffered injuries keeping them out at different times of the season.

 

As such, this results in footballers having to play non-ideal situations and possible mental fatigue from the ones who have been constantly playing since the start of the season show that the squad is unfit and tired. As Pep Guardiola said, “Just give me my players back”, it is likely that with a fitter squad, they would be able to navigate their current issues. Will Guardiola be able to find a solution to the current predicament? Will the team be able to step up? Or will this be a down season for the English giants?

 

By: @princerequiem49

Featured Image: @GabFoligno / David Ramos – AFP

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