Rodri | ACL tear, out for the rest of the season? Yes

Untouchable. The class difference between him and the French midfield...
 
City will struggle to replace him more than any of KDB/Haaland etc.
 
I wouldn't mind him winning the ballon d'or had he not been playing for a certain team.

It's been long overdue for a proper defensive mid to win it.
 
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Pretty incredible that you put a player like him at the base of midfield and it makes a back 4 of Cucurella, Saudi based Laporte, 34 year old nacho and 38 year old Jesus Navas look like a solid back line.

That holding midfielder is the most important player in football. You get that right and it fixes the balance of your team and sets you up to dominate games or play whatever system you want. Sir Alex understood that and always had an elite holding midfield set up.

Rodri easily deserves the Ballon D'Or IMO, and it'll be a welcome change to it beginning to look like a goal award.
 
If he was playing for anyone but City, Real would be all over him. The lack of any links or transfer noise just convinces me more that City players get paid a lot more than whats reported
 
Ghostrider318 said:
If he was playing for anyone but City, Real would be all over him. The lack of any links or transfer noise just convinces me more that City players get paid a lot more than whats reported
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He played for Atletico and is currently managed by Pep Guardiola, and Madrid have Tchouameni. It's nothing to do with money, they're just the best footballing team in the world while Pep is there so players will want to play for them, especially Spanish players.

It'll be different when Pep leaves.
 
Ghostrider318 said:
If he was playing for anyone but City, Real would be all over him. The lack of any links or transfer noise just convinces me more that City players get paid a lot more than whats reported
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This.I said same thing about Aguero back in the day.
 
I have hardly a wish but to see city go down under and him ending on the red side of the Manchester.
 
Ish said:
Class apart. Fabian was also very good. That Spanish midfield were streets ahead of that French one.
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That Spanish midfield is the best midfield in world football. I was surprised when Erik said on that dutch program that England had the best midfield. That Spain midfield is as close to that prime Barca team as anything I've seen since. Rodri is simply sensational and Pedri and Ruiz are extremely intelligent footballers, and to have Olmo in reserve is just ridiculous.
 
Bastian said:
That Spanish midfield is the best midfield in world football. I was surprised when Erik said on that dutch program that England had the best midfield. That Spain midfield is as close to that prime Barca team as anything I've seen since. Rodri is simply sensational and Pedri and Ruiz are extremely intelligent footballers, and to have Olmo in reserve is just ridiculous.
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Yeah, perfect balance there basically, with guys like Olmo & Zubimendi in reserve (plus not to forget Gavi if he’s fit).
 
Bastian said:
That Spanish midfield is the best midfield in world football. I was surprised when Erik said on that dutch program that England had the best midfield. That Spain midfield is as close to that prime Barca team as anything I've seen since. Rodri is simply sensational and Pedri and Ruiz are extremely intelligent footballers, and to have Olmo in reserve is just ridiculous.
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Unpopular opinion…

Olmo>>>>Pedri
 
Ghostrider318 said:
If he was playing for anyone but City, Real would be all over him. The lack of any links or transfer noise just convinces me more that City players get paid a lot more than whats reported
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The reason Spain was very underrated before the Euros is because many of the key men like Olmo, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz are scattered around Europe and aren't at Spain's big 3 clubs unlike the 2008-2012 team. Makes it all the more impressive how well Spain kept possession against France despite not having automatisms from playing together at club level. Imagine how much better Spain can be if more of them played at the same club regularly. Barcelona being in the red probably helped Spain indirectly because they're forced to play and develop more local kids.


Everyone wrongly assumed France's squad was most talented because Madrid has more noteworthy French players than Spanish ones but Spain were technically superior such that France couldn't see much meaningful possession. The other reason they were underrated was the coach, and it's also impressive how deep the Spanish coaching talent pool is and how they have a new young generation lined up like Arteta, Xabi Alonso, Torres.
 
Feels like he gets praise for the most average of games these days. He was alright tonight, but hardly anything special. Spain won thanks to a couple of great individual goals and France not putting away their chances, not because of his steady midfield display.

If that's the kind of performance that is being celebrated these days, the game really must be in the doldrums.
 
sammyhol said:
Unpopular opinion…

Olmo>>>>Pedri
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Olmo suits this Spain team more because they have Morata up front who can’t score much and he gives them more of a goal scoring threat. But I think Pedri would suit plenty of other teams more, England for example.

Lexicon Red Devil said:
Feels like he gets praise for the most average of games these days. He was alright tonight, but hardly anything special. Spain won thanks to a couple of great individual goals and France not putting away their chances, not because of his steady midfield display.

If that's the kind of performance that is being celebrated these days, the game really must be in the doldrums.
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Yeah I have been bigging him up but I also thought tonight was an example why players like Rodri don't tend to win awards, what do you think was the first thing the average person at the stadium leaving the pitch talking to their friends said about the game - Lamine Yamal, right? It's the forwards that ultimately make the game special.
 
Lexicon Red Devil said:
Feels like he gets praise for the most average of games these days. He was alright tonight, but hardly anything special. Spain won thanks to a couple of great individual goals and France not putting away their chances, not because of his steady midfield display.

If that's the kind of performance that is being celebrated these days, the game really must be in the doldrums.
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He's getting praised because France created basically feck all, despite Spain having a back 4 of a 38 year old, 34 year old, 30 year old who has played in the Saudi league for the past year, and fecking cucurella. If you can't recognize that Rodri is absolutely key to just overall team organization, then you really gotta take off the united blinkers. His past 2 years is up there as an all timer of a holding midfielder IMO.

It's not always about what he does on the ball. It's just how he closes shit down and keeps things controlled, never panicked.
 
Bastian said:
That Spanish midfield is the best midfield in world football. I was surprised when Erik said on that dutch program that England had the best midfield. That Spain midfield is as close to that prime Barca team as anything I've seen since. Rodri is simply sensational and Pedri and Ruiz are extremely intelligent footballers, and to have Olmo in reserve is just ridiculous.
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And Gavi missed the tournament with injury too
 
wr8_utd said:
City will struggle to replace him more than any of KDB/Haaland etc.
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I remember people saying the same about how its impossible to replace Fernandinho and they got Rodri who is even better
 
Bastian said:
That Spanish midfield is the best midfield in world football. I was surprised when Erik said on that dutch program that England had the best midfield. That Spain midfield is as close to that prime Barca team as anything I've seen since. Rodri is simply sensational and Pedri and Ruiz are extremely intelligent footballers, and to have Olmo in reserve is just ridiculous.
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He was probably bigging up Mainoo, especially compared against Rodri and what had just happened in the FA Cup final. Current managers as pundits often use those opportunities as little motivation points.
 
bosnian_red said:
He's getting praised because France created basically feck all, despite Spain having a back 4 of a 38 year old, 34 year old, 30 year old who has played in the Saudi league for the past year, and fecking cucurella. If you can't recognize that Rodri is absolutely key to just overall team organization, then you really gotta take off the united blinkers. His past 2 years is up there as an all timer of a holding midfielder IMO.

It's not always about what he does on the ball. It's just how he closes shit down and keeps things controlled, never panicked.
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I absolutely agree that Rodri is integral to the way Spain manage space on the pitch so well, and in my opinion, he is clearly the best midfielder in the world and has been for some time. One of my absolute favourite players to watch - perhaps more so than Busquets because of how much more versatile he is (plays with multiple midfield partners and archetypes, ability to attack the box compellingly and pop up with goals).

But I want to add that I've just been so impressed with the entire Spain team and their ability to close down space in the defensive transition. It's not just Rodri, although he is a huge factor. But every midfielder and attacker seemed to be so quick to close down passing and dribbling lanes, so it was very rare for the likes of Dembele or Mbappe to be able to stand up one of these "older" defenders and penetrate the defence. I also think France missed a genuinely creative and incisive midfielder who could advance the ball to attackers in better positions (I think they really missed what Pogba brought to that team).
 
Thought he was injured near the end of the game as he was signaling to the bench to come off. Class player.
 
Number 16. Tucked in shirt. Playing in that position. I wonder what player he reminds me of.
 
I predicted Portugal to win the Euros because I thought he played for them. If Spain win it, I will be partially correct I think.
 
He’s class. Of course the majority of what he does is simple and effective, but being in the right place at the right time and playing the right passes at the right time is a huge skill.

Any team in the world would be much better with a player like Rodri.
 
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