Its right, he has said it many times.
Rodri | Man City player | Ballon d'Or winner
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
So that makes it believable? He’s said it many times, he’s just a liar. Did you watch the game today. Rodri should have been off the pitch today.
Yes he does. He was even shown in the city-"documentary" tellinh his players to foul opponents to avoid counters.
You know I am joking right?
So is he better than Fred?
Was never gonna join us with Pep interested.
Didn't think he was very good.
To be honest I think Fred would do quite well in that team, being surrounded with the players that City have in a very drilled and highly functioning side makes it so much easier.
I’ve only watched Rodri for one and a half game, but he looks quite decent. Does remind me of Busquets.
Easily? Didn’t he cost them 70+M? Given he’s so perfect for Guardiolas system, and Spanish, it always seemed like a lock that he’d sign for them. There’s no way he’d have come here instead.
Not in terms of money but how fast it was
Release clause
That's what I'm saying. That was a very smart way to target a need and get it done without hassle. Just meet the clause, agree personnal terms and be done with it. We'd have dragged it for longer
It's a matter of chance for such a player who you need to be available and have a release clause that isn't absurd. Also City are among the best 2-3 teams on the planet and are managed by the best manager in the world who is also Spanish. It was always an easy deal to pull off. Much harder when you're 6th and have a newbie as manager.
Us taking ages to sign certain players has nothing to do with OGS. Even before him it wasn't great.
So what's the story with this lad? All summer it was said how he's be the answer to City's midfield and he would help take them to a next level. I haven't seen him bar one game where he was fairly Ok but unspectacular, obviously it'll take time for him to settle though. So how's he actually been?
He has been excellent, but must not be confused as the direct replacement for Fernandinho. Great ability to recycle the ball, keep it moving in possession, keeping the team on the front foot, but he plays 5 yards further forward which exposes him on the turnover more than Fern.
My guess is he will learn from Pep's school of dark arts very very quickly, but with more Yellows coming for cynical fouls, he might not get the chance to show he can do what Fernandinho has done over the last few years.
My guess is he will learn from Pep's school of dark arts very very quickly, but with more Yellows coming for cynical fouls, he might not get the chance to show he can do what Fernandinho has done over the last few years.
Not on the level of peak Fernandinho yet. But there's a good player in him.
Plays like a Busquets (lite) type player, & not exactly like Fernandinho. He’s a tad “slow” from the little I’ve seen of him but he’s also still young and will probably grow into the team/role/league. Maybe the word I’m looking for isn’t “slow”. Can’t really explain it.
The Busquets emergence in 2009 made it uncool to criticise players for only passing it sideways or 'recycling' posession. Honestly I don't rate these types of players at all, I miss the 2000s when one CM was great at running and tackling, and the other was doing forward runs and creative stuff ie : Yaya
Weird comment to make in this thread, given that Rodri has shown the ability to play the defense splitting ball from a central position
Agree with this. He didn't look slow but he doesn't cover the ground Fernandinho does. Doesn't get back near as quickly. Maybe still adapting but atm playing with him is pretty much playing without a dm.
Yeah, sort of exactly what I was trying to say. Your defence look a lot more exposed with him in there, and without Fernandinho - although, tbf, you have a ton of defensive injuries. I'm not sure if it is pace or positioning, or a bit of both. Also, Fernandinho is ace.
Reminds me of Carrick a bit. Not your typical DM as not massively athletic in terms of pace and strength but has great positioning and is disciplined.
In terms of ball retention, he keeps the ball well but can also break the lines and play excellent long balls when required.
In terms of ball retention, he keeps the ball well but can also break the lines and play excellent long balls when required.
Prime Busquets is one of the best forward passing defensive midfielders ever.
Not been that impressed with him to be honest. Doesn't look particularly special. But it's early days in his City career.
Jorginho level pointless, or rather a 70M bulkier Harry Winks
Early days but I’m seeing more personality in his performances compared to when he first played for City. Initially was backwards only but is becoming more progressive. Gut says he’ll come good - Pep rarely gets it wrong pivot wise.
He's surprisingly good with the ball although in the last match, where everyone was shit to be fair, he dwell on it a bit too much. His tackling is also superb, but his positional awareness is not on the level of Fernandinho's just yet.
I disagree.
What is so brilliant about the likes of a Busquets, a Fernandinho or a Jorginho isn't so much what they do with the ball but the ease in which they receive it then distribute it, you can pass to them while they're tightly marked and 95% of the time they will still comfortably distribute it to a player who's free.
They may not be the most pleasing on the eye players despite their technical ability but in an era where midfield domination is key those type of players are very important.
But I don't include Fernandinho in this 'controller' style of player of jorginho or rodri, and I think he's excellent
Gets into more physical battles than Fernandinho did purely because of this size. This leaves gaps and has contributed to us looking more open at the start of this season.
He's a lot different to Fernandinho but he is a Rolls Royce and excellent. We've just got to adjust the way we play a bit and we're struggling with that.
He's a lot different to Fernandinho but he is a Rolls Royce and excellent. We've just got to adjust the way we play a bit and we're struggling with that.
I mentioned this in the 'football phrases you hate' thread! My brother (a Liverpool fan,) used to describe Emre Can that way. Nauseating! Anyway, sorry for derailing!
He's more Carrick than Busquets isn't he. While he has a great touch and composure he certainly isnt much of a ball manipulator.
Unfair on Carrick IMO
how so?
I think that as Scholes waned Carrick became more assertive in terms of moving the ball around proactively and switching the tempo
Yeah but i was talking mainly about their ability with the ball at their feet. Rodri like Carrick can be heavy footed at times unlike Busquets who found it very easy to manipulate the ball around to buy himself space.
True, we've seen Rodri caught on the ball a fair few times this season. Admittedly under real pressure.
This a million times this! I can't believe that anyone who has seen prime Busquets would ever describe him as a sideways passer. The guy was no Xavi or Iniesta but he could pass forward as good as the best DMs ever.