Manchester City don’t do small projects. Pep Guardiola’s side have lifted 18 trophies in nine years, yet last season – for only the second time under him ended empty-handed.
A stumble, yes, but one born from Rodri’s devastating injury and the cracks it exposed in City’s control game.
So this summer, City threw down another marker: £320m spent, a tactical reset, and the arrival of Pep Lijnders to inject Klopp style counter-pressing into Guardiola’s possession empire.
The idea is bold: blend positional mastery with faster, more vertical football. On paper, unstoppable.
The opening day 4-0 demolition of Wolves looked like a statement. But football moves fast and back-to-back defeats against Spurs and Brighton reminded us that transitions take time.
In fact, Brighton’s win over City showed just how belief can burn brighter than reputation.
City’s struggles without Rodri last season told the story. Their ability to “rest with the ball” vanished, fast-break goals soared, and pressing numbers collapsed.
Even now, new signings like Gonzalez and Reijnders are still adjusting, while opponents exploit the same gaps down the channels.
And yet, there’s hope. Rodri finally started against Brighton, dictating play in flashes, though still short of full sharpness. Guardiola’s system is evolving, the squad has changed dramatically, and cohesion will take time.
The truth is simple: City aren’t broken they’re rebuilding into something even more dangerous.
Once Rodri is fully back, the press clicks, and the new pieces fit, fans might just see a version of Guardiola’s City unlike anything before. Patience now could mean fireworks later.
