Man City crisis is indefensible as glaring weakness exposed by vibrant Tottenham

2 hours ago 1

MANCHESTER CITY 0-4 TOTTENHAM: Rodri was introduced to the assemblage earlier the lucifer astatine the Etihad Stadium, earlier City's defenders turned successful a disastrous display

Manchester City were hammered astatine  location  by Tottenham

Manchester City were hammered astatine location by Tottenham

For 10 minutes, each was good astatine the Etihad Stadium, a assemblage favourite strutting his worldly successful the centre of the park. And then the lucifer began.

The arena darkened and his sanction up successful aureate lights, Rodri had paraded his Ballon D’Or trophy successful beforehand of a suitably appreciative assemblage successful what was rather an oddly elaborate ceremony. Spurs players were acceptable to footwear disconnected portion City players stood to springiness their injured team-mate a defender of honour arsenic helium near the pitch.

But if the pre-game amusement was a gentle reminder of what Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are missing, what followed was a thumping reminder.

In his archetypal property league aft signing the caller contract, Guardiola had spoken astir the interaction of Rodri’s semipermanent absence. “He (Rodri) is the champion subordinate successful the world,” Guardiola said. “Imagine astatine Barcelona erstwhile Messi was the champion subordinate - without him that season, would I person won the treble? No. Win six (La Liga titles) successful a enactment without Messi? I don’t triumph six.”

And portion it is comparatively aboriginal successful the season, volition helium triumph the treble without Rodri? No. Will helium triumph 5 titles successful a enactment without Rodri. He won’t triumph five. Not if you are judging by the past 5 games, that is for sure.

Of course, it is not conscionable Rodri’s unavailability that is down this alarming City slump. Not astatine all. This is simply a City squad that has spent truthful overmuch of its beingness successful absorption territory that it appears to person forgotten what to bash successful its ain territory.

Manchester City were stunned by Tottenham (

Image:

AFP via Getty Images)

Remember 1 of Guardiola’s soundbites aboriginal successful his Premier League career? “I americium not a manager for the tackles truthful I don’t bid the tackles.” Even for specified a celebrated coach, it is ne'er excessively precocious to alteration ways.

Quite frankly, whenever immoderate squad - ne'er caput 1 arsenic talented arsenic this Spurs broadside - attacks the champions, determination is simply a extremity waiting to happen. Forget inverted full-backs and centre-halves stepping into midfield, a spot oregon 2 of regular defending would travel successful useful present and again.

Josko Gvardiol enactment up 1 of the worst idiosyncratic antiaircraft displays of the play - astatine responsibility for James Maddison’s expertly-taken 2 goals - but his incompetence was the norm alternatively than the exception.

Josko Gvardiol was recovered wanting defensively (

Image:

Getty Images)

Since Kyle Walker launched a podcast entitled You’ll Never Beat Kyle Walker, everyone beats Kyle Walker. Yes, it was a achy stroke to suffer the antheral who truthful often snuffed retired information astatine its root but adjacent without Rodri, the cardinal midfielders person to connection much extortion than they did against Tottenham.

Ange Postecoglou’s broadside were good, precise good. As they tin be. They person a beauteous array of fast, attacking options and awesome athleticism passim the ranks, arsenic wonderfully demonstrated by the Pedro Porro extremity that enactment them 3 ahead. But that extremity besides showcased a City squad that has abruptly descended into casual incompetence.

Dejan Kulusevski walked done challenges that bore not adjacent a passing resemblance to a tackle. Ilkay Gündoğan was 1 of the offenders and his contributions since moving backmost to the Etihad person been symptomatic of City’s existent malaise. He is ponderous, to accidental the least.

James Maddison shone for Tottenham (

Image:

AP)

And the information is that specified has been their unconvincing signifier since time one, it was a insignificant occurrence that City got to the past time of October earlier losing a lucifer this season. They mightiness get backmost to winning ways against Feyenoord connected Tuesday - but don’t slope connected it. Right now, this is simply a squad that could suffer to anyone.

At that property conference, Guardiola joked that portion helium had signed a two-year deal, helium mightiness not past a period if things don’t crook around. At slightest we thought helium was joking.

Next up successful the Premier League for City? Liverpool astatine Anfield. On this evidence, determination volition lone beryllium 1 victor of that one. And connected this evidence, the 1 victor of the Premier League volition NOT beryllium Manchester City.

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