In last season's Champions League final, Guardiola did not use a defensive midfielder, which was the main reason for City's loss to Chelsea. Six months on, Rodri has become one of Guardiola's most important players and City are back at the top of the Premier League table. That was confirmed by the recent wins over Leeds United and Newcastle, a gorgeous turnaround for the 25-year-old.
Guardiola has high demands on players in this position in midfield. He's looking for players who can combine positional discipline and repression, while also demonstrating a keen use of possession to lock in the attack. After Pep Guardiola joined in 2016, Fernandinho has a wealth of experience and mature skills to quickly take control of the team's role. The same is true for Rodri, but he has proven himself to be able to meet the requirements and now his performances are solid and are the cornerstone of Guardiola's win.
"He played well last season. Maybe his performance has declined in the final stages of the season, but last season we gave him more playing time and we have to be careful," Guardiola said of Rodri earlier in the season. "He's at a very high level right now. He plays very steadily, both defensively and offensively. "It's a different rod than the previous two seasons at Manchester City, who is getting more and more confident and confident in his abilities.
He has become a midfielder ready to command his teammates, and he can break through to the offensive position as he did against Leeds, or score from 20 metres like he did against Everton. Defensively, he knows where he is on the pitch and occasionally takes tactical fouls when needed, like the techniques his predecessor Fernandinho mastered.
Not long ago fans questioned whether Rodri could succeed Fernandinho, but Guardiola has shaped him into his ideal defensive midfielder, Mahrez and Cancelo have spent a long time learning and adapting, while Jack Glalish is still adjusting after his arrival. Compared to the rest of the pitch, his influence is hard to prove with statistics.
One statistic that speaks for it, however, is that only Liverpool's Thiago Alcantara has had a higher midfield attacking success rate than him this season, and perhaps Rodri's biggest mark of influence is that he has won 18 of his 21 starts this season and only 1 of the 6 games he has missed.
The 2-2 draw at Anfield was probably Rodri's best performance of the season as he faced a Team of Liverpool who could beat Manchester City at home. Rodri seized his chance, blocking Fabinho's winning goal with brilliant technique, and when he was about to hit the empty goal, Rodri grabbed the initiative in the game.
"For me, the ball has come in," Klopp admitted after the game, underscoring Rodry's magical nature. The Manchester City star denied the incident, saying it only helped the team, but there is no doubt that his presence was crucial to helping City regain their Premier League title before New Year's Day against Leicester City.
"It's not an easy position," Rodri admitted at the beginning of the season, "you need to find your role, the team needs you, and I fully understand what the team is asking of me, every 1 game I try to be the best I can and learn every day." "Under Guardiola, the players will never stop learning, but Rodri has started to become his key master. In key games ahead, he will continue to be City's starter.