Redaction Simon Brett with Srinivas Sadhanand
Published on 2024-02-18 10:30:00
Rodri has expressed that Manchester City’s defensive performance was not up to standard during their 1-1 draw against Chelsea.
Pep Guardiola’s team conceded their first goal to Mauricio Pochettino’s side, courtesy of a Raheem Sterling strike in the 42nd minute.
This goal reflected City’s defensive struggles throughout most of the game, both in the first half and to a lesser extent in the second.
Much like in the 4-4 draw between both sides in November, Chelsea managed to find success on the counter-attack during Saturday’s encounter.
It seemed that one or two passes were enough for the visitors to breach City’s defense at the Etihad Stadium, making them the more likely team to score despite having less possession.
After the draw, Rodri admitted that his team did not defend to the standard they needed to. He told Sky Sports, “think we weren’t great in the first half.”
“We conceded another easy goal. I think we have to defend better. They almost created nothing in the first half.”
“We knew about their counter-attacks and fast players, we have to defend the counter-attack better. From there, it’s always more difficult to come back.”
“It’s a matter of defending better. We tried in the second half. We wanted the ball and wanted to take risks. We were a bit scared of the counter-attack. You have to be brave.”
In our view, Manchester City midfielder Rodri accurately summarized the team’s performance in his post-match assessment.
City has only kept three clean sheets in their last 15 Premier League matches, in contrast to the six clean sheets kept by Liverpool and Arsenal during the same period.
The Reds and the Gunners’ superior defenses could significantly impact the Premier League title race this season.
City’s inability to keep a clean sheet could put them at a disadvantage in the title race if they don’t address their defensive vulnerabilities.
Rodri’s disappointment is valid, and unless they improve defensively, Manchester City might find themselves at a disadvantage in the title race.
Overall, Rodri’s assessment underscores the urgent need for Manchester City to address their defensive inconsistencies if they are to be competitive for the Premier League title.
Read Original article on Manchester City News
