Gabriele Marcotti, Senior Writer, ESPN FCNov 11, 2024, 07:57 AM ET
Before we head into the final two-week international break of 2024, the European soccer weekend gave us plenty to talk about! For the first time in his coaching career, Pep Guardiola has lost four straight games in all competitions: what does that say about Manchester City? We also got an emphatic Real Madrid bounce-back win, albeit one that feels like a loss given the serious injury suffered by defender Éder Militão.
Plus, there’s plenty to write when it comes to Bayern Munich (who looked better than their 1-0 win over St. Pauli suggests), Liverpool (who won again), Borussia Dortmund (who hurt themselves in defeat to Mainz), Man United (who said goodbye to interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy with a victory) and Roma (who fired their third manager of 2024).
Just like last week, we’ll have a second update/edition with the latest talking points after the Gab & Juls podcast, but for now, it’s Monday, and here is Gab Marcotti reacting to the biggest moments in the world of soccer.
It took him nearly 16 seasons and 940 games, but Pep Guardiola has finally lost four straight games. What does it mean?
As I see it, the four defeats in and of themselves don’t mean that much. Losing to Tottenham was in the League Cup and yes, both teams played a bunch of regular starters, but Erling Haaland traveled and was an unused sub. Bournemouth was a bad defeat and a bad performance. Yes, they lost 4-1 at Sporting, but could easily have scored three in the first half alone. As for Saturday against Brighton? Again, there was potentially a hat-trick for Haaland in the first half, and a collapse at both ends late on: defensive errors at the back and 0.29 second-half xG.
In other words, City weren’t great in any of these four games, but at least two of them could very well have gone the other way because individual superstars can paper over collective cracks. Then, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. That’s why performance matters more than results in assessing a team and their prospects, and the reality is that for much of the year, City have been several notches below the standard they set in years past.
After 11 league games and four Champions League outings last season, they had conceded 11 goals. This year, they’re up to 17. You can’t help but point fingers at the defence, especially since his decision to play with four de facto centerbacks is calculated to give his front men more freedom to operate.
Everybody has heard the Rodri stats and yes, his absence looms very large. But let’s not overstate it either. It’s not as if Rodri goes out and he’s replaced by traffic cones. Mateo Kovacic, Rico Lewis and Ilkay Gündogan are quality footballers: there’s a scheme in which they can do a better job of filling Rodri’s shoes, and Guardiola hasn’t found it yet.
Further up the pitch, injuries have played a part too. Phil Foden, the league’s Player of the Year last season, has started less than half City’s 15 league and Champions League games. Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish, the £100m man, just five; Jérémy Doku, just six. Oskar Bobb, who may not be a superstar, but at least might have eaten up some minutes, has been out all year. And so it feels like the burden falls on the usual shoulders: Bernardo Silva, who is now 30, and Haaland, who has played 96.8% of City’s league and European minutes this season.
The upshot is a City side that, especially recently, has looked more jaded, less sharp and less intense. And one that has endured second-half collapses.
