Pep Guardiola at 'red alert' in Manchester City: Decoding club's struggles
It’s a sight few expected—Pep Guardiola, usually the picture of calm control, pacing the sidelines with frustration etched across his face. Manchester City, the reigning Premier League champions, have hit a rough patch unlike anything they’ve faced under Guardiola’s leadership.
A 3-3 draw with Feyenoord on November 29 marked their sixth straight game without a win—five of them losses. For Guardiola, this is the longest winless run of his managerial career. For City, it’s their worst streak since 2006. The questions are piling up: Is this just a bad phase? Or could it be the beginning of the end for Guardiola’s era at the Etihad?
Guardiola recently signed a one-year contract extension, but speculation about his future is louder than ever. Adding to the intrigue are his visible signs of stress—scratches on his head and face, perhaps a reflection of sleepless nights trying to fix City’s problems.
Missing Rodri: The Heart of the Problem
Every great team needs a strong core, and for Manchester City, that player is Rodri. The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has been the key to their success, dominating midfield with his control and game-reading ability. But since he suffered an ACL injury in September, City’s midfield has fallen apart.
Without Rodri, City have struggled to keep control in matches. Opponents have found it easier to attack through the middle, exploiting gaps that Rodri would have shut down. This was painfully clear in their 4-1 loss to Sporting CP, where Viktor Gy¶keres caused havoc with his pace.
Guardiola has tried to adapt, using players like Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku to fill the gaps. But it’s clear that Rodri’s absence has left a hole that no one else can fill. The team looks disjointed, and Guardiola’s usual strategies aren’t working.
Guardiola’s Overthinking Strikes Again
Guardiola’s brilliance as a manager comes from his attention to detail. But sometimes, that same quality becomes a weakness. Once again, his habit of overthinking tactics seems to be backfiring.
Instead of sticking with a consistent plan, Guardiola has been experimenting too much. Phil Foden, one of his most versatile players, has been shuffled between roles—deep in midfield one game, out wide the next. Bernardo Silva and Savio have faced similar positional switches, often playing in areas where they’re less effective.
This constant tinkering has disrupted the team’s rhythm. Even with stars like Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne available, City don’t seem to have a clear identity on the pitch right now.
All Eyes on Haaland
City’s attack has also become one-dimensional. After letting Julian Alvarez leave for Atlético Madrid in the summer, Guardiola has put all his faith in Erling Haaland. While Haaland remains a goal-scoring machine, opposition teams have figured out how to stop City by isolating him.
Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-0 win over City on November 23 was a perfect example. By cutting off service to Haaland, Spurs made City look surprisingly toothless in attack. While Haaland’s brilliance is unquestionable, opposition teams have figured out how to stifle City by neutralizing their star striker. Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-0 demolition of City on November 23—a historic low for Guardiola’s side—showed just how vulnerable they are when Haaland is kept quiet.
City’s recent results tell the story: a 2-1 loss to Brighton, a 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, a 4-1 drubbing by Sporting CP, and back-to-back losses to Spurs, capped by the 3-3 draw with Feyenoord. Each game has exposed the cracks in Guardiola’s system, and the pressure is mounting.
Injuries, tactical missteps, and an over-reliance on certain players have combined to create a perfect storm. Guardiola is facing a challenge unlike any he’s encountered before, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
For years, City seemed unstoppable under Guardiola’s leadership. Now, they’re fighting to regain their footing. Can they turn things around, or is this the start of a dramatic fall from grace? The answers may define not just their season, but the legacy of one of football’s greatest managers.
