Manchester City, the reigning Premier League champions, find themselves on the brink of crisis this season. The peculiar part is that it’s not just because the players aren’t performing well, but because two of Pep Guardiola’s biggest strengths have become his biggest weaknesses.

The first issue lies in Manchester City’s squad depth, or lack thereof, in the defensive midfield position. Guardiola had the luxury of Yaya Touré and Fernandinho at his disposal, which evolved into Rodri and Fernandinho.

However, since Fernandinho’s departure, the only dedicated holding midfielder brought in has been Kalvin Phillips, who has never been given a real opportunity. This has resulted in an over-reliance on Rodri, leading to his current ACL injury that will sideline him for the season.

The second, and perhaps more crucial, issue is Guardiola’s tactical tinkering over the past couple of seasons. In an attempt to counter teams defending narrowly and deep, Guardiola introduced a midfield diamond system that was highly effective.

This system allowed City to outnumber the opposition in the creative zones, making it nearly impossible for the opponents to press effectively.

However, the success of this system was heavily dependent on Rodri’s unique skillset. Rodri’s physicality, positioning, and ability to quickly transition possession into attack were crucial to the system’s effectiveness.

With Rodri out, the cracks in the system have become gaping holes, as Kovačić, the replacement, lacks the same level of defensive awareness and passing range.

Without Rodri’s presence, City’s transition defense has become vulnerable, with opponents now able to counter-attack through the midfield and expose the backline.

Guardiola’s attempt to address this by pushing the fullbacks higher up the pitch has only exacerbated the problem, leaving the pivot position even more isolated.

Furthermore, the team’s wider attacking options have also been a concern. The signing of Álvarez was intended to provide City with two genuine dribblers who could get the ball to Haaland consistently.

However, the team’s new shape has made them more susceptible to turnovers, and the absence of these dribbling threats has been felt.

Individually, the team’s top scorers and assisters from last season have also seen a dip in form, with only Haaland maintaining his high standards.

This perfect storm of tactical, squad, and individual issues has left Manchester City in a precarious position. Guardiola, known for his ability to adapt and evolve, now faces his biggest challenge yet. The question remains: can the master tactician find a way to turn things around and reclaim City’s dominance?