Midfield behemoth Rodri a pristine cog in Man City's imperious machine

Midfielder Rodri has been widely ridiculed this week after claiming Scotland’s tactics were “not football” in Spain’s shock 2-0 loss in Glasgow.

While Rodri might not seem gracious in defeat, his irritated assessment of his opponents also illustrates the standards the Manchester City midfielder has developed this year, to become the driving force of Pep Guardiola’s team.

He won’t be winning any individual awards and should City storm to a fifth Premier League title in six seasons, it will be Erling Haaland’s goalscoring exploits, Kevin de Bruyne’s effervescence or even Jack Grealish’s new-found output that garner the accolades.

Rodri's stats, however, make for remarkable reading. As much as Casemiro has been lauded for his rejuvenating effect on Manchester United this season, the numbers show Rodri to be very much in a league of his own.

Liverpool’s engine room used to be the beating heart of a relentless beast. Ahead of City's clash against the Reds this Saturday, Rodri will fancy his chances of dominating the middle of the park.

It is hardly surprising the Spaniard sees so much of the ball in such a possessional-based system at City, but the amount Rodri is involved in would even have surpassed Guardiola's expectations.

Just 44 passes separates the players ranked second, third and fourth in the successful passes charts in all competitions this season. The man out in front, however, is way over the horizon.

In 2022/23, Rodri has mustered 2,704 passes - 718 more than Tottenham's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in second.

Are these not just sideways passes, the naysayers cry? Possession means nothing if it isn’t penetrative, comes the common reposte. Yet 1,733 of these have been in the opposition half, keeping Rodri well out in