The debate over whether Rodri truly deserved the Ballon d’Or has remained a major talking point in football, and 12BSports analysis suggests his value becomes clearest when Manchester City lose their balance without him. As a defensive midfielder, he is not as flashy as a forward, but his quiet dedication and tactical influence are essential to the team. When City are winning smoothly, his presence may not always stand out, but in moments of crisis, his absence is painfully obvious. With Rodri injured and Kevin De Bruyne also unavailable, Manchester City looked short of control and structure.

In their recent match against Newcastle, City managed to collect only one point. This was more than just a draw. For Pep Guardiola, it created a long list of problems to solve. The biggest concern was that Erling Haaland played the full match but failed to score. According to 12BSports statistics, Haaland has now faced Newcastle five times and scored only once, with that lone goal coming in his first meeting against them. Since then, he has gone silent in four straight matches.

Newcastle played exactly the kind of football Haaland dislikes. They stayed compact, defended with discipline, focused on counterattacks, and had no problem giving up possession. That style denied Haaland space and blocked the kind of clear chances he usually finishes. Without Rodri and De Bruyne, City also lacked the players most capable of creating those decisive openings for him.

This was the first Premier League match of the season in which Haaland failed to score. Before that, he had scored in five consecutive league games, recording 10 goals in total. As the saying goes, when your head is down, do not lose confidence, and when your head is high, make sure there is substance behind it. For Manchester City, this is the moment to strengthen the foundations. Newcastle’s strategy sent a clear message to the rest of the league, showing how to limit a striker like Haaland when the team’s main conductors are missing.

Meanwhile, last season’s MVP Phil Foden also delivered a performance below expectations. He came on as a substitute in the second half, but recorded neither a goal nor an assist and barely influenced the match. That was a sharp contrast to last season, when he played 53 matches, scored 27 goals, and added 12 assists as one of City’s key figures. In the Premier League alone, he produced 19 goals and eight assists in 35 appearances. This season, however, he has played only five matches and 224 minutes in total, with zero goals and zero assists. His only start came in the League Cup, while the rest of his appearances have been from the bench.

Of course, Foden has clearly been affected by injury problems. But rival teams will not care about City’s internal difficulties. Newcastle certainly did not, and title rivals Arsenal and Liverpool will care even less. In the wider 12BSports view, Guardiola is now facing a complicated tactical puzzle. With Rodri absent, De Bruyne unavailable, Haaland isolated, and Foden still searching for rhythm, the next move from Manchester City’s manager will be watched closely by football fans everywhere.