S Poddar
Sunday’s contest between Manchester City and Chelsea really was a game of fine margins, especially in the second half, but ultimately, the difference was one of experience. The reigning champions had something that Chelsea’s fledgling side couldn’t, namely the coolness and guile that Mateo Kovacic epitomized for them in their 2-0 win.
Kovacic’s performance was in contrast all the more commendable because of the sizeable hole he had to fill at the heart of City’s midfield. Rodri is quite rightly regarded as one of the best holding midfielders in the world, and very well documented is his absence—the poor City were without him. Three of their four league defeats last season came when Rodri wasn’t on the pitch. Therefore, with Chelsea being such a young, energetic side and the fact they were playing at Stamford Bridge without Rodri, there was definitely a potential for City to slip up in this match. However, Kovacic never allowed it to get too close for comfort.
The 30-year-old veteran not only played his part in making them that consistent presence but also completed his performance by scoring the goal that protected his team’s win on the day. This must have been particularly satisfying for Kovacic, who returned to face his former club, which had moved him on to make room for younger talents like Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, and Romeo Lavia. As he walked off the pitch having won, Kovacic must have felt a sense of vindication, showing Chelsea exactly what they were missing.
No player with his attributes can entirely replace Rodri, who is indisputably the best holding midfielder in the world, but Kovacic went as close as he could. He wasn’t flawless and did make selective errors, but his general control of the game, especially in the first half, left City hardly feeling the absence of Rodri. Kovacic knew exactly when to retain the possession and when to advance the ball, and this helped City get into their regular rhythm.
As Chelsea got into the game in the second half, Kovacic had more defensive duties. He coped with these rather comfortably, positioning well and popping up with interventions and vital interceptions where required. His occasional lapses—such as losing possession—seemed never to have any bearing on him, simply due to how experienced he is. He was also prominent in terms of managing the tempo of the game: ensuring Chelsea could never get a foothold to press and rattle City.
Another highlight was the adaptability of Kovacic. Well, of course, the quality around him in terms of Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne certainly made his job easier, but he did have to adjust to playing in a deeper, more disciplined role than he is accustomed to. I was a midfielder once, and I know how difficult, more so if your instincts are more attack-minded, it is to make that shift through the gears. Ironically, it was when he scored that Kovacic’s attacking instincts really came to the fore, capitalizing on one of the few opportunities he had to get forward.
Given that, it would not be so surprising to find Kovacic deputizing again next time Rodri misses a game. Should City be on the lookout for a more direct replacement for Rodri, they would first be required to find someone who is better than Kovacic and comfortable with limited playing time, a sort of task that is difficult to get fulfilled, no more than when one considers Rodri’s fitness and availability record.
They do have some young talents waiting in the wings. Rico Lewis impressed when stepping in for Kyle Walker against Chelsea. He didn’t seem to be fazed every time he moved into midfield, showing enough class on the ball to perhaps fill that holding role, though he doesn’t have Rodri’s presence, which is unlikely to be an issue against most teams since City generally have dominance over the ball.
City might actually need depth in other positions rather than signing a backup for Rodri. Maybe someone similar to a young player who might have a chance of being able to cover Erling Haaland, in the same way they managed to dig out Julian Alvarez, who ended up being an absolute gem.
Apart from Kovacic, there were other positives for Pep Guardiola to draw from this game. City’s central defenders, Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias, were rock solid, with Savinho impressing the most in the first half. Hopefully, for the City faithful, his injury that caused him to be replaced at the start of the second period is not serious.
And then there is Haaland, who carried on doing what he does best. With limited opportunities, he took full advantage of a tough one, showing his characteristic patience and power to fend off defenders and delicately chip the ball over the keeper.
The most worrying takeaway for City’s rivals from the performance on Sunday is that this wasn’t City at their best. They have been slow out of the blocks historically and yet have come out of Stamford Bridge with the win. Not that City is going to be much taxed to hit the notes of full throttle, by the time the season comes around.
