How Rodri has Reinvented the Midfield Pivot

Spanish midfielder Rodri endured a rare-off day in Man City’s FA Cup final defeat against local rivals United, as he suffered his first club defeat in 75 matches since February 2023.

This incredible stat reaffirms Rodri’s importance in Pep Guardiola’s side, while his lack of influence in the defensive or attacking thirds at Wembley was central to United’s surprise 2-1 win.

But what has made Rodri such a pivotal cog in Guardiola’s well-oiled machine, and how has he helped to reinvent the notion of a classic midfield pivot? Here’s a breakdown of his performances and the contribution that he makes to all phases of the game.

Cruyff, Guardiola and the Defensive Pivot

Of course, Guardiola himself was a midfield pivot, and one that was coached and developed by Johan Cruyff during his tenure as Barcelona manager.

In this respect, he was crucial to Cruyff’s visionary 3-4-3 diamond shape when the Catalans had possession of the ball, with the Dutchman keen on developing a game model that was founded on geometric triangles and focused on being compact at all times. Guardiola was at the heart of Cruyff’s system and would dictate the tempo of each individual match from the base of the midfield diamond.

Since becoming a head coach, Guardiola has adopted a similar philosophy that maximises the impact of a midfield pivot in different areas of the pitch.

Subsequently, Guardiola’s pivots tend to become highly decorated and lauded because of their prominence. Typically the unsung heroes of any team, Guardiola’s pivots are among some of the most celebrated footballers of the last 15 years, including Sergio Busquets, Yaya Toure, Fernandinho and now Rodri.

What Role Does Rodri Play in Pep’s Midfield?

Rodri is arguably the most rounded of all Pep’s midfield pivots, as he combines technical ability and ball carrying skills with an eye for goal and outstanding physical presence.

Because of this, he has an impact in all areas of the pitch, while City’s position and possession-based system enables him to operate in a far more advanced role than most midfield pivots.

If we analyse the stats from the 2023/24 season, we see that no Premier League player had more touches than Rodri in the middle third (2,337). Intriguingly, the Spaniard has also registered 1,013 touches in the attacking third, which ranked seventh overall in the EPL and was by far the highest number among defensive-minded players.

Unsurprisingly, Rodri also attempted the most passes in the 2023/24 Premier League (3,656), producing an impressive pass completion rate of 92%. However, he also recorded a progressive passing distance of 15,766 yards, highlighting his propensity to move the ball forwards and through the lines wherever possible.

This distance was the largest of any Premier League midfielder, with Brighton’s Pascal Groß the closest to Rodri in this regard (13,360 yards). Rodri also recorded a progressive carrying distance of 6,408 yards last season, with only defensive teammate Ruben Dias (6,693 yards) bettering this achievement.

These stats highlight Rodri’s impact all over the pitch and during all four phases of the game. It’s also worth noting his improved contributions in the attacking third in 2023/24, with Rodri contributing nine assists and eight goals in just 34 EPL appearances. No midfield pivot comes close to this tally of goal contributions, which is also higher than that of his more attacking teammates Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne.

The Complete Player - Redefining the Midfield Pivot

Clearly, Rodri is the best and most complete midfield pivot in the modern game, while he was undoubtedly the most impressive Premier League player from a statistical perspective last season too.

Under the stewardship of Guardiola, he has also helped to redefine the role of midfield pivot, especially in terms of influencing play in the attacking third and the demands placed on players at the base of the midfield.

In addition to controlling possession in the middle third and breaking the opposition's line with his forward passing and ball carrying, Rodri is tasked with getting into far more advanced positions. From here, he can also contribute goals and assists, often arriving late in or around the penalty area having escaped the attention of his marker.

Of course, it helps that City dominate possession so high up the pitch. At the same time, the deployment of John Stones as an inverted full back frees up Rodri to spend more time in the attacking third. Regardless, this shouldn’t detract from the Spaniard’s evolution as a player and his impact on how midfield pivots are perceived by fans and pundits alike.