During the international break, Pep Guardiola may be in deep thought about how he can get Manchester City to return to winning ways.
With Manchester City set to face Manchester United and Arsenal in their next two games, wins might not come by easy for them.
Jeremy Doku revealed Guardiola is working diligently behind the scenes instead of sulking behind the scenes after City lost their last two games against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion.
With a serial winner like Gianluigi Donnarumma joining Manchester City, the Italian’s arrival could raise the standards behind the scenes and help the Sky Blues redeem themselves once club football returns.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola should play Tijjani Reijnders as a number 10
Pep Guardiola would be hoping that the likes of Donnarumma, Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and James Trafford step up after the international break.
However, from Guardiola’s standpoint, one way in which he could improve this Manchester City side is by deploying Reijnders as an attacking midfielder in his side. Despite Rodri’s return, City still look quite porous defensively and the Dutchman has not covered himself in glory against Tottenham and Brighton.
More Man City News
Since Reijnders starred against Wolves, he has been quite wasteful in possession and struggled to impose himself in games as the hustle and bustle of Premier League football seems to have caught up with him.
Tijjani Reijnders reacts after scoring during Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City.
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
However, the 27-year-old perhaps needs some time to adapt to the English game and one way of speeding up that process would be to deploy him in a more advanced role considering he excelled in the final third against Vitor Pereira’s side. As a unit, Pep Guardiola’s men would also be far more solid if they partnered Rodri with another physically imposing and defensively durable presence like Nico Gonzalez.
Considering Manchester United and Arsenal could cause City problems on the break, playing the former AC Milan star in midfield may be a risk — considering he is yet to prove that he can ably mop things up in the middle of the park in the Premier League.
With Rayan Cherki sidelined through injury for two months, Guardiola could deploy Reijnders as a number 10, a role that would suit a player like him who has an eye for goal, astute movement inside the box and the hunger to be productive.
Tijjani Reijnders’ record as a number 10
With Nico admitting to studying Rodri’s game, the pair could form an excellent double pivot.
The Spaniard is a number eight by trade and since his move to the Etihad Stadium, he has not been given the chance to play in his natural position.
As for £48 million man, Reijnders, Pep Guardiola will be aware that before he signed for Manchester City, he played as an attacking midfielder 43 times.
TIJJANI REIJNDERS’ RECORD AS AN ATTACKING MIDFIELDER
APPEARANCES 43
GOALS 7
ASSISTS 4
Reijnders has provided seven goals and four assists in a more advanced role as well.
Playing behind a lethal goalscorer like Erling Haaland and alongside Phil Foden could help the midfielder take his game to the next level as a number 10.