One player alone was never going to solve the issues Manchester City currently have | OneFootball

Manchester City are an infinitely better team with Rodri on the pitch. That has never been in doubt. For the first hour of Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat to Brighton at the Amex Stadium today, Rodri had a profound impact on the match. He dictated the midfield battle and was always in the right place when his team needed him. But in the games final half-hour, Pep Guardiola’s side collapsed and fell to their second successive defeat.

Coming out of the game it is clear to see that one player isn’t going to immediately solve Manchester City’s issues on the pitch. There can be no disputing that fact. Even if that player is Rodri. It will take a team effort for Pep Guardiola’s side to eradicate the errors that have cost them so dearly in their past two matches.

Rodri knows that the entire Manchester City squad needs to lift.

In an interview published on mancity.com after Manchester City’s loss to Brighton, Rodri explained that his return won’t solve all the problems Pep Guardiola’s side has encountered. He explained that it will be a team effort for City to regain their form. He explained: “I’m not Messi. I’m not going to come back and make the team win and win. This is a collective, when we won in the past, I needed all my teammates.”

“For sure I have to recover and find my best level. It’s not because I’m back we’re going to win. It’s a collective sport. Hopefully after the break we can come back much better.”

Rodri’s assessment isn’t wrong. It is too simplistic to think his return to the Manchester City starting eleven will solve everything. It won’t. Rodri cannot stop errors like Matheus Nunes handball which led to Brighton’s penalty. Rodri’s presence on the pitch didn’t stop John Stones making a rushed clearance or Ruben Dias from playing the entire Brighton attack onside in the move that led to Brighton’s winner. These are errors that must be fixed by Rodri’s teammates and by the entire City squad. There seems to be a fragility to Pep Guardiola’s side. Once one thing goes against them they fall apart. Rodri alone cannot solve that issue.

Rodri believes his team shot themselves in the foot against Brighton.

Manchester City’s midfield general added that his team are making too many costly mistakes. He explained that his team have to eradicate the errors and raise their level. Rodri added: “Today we should win because the two goals we conceded are two mistakes. Some of the mistakes are like kids mistakes. This is football. When we lose it is easy to point at everyone. The reality is we have to raise the level if we want to compete for the Premier League.”

“We have to look to ourselves and see that this is not the way to achieve things. Let’s go to the international break, clean our minds and come back stronger.”

Mistakes have cost Manchester City dearly against Tottenham and Brighton. Those errors have to be corrected if Pep Guardiola’s side are going to quickly get back to their best. The fortunate part for City is that the season is only three games in. There is plenty of time for Pep Guardiola and his team to rectify what is going wrong.

But to do that, it will take a team effort. It won’t be Rodri alone who will lead Manchester City back to the top. It will take a collective effort. That fact stood out come the final whistle at the Amex Stadium today.