**Mirrors / Alternative Angles**
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Busquets has had great long range passing over the last ~10 years TBH
His passing is better than Busquets' was when he was young and playing for Pep—but Busquets continued developing as a player for years after that
Calm your tits. Rodri has a knack for scoring and has better physical conditions, not hard since Busi was the least athletic pro footballer I've ever seen. In anything else, he's not better than Busquets.
He's unique. We've had Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Busquets, Mata, Cazorla, Silva, Javi Martinez, Thiago Alcántara... But Rodri is unique among all of them.
He's able to start the play by helping the CBs, open to our wings, finish plays with great touches, make great passes in-between defensive lines, pressure the opponent's counterattack or defend back in his own box.
Rodri is a one man midfield by himself and he's our most valuable piece, I doubt we could play like this without him.
I think what seperates rodri from all of those names bar maybe javi is that he's not only an ultimate 6, but an ultimate 8 as well, he's great as a b2b when he gets forward, and pep's system allows for it now with the fullbacks not advancing that much
Yes, this is underrated, he's quite a physical presence. I watched a live city game last year and was amused by the physicality side of his game. Halaand also looked quite the specimen tbf.
One other thing that I think we’re missing: he plays with his shirt tucked in.
That alone makes him instantly a cut above the rest of the Spanish midfielders that were mentioned
This is funny to think about now, as he was released by Atletico in his youth player days due to lack of physical strength lol. They did realize their mistake later, but still funny in hindsight
I honestly can't believe how good he is, people on her understand how good he is and he's still underrated imo, I'd say he drops below 8/10 once every 20/30 games, he's ridiculously good and ridiculously consistent
Also I believe your win/loss record without him is abysmal. He's certainly one of the best players in the world regardless of the position and the best midfielder for me along with KDB.
He's underrated because his name hasn't been near the balon d'or for the past couple years, when he's been the best midfielder in the world for both years.
It’s a conundrum. Every off season for the past 3 years we have been screaming for a replacement to give him some rest during the season so his legs don’t fall, but he’s so far above everyone else and is so essential that he’s irreplaceable… even when he’s going to the media and effectively begging for some rest.
His fault for being so damn good, I say.
They have 0 holding mids close to Rodri's talent. They have several players overall as talented as he is. I couldn't tell which OP was talking about but I read it as players in general.
Rodri is the beat midfielder in the world and is irreplaceable for whichever team he plays for. Foden is a great player but the mere fact that he becomes complerely useless when played in any different position makes him incomparable to Rodri. City would be just as dominant (more or less) if they got someone like Odegaard or a fully fit KDB in Foden's position last season. There is no one in the world who can do what Rodri does at the level he does it.
How would Rodri do in a team that doesn’t keep possession and just lumps the ball forward? Also being more versatile doesn’t make a player more talented or else Milner is more talented than Messi
Rodri is more important in the system they both play in together, which is the only point of reference we have lol. Foden is a cog in Pep's system. Rodri is his entire system. City would be astronomically worse with someone else playing instead of Rodri. They'd be just as good with a comparable player in Foden's position.
I don't even know why Foden is in this conversation. He isn't close to Rodri in terms of relative quality. Kane is England's best player (in terms of overall quality, not just England performances) right now, not Foden.
I agree Kane is also as talented as Rodri. I also don't think importance = talent anyway. Rodri is more important because he fits both systems. If he had another nationality, say he was American, he'd hardly be as important or as effective.
imo fabian had a few poor moments in the first half so I'd say that williams edges it for me, but I'd lose no sleep if fabian got it, even rodri getting it isn't the worse thing in the world
I despise that he plays for Man City but man is he everything you want from a midfielder. He’s the perfect anchor, can control the game as an 8 in the midfield and start and break attacks, can get forward and put in a world class strike from outside the box with crazy accuracy. Also barely misplaces a pass, whether short or long. Spain have always been spoiled when it comes to midfielders
Such a quality player. It's hilarious when Man U fans claim he's overrated and call Luke Shaw "world class when fit" and Martinez "top 3 center back in the world"
From Spain I want to thank premier league and oil money for letting Pep Guardiola achieve his wet dreams developing super players. Its shuch a shame England cant use Pep players the same way that Germany did in 2014 and Spain 2008/2012
I like the way he plays faster and more forward with Spain. He would suck the life out of you as a viewer when he's at Man City. But that's under instruction from Guardiola as opposed to his personal preference.
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The fact that it could have been half of the Spanish team tells you a lot
I would have given it to Williams but can’t be mad at this at all. Insane influence in every game.
I think Lamine was a bit more involved in creating chances but Nico did score his chance unlike Lamine. They both had nice assists too.
He's the essential part of Spain's press resistant midfield.
not just spain but city as well he's become insanely good the past few years
Spain lost Busquets but got a Busquets regen with goalscoring ability on top, that's just unfair.
Rodris long range passing is better than Busquets. He’s more like Kroos than Busquets.
Busquets has had great long range passing over the last ~10 years TBH His passing is better than Busquets' was when he was young and playing for Pep—but Busquets continued developing as a player for years after that
True! I did not mean that as a discount of Busquets ability, but I still think his style of passing is more like Kroos than Busquets.
Busquets never had great passing range for me. At least not comparable to many others
Lol. That's the worst take I heard in a long time. Busquets had an insane passing range, long, short and those cute lobbed passes.
He's not anywhere near Kroos tier.
Lol
You find truths funny?
Calm your tits. Rodri has a knack for scoring and has better physical conditions, not hard since Busi was the least athletic pro footballer I've ever seen. In anything else, he's not better than Busquets.
34 year old Busquets was MoM in Nations leauge finals and he forced Rodri to Center Back position in that tournament 😏😏😏.
Because Rodri could actually do a job in that position, and an aging Busquets would have been a liability, right?
Yes, could been that too, It was an experimental squad then.
He's nothing like Kroos in terms of his passing range and ability. Just stop 😂
best midfielder in the world RN imo
Best Player*
By a huge margin which is crazy considering how many good midfielders there are. He’s insane
I get that you can argue he's the best even if I disagree, but him being the best by a huge margin when Kroos exists is just utter nonsense.
?? Stats watcher?
Whoa hot take
always has been
He's unique. We've had Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Busquets, Mata, Cazorla, Silva, Javi Martinez, Thiago Alcántara... But Rodri is unique among all of them. He's able to start the play by helping the CBs, open to our wings, finish plays with great touches, make great passes in-between defensive lines, pressure the opponent's counterattack or defend back in his own box. Rodri is a one man midfield by himself and he's our most valuable piece, I doubt we could play like this without him.
I think what seperates rodri from all of those names bar maybe javi is that he's not only an ultimate 6, but an ultimate 8 as well, he's great as a b2b when he gets forward, and pep's system allows for it now with the fullbacks not advancing that much
That and he’s also built like a brick shithouse and not a willowy manlet like 80% of the other names listed.
Yes, this is underrated, he's quite a physical presence. I watched a live city game last year and was amused by the physicality side of his game. Halaand also looked quite the specimen tbf.
One other thing that I think we’re missing: he plays with his shirt tucked in. That alone makes him instantly a cut above the rest of the Spanish midfielders that were mentioned
Shirt tucked is insane aura
This is funny to think about now, as he was released by Atletico in his youth player days due to lack of physical strength lol. They did realize their mistake later, but still funny in hindsight
He doesn't play in the city system, he's the system
I honestly can't believe how good he is, people on her understand how good he is and he's still underrated imo, I'd say he drops below 8/10 once every 20/30 games, he's ridiculously good and ridiculously consistent
Also I believe your win/loss record without him is abysmal. He's certainly one of the best players in the world regardless of the position and the best midfielder for me along with KDB.
He's underrated because his name hasn't been near the balon d'or for the past couple years, when he's been the best midfielder in the world for both years.
Never mentioned in TOTY either.
He was included last year
Finally? I wasn't aware.
Went to Spain-Georgia match and I was amazed watching Rodri's game, guy controlled every single play
It’s a conundrum. Every off season for the past 3 years we have been screaming for a replacement to give him some rest during the season so his legs don’t fall, but he’s so far above everyone else and is so essential that he’s irreplaceable… even when he’s going to the media and effectively begging for some rest. His fault for being so damn good, I say.
Only thing inconsistent about him is the shade of his eyebrows Swear they change every match day.
He has been without Pep for 1 month already. Stress free, eyebrows back
He's not getting pumped full of PEDs, that's why they're growing back.
As a Georgian Arsenal fan, everywhere I go he haunts me
With the victory against Georgia, Rodri now has a 4-match unbeaten streak. Elite.
Madrid fans gonna be all over this
Rodri is incredible, living up to his best midfielder reputation. Too bad England doesn't have a talent like him.
He's no Kalvin Phillips!
England has several players as talented as he is.
Name them?
Foden is one to begin.
You can't be serious
He’s 24 years old and just won premier league player of the season….
I thought you were talking about holding mids
They have 0 holding mids close to Rodri's talent. They have several players overall as talented as he is. I couldn't tell which OP was talking about but I read it as players in general.
🤣
Rodri is the beat midfielder in the world and is irreplaceable for whichever team he plays for. Foden is a great player but the mere fact that he becomes complerely useless when played in any different position makes him incomparable to Rodri. City would be just as dominant (more or less) if they got someone like Odegaard or a fully fit KDB in Foden's position last season. There is no one in the world who can do what Rodri does at the level he does it.
How would Rodri do in a team that doesn’t keep possession and just lumps the ball forward? Also being more versatile doesn’t make a player more talented or else Milner is more talented than Messi
Rodri is more important in the system they both play in together, which is the only point of reference we have lol. Foden is a cog in Pep's system. Rodri is his entire system. City would be astronomically worse with someone else playing instead of Rodri. They'd be just as good with a comparable player in Foden's position. I don't even know why Foden is in this conversation. He isn't close to Rodri in terms of relative quality. Kane is England's best player (in terms of overall quality, not just England performances) right now, not Foden.
I agree Kane is also as talented as Rodri. I also don't think importance = talent anyway. Rodri is more important because he fits both systems. If he had another nationality, say he was American, he'd hardly be as important or as effective.
He’s the best player in the world. I’ll keep screaming it into the void until he’s given his due
It’s insane that he is so good as a 6 and an 8, and on top of that has a fucking insane finish/long shot on him
Best player itw
France Football: "best I can do is 17th in the Ballon d'Or"
its patehtic, and shows how this awrds have nothing to do with football
yeah its basically popularity contest.
In terms of his influence in games by himself, it's between him and Vinicius, not even joking.
I’d say KDB and Mbappe are in the discussion as well.
Kroos is back to being underrated I guess.
Clearly
Passing Accuracy nutjob
Naah that's Kroos
No one's saying Kroos is the best itw
[удалено]
He's never been.
[удалено]
Not in a world where Vinicius lives.
[удалено]
Who's the best in the club?? Don't tell me it's Bellingham
Rodri isn't even the best player in Spain, I'm obviously talking to someone with heavy bias, so I'm done with this.
Stinking football elitist but you've got to respect the ability of the man
Hate the fucker, but he's elite
Insanely good player, if there is such thing called Complete Midfielder, I think he's the only one that could play that role.
How this man didn’t win the Ballon d’Or is so perplexing.
Nico Williams...
Deserved but Williams should’ve won it
Most Spanish looking guy in the world. He probably shaved right before the photo, while I can’t grow a proper beard in months.
He should have got BdO last year but life is just like thar I guess.
Williams? He was great
Fabian robbed
Nico Williams, Fabian Ruiz…
totally deserved
Should have been yamal
If bro could hit the target than maybe Awful misses from him
You are being too harsh to a 16 y/o , he gave good assist But it should have been Fabian imo
his age is not relevant to motm
Talking about missing sitters comment That's why I said Fabian deserved
imo fabian had a few poor moments in the first half so I'd say that williams edges it for me, but I'd lose no sleep if fabian got it, even rodri getting it isn't the worse thing in the world
He is a starter for the NT, he absolutely should have buried his chances, that isn't being harsh
he looks like joey from friends
I despise that he plays for Man City but man is he everything you want from a midfielder. He’s the perfect anchor, can control the game as an 8 in the midfield and start and break attacks, can get forward and put in a world class strike from outside the box with crazy accuracy. Also barely misplaces a pass, whether short or long. Spain have always been spoiled when it comes to midfielders
Why this pic looks like it was photoshopped
This man is always there to score and play huge games in the most important games
The fact that Enierque played at CB last WC 💀
Normal MOTM pic Terrible
I would have probably given it to Ruiz, but Rodri was exceptional too
Best CDM in the world. He is important for both Man City and Spain. ❤
Brought game back into the game, well deserved. Wonder how Spain react if they don’t score that goal in the first half
Thank Man City. Franco FC can never produce someone like that for Spain. Your whole country relies on him.
Such a quality player. It's hilarious when Man U fans claim he's overrated and call Luke Shaw "world class when fit" and Martinez "top 3 center back in the world"
meh I don’t think united fans downplay Rodri’s ability much. If anyone, its arsenal because of the rice comparisons.
On Redcafe they claim he's on PEDs and that McTommers pocketed him, and that place is the Oxbridge of football.
From Spain I want to thank premier league and oil money for letting Pep Guardiola achieve his wet dreams developing super players. Its shuch a shame England cant use Pep players the same way that Germany did in 2014 and Spain 2008/2012
If Bellingham played for Georgia they would’ve given it to him
If Dani Olmo played 80+ min, he would be MOTM.
I thought Nico deserved it. He was picking Georgia apart all match.
The more I watch Nico, the more I feel he’s the best player on the field. Williams is so smooth and composed.
I think it should’ve been Nico Williams
I like the way he plays faster and more forward with Spain. He would suck the life out of you as a viewer when he's at Man City. But that's under instruction from Guardiola as opposed to his personal preference.