Man Metropolis 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen: Pep Guardiola has a squad depth drawback and it is extra than simply an over-reliance on Erling Haaland

On Monday night, the top coach from the purple half of Manchester admitted his greatest concern was his workforce would sink again to the degrees of final season. On Tuesday evening, it might have been the opposite main Manchester supervisor considering the identical factor.

Of their 2-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, Metropolis regarded just like the workforce who dropped out of the title race within the autumn of final time period.

With out the dominating presence of Rodri, Metropolis had been as soon as once more inclined to opposition quick breaks – the place each objectives got here from, and extra ought to have been scored by the German aspect. Metropolis’s assault was unable to match what was created from these defensive deficiencies.

In fact, it was not a traditional Metropolis workforce. Erling Haaland didn’t begin the sport – when usually he does. And Pep Guardiola rotated all however one in every of his workforce in opposition to the aspect ranked third within the Bundesliga desk. Such a lot of adjustments from the Metropolis boss is a rarity outdoors of the Carabao Cup and after the sport, even the person himself admitted : “Maybe ten changes was too much.”

However that is Guardiola’s Metropolis – and a supervisor as soon as famed for his ‘Pep roulette’ rotation coverage. Metropolis had been as soon as a workforce who may depart gamers of their prime equivalent to Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, John Stones and Ilkay Gundogan on their bench and nonetheless ship with those that took on the mantle.

This Metropolis didn’t appear like that. Anybody considering that Metropolis are again and hitting the degrees of their four-titles-in-a-row achievement may have rowed again on that viewpoint in current days following back-to-back defeats.

And it was not as if Metropolis put out a workforce of children in opposition to Leverkusen. 9 out of the beginning XI will possible go to the World Cup with their international locations in the summertime – the exceptions being Rico Lewis and Nico Gonzalez, who’re a part of huge nationwide expertise swimming pools of their positions.

These had been the gamers Metropolis have in reserve if and when accidents strike – in a season the place each workforce appears to be getting accidents.

Many really feel Metropolis are over-reliant on Haaland – their second-top goalscorer within the league this season continues to be ‘Maxime Esteve personal aim’ – and Tuesday evening’s displaying provides gas to that argument.

Metropolis’s greatest spell was the 25 minutes after the Norwegian got here on – his private xG tally of 0.62 the very best out of anybody on the pitch regardless of turning out for simply over 1 / 4 of the match.

However proper now, Metropolis don’t appear to have the squad depth wanted to keep up constant ranges for matches each three days – a state of affairs they are going to face in all however one week between now and the center of January.

Guardiola might have to decide on which competitors to prioritise between the Premier League and the Champions League, and ends in one might make approach for the opposite, like we noticed in opposition to Leverkusen.

The Metropolis boss made his selection this week – with the ten adjustments in opposition to Leverkusen a transparent signal that Saturday’s recreation with Leeds is the precedence – with the hole to Premier League leaders Arsenal already at seven factors. As he mentioned final week concerning the Gunners: “If they manage to take some distance in points, it will be difficult to catch up.”

However now defeat to Leverkusen means in some unspecified time in the future, the Champions League must be No 1 in his ideas – particularly in the event that they lose away to Actual Madrid of their subsequent European recreation and lose their grip on a top-eight spot.

And failure to qualify immediately for the Champions League final 16 would imply extra midweek video games in February – and added pressure on a squad at a extra essential a part of the season.

In the meantime, the workforce who sits high of the Premier League and Champions League sits with much less angst. And there was a sure irony about Metropolis dropping at residence at this stage of their European competitors on Tuesday.

The final time Metropolis misplaced at residence in a Champions League group stage or league section match, it was September 2018. Guardiola was banned from the touchline so, of all individuals, Mikel Arteta took the Metropolis workforce for that recreation.

Arteta admitted after that recreation he was not prepared for the hotseat but, claiming he didn’t even know do a half-time workforce speak.

However on Wednesday evening, Arteta will take his Arsenal workforce to the problem of Bayern Munich as one of many Champions League favourites, with a squad already proving capable of deal with a number of competitions and setbacks.

Phil Foden’s back-up was Lewis – with Guardiola reversing that change at half-time – when Arsenal can alternate Eberechi Eze and Martin Odegaard.

The creating Oscar Bobb is Rayan Cherki’s alternative, when Arteta has England’s two greatest proper wingers at his disposal in Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke. Rayan Ait-Nouri was one other taken off on the interval, and Arsenal’s best-stocked place appears to be left-back. There are a lot extra examples too.

Arteta may even make a number of adjustments in opposition to Bayern and nonetheless hold his workforce aggressive. Arteta seems to have what Pep lacks proper now.