Is Old Back’s Manchester City?
A pounding 4-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday was certainly a good marker to put down, while the citizens try to rebuild after last season’s shortcomings.
Especially a man stood out.
Reijnders Rampant
Tijjani Reijnders (£ 5.5 million) was the most impressive of the new signing sessions of Man City at the World Championship of Club.
And that was again the case on Saturday, with Reijnders who produced a master class who let experts spin and fantasy managers who scribble to buy it. He looks like the first FPL ‘Riser’ of the season.
Historically, he has never been a productive goal scorer. But 10 goals for AC Milan in 2024/25, his best total in a single league campaign, hinted to a greater potential. The 77 shots of Reijnders last season are indeed among the top 10 players in the Serie A.
Fbref Lords him loosely Ilkay Gundogan (£ 6.5 million) In terms of playing style and it is the old box-breaking Gundogan role that would be great for Reijnders in terms of FPL potential. That is effective what he did in Molineux, registering more Penalty Box -Touches (five) and Schoten (three) than any other city player bar Erling (£ 14.0 million):
One burst into the area saw him hit in his first Premier League goal. Another saw him make brilliant Haaland with a reverse pass for the second of the Norwegian evening.
“He has an incredible quality to find out, to attack the holes. It’s really, really good, good finish.” – Pep Guardiola on Tijjani Reijnders
There will be times when Guardiola Reijnders uses differently. We saw that in the World Cup Club, especially against Wydad. There will be times when Pep Guardiola uses a ’10’ for him. The city boss said this after full -time on Saturday and said he would be “needed” Rayan Cherki (£ 6.5 million) in certain games against low blocks.
“Cherki’s talent is incredible in smaller spaces, the creativity in the last third is extraordinary and sometimes, in certain games, we will of course need him.” – Pep Guardiola
There will be times when Reijnders ‘the Assister helps more’ sets a goal. We witness that against Juventus this summer, And it happened again for the opener of Haaland, with Reijnders excellent setting Rico Lewis (£ 5.0 million) away.
And of course there will be times when he does not start. Nobody is immune to the strange peace. But the early instructions-no city player has started with more Club World Cup games than being Dutch international-that he is an integral part of the PEP arrangement in most weeks.
Larger games – which city has a few – may fit with Reijnders. Guardiola would not only drop a crucial player less quickly, but you would imagine that he will also use a ‘six’ (Nico Gonzalez (£ 6.0 m) /Rod (£ 6.5 million)) and Bernardo Silva (£ 6.5 million) in midfield, making Reijnders the freedom of the box crash possible. Against someone like Burnley at home, Reijnders can be part of a midfield two, because he was against Wydad.
Haaland to his annual flyer
Not much tactical analysis is needed on the big man at the top.
We know exactly what he is all about: he will stick himself in the middle of the front (the pass card below is quite comical) and get many opportunities, both missed and taken. Yesterday there were six in total, including a header from very close that he could not direct on goal.
He always starts the season well and scores 1 of all four of his seasons in the city in Gameweek. In the three years before this one he hit a hat trick by Gameweek 5.
He has never sustained the ridiculous score rate at the start of the season as the campaign progresses, but there always seems to be an extra spring in his step at the start of a season.
Ait-Nouri not entirely as a gung-ho but …
Just when we thought Guardiola returned to Orthodox full-backs, the inversion returns.
Lewis was the man who turned here in the ’10’, and a squat while he did it.
In combination with Jeremy dock (£ 6.5 million) With width on the left flank, this meant that Ait-Nouri was a little more reserved. He still demolished a few shots, but did not hit the ball once in the wolves.
With a greater defensive responsibility, however, the defensive contribution (DC) points! Ait-Nouri sailed over the threshold of 10 clearance, blocks, interceptions and tackles (CBITS), and received a total of 15.
James Trafford (£ 5.0 million) started between the posts, meanwhile it was a day after Guardiola got on it Ederson (£ 5.5 million) was his number one. Ederson was apparently sick, although it is still too viewed or that only a smokescreen was in the midst of talking about a move.
Encouragement for beach Larsen
Most owners of Wolves players did not expect much from Saturday’s game.
But Jorgen Strand Larsen (£ 6.5 million) A encouraging show, near scoring a few times and picking up a number of good positions in the city box.
Ki-jana however (£ 4.0 million) Got the nod on the right wing as expected, although this was a better than expected display, it is expected that another option will arrive in that position in the coming weeks.
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