After Rodri's injury, Manchester City's performance experienced a cliff-like decline. In the 17 games since Rodri's injury, Manchester City achieved a record of 6 wins, 3 draws, and 8 losses, which is almost the worst record under Guardiola's coaching at Manchester City. Guardiola once scratched his head in frustration during the game, on the verge of collapse. If it weren't for the recent contract renewal with the team, Guardiola might have wanted to leave Manchester City quickly to avoid further damage to his reputation due to the team's poor performance.
In fact, Rodri's injury is not the only reason for Manchester City's poor performance. The real factor affecting Manchester City's win rate is Guardiola himself. In Guardiola's tactical system, the role of English right-back Kyle Walker is crucial. He can play as a right-back and occasionally as a center-back, and his form determines the performance of Manchester City's right flank in both attack and defense. However, Kyle Walker is now older and his form is far from his peak, resulting in Manchester City's right flank being almost paralyzed, making him the biggest weak point in Manchester City's defense.
Furthermore, after letting go of "Little Spider" Alvarez, Manchester City has only Haaland left with stable goal-scoring ability on the front line. The rest of the wingers lack the necessary abilities to provide sufficient support to Haaland, leading to Haaland being isolated in the game. From recent matches, Haaland has yet to reach the level where he can carry the team alone. When the team is in trouble, he lacks the organizational and linking abilities of Kane, which limits Manchester City's overall performance.
Of course, Guardiola's stubbornness is the key reason why Manchester City cannot escape its slump: when Manchester City controls the ball in front of the opponent's penalty area, Guardiola dislikes allowing players to directly cross the ball to Haaland, resulting in many ineffective ball possessions that cannot be converted into shooting opportunities, instead allowing opponents to seize the ball and counterattack successfully.
Since Manchester City has a top center forward like Haaland, they should trust his personal abilities, believe in his physical conditions and header quality, rather than let Haaland stand idly in the penalty area. The butterfly effect caused by Rodri's injury has plunged Manchester City into a low point, currently ranking seventh in the league, and it will likely take some time for them to recover. If Guardiola is willing to abandon the possession-based approach and focus on efficiency football, there may still be a chance to return to the top four in the league. However, judging from Guardiola's current performance, he is still clinging to his outdated tactical style.
Stubborn Guardiola, with Haaland and Kyle Walker becoming the team's weak points, insists on his own way without adapting, which is the reason for Manchester City's recent poor form. As a coach of a top club, Guardiola should appropriately adjust his tactical style to help the team achieve better results. Continuing to hold onto his current mindset will only lead to him gradually being phased out by the times.