An inconsistent midfielder is worth persevering with for Manchester City
· Yahoo Sports
Tijjani Reijnders has endured a frustrating debut season for Manchester City. Looking at the statistics, Reijnders has scored seven goals and added eight assists in 45 appearances in all competitions. Those aren’t poor numbers by any stretch. However, too often in matches Reijnders is on the periphery of proceedings, and at times he has struggled with the physicality of the Premier League. That isn’t a major shock, given that this season is Reijnders’ first playing in England and his first season playing under Pep Guardiola. A period of adjustment was to be expected for the Dutch international. Looking towards next season, Reijnders has shown enough that he is worth persevering with for Manchester City. Goal-scoring midfielders are hard to find, and the expectation is that Reijnders will be better for Manchester City next season.
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The areas in which Tijjani Reijnders must improve are clear to see.
When Manchester City signed Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan last summer, the expectation was that he would immediately slot into Pep Guardiola’s starting eleven. At last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, Reijnders showed more than enough to suggest he’d play a prominent role for City this season, as he did in his Premier League debut against Wolves. Reijnders was superb in Manchester City’s 4-0 win over Wolves at Molineux. However, Reijnders hasn’t settled into a prominent role for City. He’s become a squad player and, more recently, he’s barely featured for City of late.
Watching Tijjani Reijnders play this season it is easy to see why his first season at Manchester City and in the Premier League has been such a steep learning curve. First of all, Reijnders has struggled with the physicality of the Premier League. Given that Reijnders arrived at City from Serie A, that isn’t a surprise. The Premier League is on a different level physically entirely to that of Italy’s top flight. Also, Reijnders struggles in duels which is a key component of being an elite midfielder in the Premier League. It is a major area of his game that must improve. The statistics below perfectly paint that particular picture.
Furthermore, Tijjani Reijnders spends too long on the periphery of matches. He drifts out of games far to much. He must also improve this side of his game to become a regular contributor for Pep Guardiola’s side. Perhaps, Reijnders will be better in this aspect of his game come his second season at City, provided he doesn’t leave the club this summer.
The ability of Tijjani Reijnders to score goals and creates chances from midfield could become important for Manchester City.
Where Tijjani Reijnders must improve is obvious. However, his strengths as a player do tend to be attributes that Manchester City can utilize. Reijnders is a goal-scoring midfielder. He gets into dangerous positions from midfield, and that attribute is one City does need. At times this season, Reijnders’ finishing has been wayward, but he does have an Ilkay Gundogan-like ability to arrive in the box. That side of Reijnders’ game could set him up for a more prominent role in Pep Guardiola’s squad next season.
Tijjani Reijnders also has an eye for a pass that is a key asset of his game. We have seen that this season when he has played. That is also an element of Tijjani Reijnders game that sets him up to be a City player. If the Dutch international improves in other aspects of his game he can become a real weapon for Manchester City.
Tijjani Reijnders has endured a frustrating debut season at Manchester City. He has taken time to adjust to life in a Pep Guardiola team and to the Premier League, but he should be better next season. The good aspects of Reijnders’ game suggest he is worth persevering with by City. If he improves in obvious areas, it would not be a surprise to see Reijnders play a bigger role next season.