I think City's problems may be more related to a transitioning squad than having anything to do with Pep and Arteta. While I'm sure he misses him, Pep has a long enough history without Arteta to really place that much importance on this change. It's a particularly tough year with the crazy schedules and lack of practice time to have some changes to the core of the squad.
The Athletic pointed out a few things today:
(1.) The amount of time missed by Aguero has been notable. He has been their most clinical striker for a while and Jesus is not cutting it as a replacement.
Since 2016, Aguero has converted on 54% of his big chance opportunities (41 goals out of 76 big chances). In that same timeframe, Gabriel Jesus has converted at a 33% rate (28 goals out of 85 big chances).
Since August 2019, Jesus and Sterling are converting 28% and 40% of big chances, respectively. They are missing a clinical finish.
(2.) David Silva is a huge loss. He meant a lot to the club over the years, even as he got older. Only De Bruyne has created more big chances for City than David Silva since 2016.
[Guardiola] treasured [Silva's] “pausa”, his ability to bide his time on the ball and wait for exactly the right moment to release it. There was also the way he kept the ball moving and kept the opposition chasing. It gave order to City’s game, allowing them to strangle matches, the perfect yin to Kevin De Bruyne’s yang.
And then there was the simple fact that he created loads of bloody chances. He played for Guardiola for four seasons and, in that time, only De Bruyne created more big chances and more opportunities from open play. Even if you include this season in the stats (with Silva no longer at the club), he’s still second.
(3.) Fernandinho was an absolute force as a defensive midfielder just a couple of years ago and Rodri is definitely not a like-for-like replacement. There are a few graphics in the Athletic article that differentiate the smarterscout defensive ratings of Fernandinho 2018/19 with Rodri this year:
- Ball recoveries & interceptions: 80 Fernandinho / 26 Rodri
- Disrupting opposition moves: 82 Fernandinho / 43 Rodri
- Defending intensity: 86 Fernandinho / 6 Rodri
- Defending impact: 68 Fernandinho / 22 Rodri
- Aerial Duels Quantity: 93 Fernandinho / 65 Rodri