A Dutch international needs time to grow as a Manchester City player but he can also do more | OneFootball

Tijjani Reijnders has shown flashes of his quality so far this season for Manchester City. The Dutchman has recently hit the scoresheet with more regularity as his late runs from midfield have become a weapon for Pep Guardiola’s side. On other occasions, Reijnders has drifted in and out of games completely, which can be frustrating to see happen given how good Reijnders can be. Often it is forgotten that this is Tijjani Reijnders’ first season playing under Pep Guardiola. He still needs time to adjust to life at Manchester City. But at the same time, you would like to see the Dutch international offer more when he is on the pitch.

Tijjani Reijnders has shown what he will bring to Manchester City once he is fully settled in.

Across this season, Tijjani Reijnders has shown what he adds to Pep Guardiola’s side. He is a goal-scoring midfielder who has exceptional technical ability. Also, the late forward runs Reijnders provides are of great importance to Manchester City. Once he is fully embedded into the City style of play, the Dutch international should be an important weapon for City. Given that the usual process is that it takes a season for new signings to adjust to Pep Guardiola’s system, the best of Tijjani Reijnders may not be seen until next season. That is typically the path Manchester City’s new signings take.

Tijjani Reijnders has scored six goals and added seven assists in 32 appearances for Manchester City this season. That is a solid contribution from a midfielder. There is no reason why Reijnders cannot contribute fifteen goals a season to Pep Guardiola’s side. That would be an excellent contribution from a midfielder. Although Tijjani Reijnders has shown promising signs and is still settling into Pep Guardiola’s squad, there is a valid criticism of his game that does need to improve.

The challenge for Reijnders is to offer more in games.

Too often, Tijjani Reijnders drifts completely out of matches. Outside of scoring goals and creating for others on occasions, the game tends to pass him by. Reijnders spent the majority of Manchester City’s recent 3-1 defeat to Bodø/Glimt on the periphery of proceedings. He didn’t influence the match at all in what was a poor night for Pep Guardiola’s side. That wasn’t a one-off display from Reijnders. He does need to do more out of possession, and he could assert himself more in matches. The hope is that this side of Reijnders’ game will grow the more he plays for Manchester City. It should, given the tremendous technical quality Reijnders possesses. Pep Guardiola is the right manager to take Reijnders’ game up a gear, and hopefully that comes in time.

Tijjani Reijnders’ debut season at Manchester City has been full of glimpses of what he can do for Pep Guardiola’s side. It has also been frustrating on other occasions. Hopefully, Reijnders will be better across the second half of this season and even better again next season. Like the majority of new signings that Manchester City make, he does need time to grow into life at the Etihad. Sometimes that is overlooked given the pressure on City to get results and for Manchester City’s recent signings to live up to the shadow of their predecessors.