Manchester City missed an opportunity to land an early season Premier League title blow on Sunday afternoon as they drew 1-1 with Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.
The visitors started the game with vigour and promise, carving through City's midfield with incisive passes while Sadio Mane caused Kyle Walker all kinds of problems on the left side of the Reds' attack.
Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum firmly won the midfield battle in the first-half. Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan struggled to deal with their dynamism and were exposed on a multitude of occasions.
Though City did eventually weather the early storm, the manner in which Liverpool dictated large spells of the first-half was an ominous cause for concern for Pep Guardiola and the club's transfer honchos.
There were two pervading feelings in the aftermath of proceedings. Firstly, City missed a perfect opportunity to record a morale-boosting victory against their fiercest title rival in recent years. The second feeling concerned Gundogan and Rodri, a midfield pairing that were lacking the vital ingredients for success in this type of high stakes encounter.
Writing in The Guardian, journalist Will Unwin summed this up by arguing that the impressive Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias were let down by the duo sitting in front of them.
"Rodri and Ilkay Gündogan are devoid of pace, something which makes City more vulnerable to the counterattack than most. Additionally, they lack the impetus to instigate attacks from deep positions, leaving transitions to be slower than is required for a team who want to challenge for all major trophies."
Unwin went on to add: "Guardiola’s centre back pairing might finally be sorted but his next big acquisition needs to be in front of them if he is to ensure City are capable of beating Liverpool in the future."
The signing of Dias was not greeted with unequivocal enthusiasm across City's fanbase, but the early prognosis has been much more positive.
Alongside Laporte he has played with a warrior-like spirit, marshalling the defensive unit with genuine authority while his extensive range of passing has underlined the level of technical quality he can bring to the table.
However, fixing the centre-back problem has only shed light on a new midfield issue. As good as Gundogan has been this season he does not possess the level of athleticism to match Henderson and Wijnaldum in a physical battle.
Meanwhile, it's becoming increasingly difficult to excuse Rodri's struggle to adapt to English football nearly eighteen months on from his £62.8m move. The man who was brought in to replace Fernandinho has failed to fill the Brazilian's shoes with real conviction.
Against Liverpool neither Gundogan or Rodri showcased a real willingness to try and control the game in the centre of the park, to be brave, turn in tight spaces and play forward passes.
Defensively they were not really tested after half-time but there was enough evidence on display during the first 30 minutes to show just how ill-equipped the pairing are to deal with first-class, athletic opposition.
Where do City go in the transfer market from here? The summer departure of David Silva as placed too much emphasis on Kevin De Bruyne to deliver and drive the midfield with his own remarkable blend of technical and physical qualities.
Given Gundogan is now 30, City need to look to the future, identify a younger, more mobile option with the potential to grow into a key first-team player in the looming post-Guardiola era.
That challenge will not be straightforward but it's one that Txiki Begiristain, Ferran Seriano et al. need to get right on evidence of City's frustrating 1-1 draw.
Man City's next big acquisition needs to be in central midfield.