As we've been talking about in the Vieira thread, the ambition is for City to win the title and eventually conquer Europe. So, if we're to do that it's obviously imperative that we're strong in all areas- I firmly believe in attack we're in fantastic shape and don't think we need reinforcements. Tevez and Bellamy are in outstanding form, Robinho, Santa Cruz and Ade are waiting in the wings, Petrov is flying, as was SWP until he got injured. In midfield we now have de Jong, Vieira, Ireland and Barry to choose from with others capable of filling in- some might say we need another creative player in the middle- but that's another issue. Given is one of the very best, that goes without saying.
Regardless of the fact that we've kept three clean sheets recently, I doubt many would argue that defence is the weakest part of our squad. But let's be ruthless and honest- who, in the long term, is genuinely good enough to play a part in our rise to the top?
This is my breakdown, I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks though-
Lescott- I admired him at Everton and he played a big part in their period of top-six finishes- he's strong, an excellent tackler, a threat from set pieces. But he's easily turned (see van Persie), not the quickest and fairly poor on the ball. A very good Premier League level player, but nowhere near £22million and a little short of being a top level player. I do think though that he hasn't done himself justice and IS better than his early form for us. Always thought he was good at left-back for Everton, so if he's willing to be a squad player, which, if we're in four competitions, would probably mean comfortably 20+ games, he can be very useful.
Touré- He's won the Premier League and been in a European Cup final for a reason. On his day, one of the best in the business with pace, strength, excellent reading of the game and composure on the ball. His undoing towards the end of his time at Arsenal, and in his first six months here, have been lapses in concentration and what seems like poor communication. As our captain he needs to be more vocal and take control of situations. It's a tricky one because on form I'd argue he's comfortably our best defender and takes some beating, it's just a question of whether Mancini can erase the little mistakes. If so, he'll be an integral part of our success.
Richards- He's come in for a lot of criticism but I think people forget how old he is- 21. Most players are breaking through and making the odd appearance at that stage in their career- he's already gone past the 100 mark with us, with 11 England caps thrown in. When he broke through initially, we were all really excited about his future and he seemed to go from strength to strength- he was unstoppable under Sven. Then, he had an abysmal six months last season and that was it- get rid, talentless, etc. Every young player will suffer a dip in form, it's inevitable. But he was improving by around February again and so far this season has been very good. He might have lost a bit of pace but he still has plenty of it, he's a monster in the air, strong in the tackle- the natural attributes are there, so he just needs someone to help him through the tactical side of the game, and there can't be many better than Mancini for that job. A definite keeper for me, if he progresses from where he is now and forgets that rough patch, he'll be a top, top defender.
Zabaleta- Overall, he's been impressive. Excellent on the ball, very much a no-nonsense defender but he still gets forward well on occasions and has excellent delivery from wide. A snip at £6million in the current climate. His downfall has been giving away needless fouls, sometimes in key areas, and has been punished for a lack of pace a few times. If we could iron out the recklessness without taking away his tenacity, he'll have a big part to play, maybe not as first choice, but in the squad. His versatility will come in handy too. He was outstanding for that couple of months last season in midfield.
Kompany- Opinion is really split on Vinnie. Some say he's better in midfield, others in defence. Personally I think his long-term future is at centre-back. He's one of the few players in our backline who has a real footballing brain. He sees opportunities and closes them before they're allowed to materialise, he's excellent (for a defender) on the ball and deals with balls in the air with ease. Just needs to keep his hands by his side and stop tugging at shirts and giving away fouls (bit like Zabs in that respect) but I think he has all the attributes to take on the world. Another bargain, too.
Onuoha- A fantastic talent, he has everything required to be a City legend but it's those bloody injuries and I really feel for him because had he stayed free of them, he'd probably be nearing the 200 mark for us by now. A really solid, no-nonsense defender with the right attitude, but it pains me to say I doubt he'll ever manage to take the opportunity. It's almost inevitable now- gets a run in the team, plays brilliantly for a couple of months and then breaks down, and has to start from scratch. I'd love things to work out but at the moment I wouldn't bet on it.
Bridge- Overall, I think he's been good. Slow start when he signed this time last year but he was improving and started this season in great shape. A poor game and a lambasting from Hansen on the BBC and he's public enemy number one. It's a strange one because I don't see any major weaknesses- he's quick, solid defensively, offers a threat going forward. Doesn't stick the boot in as often as Zabs on the other side but a lot of the time his brain does the hard work- he doesn't need to lunge in because he's aware of what's in front of him and positions himself well. I just don't think a couple of bad games (in which everyone was shite, lest we forget) is enough to rule him out and I think, from a defensive point of view, he's one of the best full backs in England. It's a tricky position to find great players- the star names likes Lahm, Abidal, and going back a bit, Carlos, are/were appalling defensively. I want, first and foremost, defenders who can defend adequately and I really believe Bridge is one of the best in a relatively weak bunch.
Sylvinho- My impression is that he was brought in more as an influential figure, someone for the youngsters to look up to and learn from, maybe leading into a coaching role, which he's talked about- but he's criminally lacking in pace and that, quite simply, gets punished in this league. He gave the ball away so many times against Spurs and Sunderland, in silly areas, that I can't see him cementing a place in our first team when everyone else is fit. Not the worst stop gap in the world, fair enough, but I think it's more his presence in the dressing room that was Hughes' motivation to bring him to the club and if he's staying it's more likely to be as a staff member, in the long term. Cracking player back in the day mind!
Garrido- Similar to Bridge in that he seemed to be loaded with all the responsibility when things wrong. He cost half nothing, but came into a new league as a 21 year old and performed excellently for six months, suffered a loss in confidence after the 6-0 at Chelsea, and then lost his place in the team to Ball (let's not go there). He does lack pace, and Adam Johnson was getting the better of him until he went off injured last week- but technically he's one of the best. Passing, crossing, set pieces, he has them all nailed down and that, by all accounts, is a result of staying back at training and working harder than most despite being on the fringes for so long. That's the kind of character and commitment I like to see, and I think as a stop-gap in defence, on the wing or even (don't laugh) in an Alonso-type role in midfield he still has a part to play.
So, from that I think we have a lot of good, useful players but are a bit thin on the ground where top quality is concerned. There are a lot of question marks and 'if's surrounding even the first choice guys so I wouldn't be surprised if defence is where we see the biggest investment- maybe not now, but in the summer.
The mancityfans.net football forum
The BEST FORUM in all the land and all the world
