Written by Howard Hockin for FootballFancast.com: In defence, we have probably seen the biggest success for Manchester City this season. 31 goals conceded in 34 league games – a record only bettered by Chelsea (28), tells its own story, though many will probably claim it’s only due to Mancini’s boring brand of football. That stat alone suggests that this is one area of the pitch City will not be making wholesale changes to over the summer. But inevitably there will be comings and goings over the summer, as City look to strengthen further with the hope of Champions League football next season. But first, let’s look at who is already here.
Joe Hart – closing in on the all-time clean sheet record for a single season for a City keeper. England’s Number 1, and you’d expect him to be between the sticks for City (and England) for many years to come. Hardly the finished product yet, a cynic could pick a few holes with his distribution and occasional decision-making (like all keepers really!), but he is mature beyond his years, professional, well-spoken, and the future is whatever he wants to make of it. City’s best bargain buy in decades (well under a million pounds).
Shay Given – out for months with a shoulder injury, he is close to full fitness again, but was always going to be Number 2 to Joe Hart, and a summer departure seems inevitable, which you would not begrudge – a keeper of his standard should not be 2nd choice anywhere. I feel sympathy for Shay – he came in to win trophies, to compete at the highest level, and did nothing wrong, starting, if memory serves me right, with a stunning home debut against Middlesbrough. But Joe Hart was on loan at Birmingham, and City had to make a choice – ideally they would have stuck with Given for an extra season (my unfounded theory), but Joe Hart was fed up of being loaned out, and City had to make him City Number 1 or risk losing him for good. Bad luck Shay.
He has moaned little though, and done his job well in the short time he had the chance to. I hope he goes on to win a lot of trophies (just not at City’s expense), but time is running out for him.
Stuart Taylor – 3rd choice, will no doubt stay and remain 3rd choice, and that’s all I’ve got (and even less on Gunnar Nielsen!).
Vincent Kompany – one of the players of the season, and was tempted to say most improved, but he was hardly bad beforehand. This season he has come of age, showing his best form since his bargain £6m move from Hamburg. A consummate professional, and a great ambassador for the team on and off the pitch, he has shaken off some previous niggling injuries to become one of the first names on the team sheet. Only this week expressed his desire to stay at the club for life – future captain (hopefully).
Aleksander Kolarov – a huge disappointment so far. Injured 30 minutes into his debut, he didn’t return for months. But since then, he has flattered to deceive. It has often been commented that Mancini’s ideal system is to have two overlapping full backs bombing forward, which makes the signing even more baffling, as one thing we can be sure of is that Kolarov does not possess a great deal of pace. However, fans moan about pace too much – it is not essential, but Kolarov’s distribution and his decision-making has been pretty poor so far. He has delivered 131 crosses this season without an assist. Got a foot like a traction engine, but is rarely seen.
Won’t be going anywhere, so next season will be crucial for him – all players need time to settle and adjust to new countries and new leagues – but will he be 1st choice left-back next season?
More to the point, will Manchester City ever have a left-back that the fans are happy with?
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