It must be deeply frustrating being Manchester City’s Adam Johnson. You’re one of your club’s best young players, you make your team look much better by virtue of being a part of it and yet you still spend too much time on the bench. What’s worse is that Manchester City have been linked to a number of players that may push Johnson further down the pecking order if a move were to be completed.
How would Johnson feel if a deal for Alexis Sanchez or Juan Mata was completed? Would he be happy to take up a peripheral role at City? My feeling is that he’ll be looking to push on and make more appearances next season and that he’ll be unhappy to find himself warming the bench on a regular basis.
The trouble for Johnson is that in recent times he’s been much more effective coming off the bench than starting. All too often opposition players have doubled up on him and he’s struggled to have a direct influence on the game. As a substitute, however, he’s been successful attacking weary defenders late on in the game.
Another reason for his lack of game time at City may be down to his relative ineffectiveness against the top sides. In simple terms he just doesn’t contribute enough when it really matters.
Perhaps these criticisms are a little unfair. If Johnson were to get a run of games in the first-team, I’m sure he’d kick on and start proving himself against bigger teams. In fact, with a run of games, I’m sure we’d be talking about Adam Johnson becoming a regular in the England set-up.
Which brings me to another point: if Johnson is so much more than an impact player and if he’s tipped for a big future as an England player is it time he started clamouring for more game time – or perhaps even a move elsewhere? Manchester City’s midfield is fairly cluttered with talent and it seems to be an area that will be built on this summer.
Whilst City fans will be keen to keep hold of a talented player, would it be best for his career if he moved on? There’s been a number of rumours concerning Adam Johnson and a move to Liverpool who are currently in the process of snapping up all available British talent.
Even if there is genuine interest, Manchester City have no real reason to sell Adam Johnson unless they feel that they wouldn’t be able to offer him a fair amount of game time. It seems to come down to this: if City bring in a new winger this summer, they will likely be more flexible when it comes to selling Johnson and if that situation arises, Liverpool would be foolish not to snap him up.
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Trouble is he just isn’t good enough. Might seem harsh but it’s true.
he needs to put in a full shift..needs to do more for the team..Anyway he was injured for a good part of last season..we will need him in the CL next season.. and to help us win the league…but by the same rule if carrol is worth 35 million and henderson 20 million…let liverpool offer us 60 million and see if we bite..
Manchester City have a squad of players, some make the side some are on the bench for strategy and impact reasons.
Adam Johnson is a fantastic player and has scored against big sides (Juventus?), but he is fantastic to pull off the bench in the last 20 minutes.
City now have Dzeko and Balotelli who all need service and Mancini has this in mind with the rumours of Sanchez and Mata etc.., we need to increase the amount of goals we score from crosses therefore we are in the market for these type of players.
Johno is going nowhere regardless of how the press will spin it.
I mean all we need now is the press to get onto some other rumour to sell papers lets make one up oh yes, Tevez in a match fix scandle “Maybe if we big it up a bit more Sanchez won’t come to City and we can push Tevez out of City” See what I mean.
Hang on to your hats boys.. City are going to win the premiership.
CTID Roger Mellie69
City will have ONE real winger if Wright-Phillips leaves, Johnson. So even if they sign Sanchez, there will be tons of games for Johnson, especially as he can play on both sides. Compare to someone like Utd who have Nani, Young, Valencia, Giggs, and Obertan as natural wingers – that is overstocked yet you never see these articles about them.