Why Edin Dzeko Remains Vital Component to Manchester City Hopes This Season

There have been many times since Edin Dzeko’s move to Manchester City in 2011 that the Bosnian forward has been doubted, written off by those who feel he lacks the quality in front of goal needed to be part of a squad fighting for multiple pieces of silverware.

The theory is Dzeko’s form blows hot and cold, veering from an effective, consistent goalscorer to a player disinterested and lacking the attributes needed to lead the line properly.

It’s an assessment which, to some extent, is true. Take this season as an example. Dzeko has failed to score in his last 13 matches and has just four goals in all competitions. He’s made just six Premier League appearances, and perhaps more than any other time at City, it’s felt like he is very much on the periphery.

He’s had a calf injury to deal with, initially picked up away at Queens Park Rangers but then aggravated during the warm-up ahead of the match with Leicester in December, but those statistics aren’t good enough for a player wanting a regular place in a side with the ambitions City have.

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A recent Manchester Evening News poll conducted to see who fans felt should miss out on City’s resubmission of their Champions League squad after the arrival of Wilfired Bony saw Dzeko way out in front, reconfirming the fact his stock is currently low with the City supporters.

It isn’t the first time and it’s unlikely to be the last; Dzeko continues to divide opinion.

The signing of Bony for an initial £23 million from Swansea led to suggestions, not for the first time, that Dzeko’s time at the club was over, with a January sale mooted by Peter O’Rourke at ESPN. It was nonsense, of course, and he remains a City player until the summer at least, but it was another example of the kind of negative speculation that has so often followed him around.

Despite his troubles this season, though, he still offers plenty for City in the Champions League and the remainder of what looks to be an arduous fight with Chelsea for the Premier League title.

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One only has to cast their mind back a few months to remember the significant contribution Dzeko made to City’s title win last season. Goals—important ones—against Crystal Palace, Everton (two) and Aston Villa (two) were crucial in helping Manuel Pellegrini’s side over the finishing line at a time when other players were unavailable. Right when City needed him most, their Bosnian diamond delivered emphatically.

In fact, he scored consistently throughout the last campaign, bagging 26 in all competitions to cap what was widely seen as his best year in a City shirt.

He’s very often the man for the big occasion, and with the Champions League set to resume soon, and City desperate to keep pace with Chelsea at the top of the table, there will be plenty of big moments to come.

He has to get himself match sharp as soon as possible. He’s looked somewhat unfit since his cameo against Arsenal, and with the added competition Bony brings, he must get back to his very best to stand a chance of competing for a place in the side.

Whether he will be sold in the summer or not remains a mystery. He signed a new four-year contract in August, but given his reduced playing time this campaign, he himself may look to move on.

However, between now and the end of the season, it would be foolish to write him off. He’s a proven goalscorer, and every side needs those.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.