Grading Manchester City's Defenders on Form so Far This Season
As Manchester City enter the final phase of the season seven points adrift of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table, many feel their defending has to improve if they are going to catch the leaders.
Even on Wednesday during their impressive 4-1 win over Stoke City, the Blues looked suspect at the back, particularly on set pieces, which remain problematic.
So how have their defenders performed individually this season? Here’s a breakdown of each of their defenders.
Pablo Zabaleta: B
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The development of Pablo Zabaleta’s game since arriving at City back in 2008 has been remarkable. Initially, under Mark Hughes’ guidance, he was somewhat rash in the tackle and liable to see bookings and sending-offs. Beaten too easily in one-on-one situations, he was far from the most reliable player.
He was loved instantly, though. His passion and commitment made him an immediate fan favourite, and then, towards the end of City’s 2011/12 title-winning season, he had become one of the finest full-backs in the Premier League. Since then, he’s established himself as consistently the best.
This season hasn’t been quite as impressive as his last two, but he has still been solid and dependable defensively and a key part of City’s attacking game. He’s a leader, both on and off the field, and City are lucky to have him.
Bacary Sagna: C+
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The signing of Bacary Sagna this summer made a lot of sense. City needed some cover for Zabaleta after two seasons of over-reliance on their first-choice right-back, and Sagna, an experienced Premier League performer, became available on a free transfer.
Although there are deficiencies in his game going forward, particularly when compared with Zabaleta, he’s been sound defensively, and against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge he gave his best display of the season.
He’s played 12 times, performing solidly overall and allowing Zabaleta some much-needed rest.
Eliaquim Mangala: C-
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Eliaquim Mangala’s start to life at City has been mixed. Exquisite at times, appalling at others, he’s suffered from nervousness and periodic bouts of non-concentration.
On the one hand, he possesses some remarkable natural attributes, from a great turn of pace and a gravity-defying leap to the brute strength he used to dominate an in-form Diego Costa on his debut against Chelsea. Those are attractive elements to any young defender’s game, and City will feel they can work with his and develop a class act.
However, the flip side has been his costly errors, momentary lapses in concentration that have hurt his side. Add to that his poor footwork and distribution, and it’s no wonder he was recently taken out of the firing line to refocus.
Vincent Kompany: C
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From the heights he scaled during the club’s title win of 2012, this season has been a remarkable fall from grace for Vincent Kompany so far.
The club need him back to his very best, but his constant injury problems—which have seen him miss almost 30 league games in the last two-and-a-half years, including eight this season—are upsetting his rhythm.
His displays in the recent defeats to Arsenal and Middlesbrough represent the nadir of his time at the club, with his proactive style now seemingly landing him in difficulty as opposed to seeing him dominate strikers.
Martin Demichelis: B+
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City’s best defender for around a year, Martin Demichelis has deservedly held off the challenge of new boy Mangala and remains a central part of the side.
His reading of the game and his leadership make him a safe pair of hands. At 33, he lacks pace, but he rarely needs it because of his intelligence and understanding of what is going on around him.
Gael Clichy: B-
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After an awful start to the campaign, Gael Clichy’s improvement has been remarkable.
Rarely has a player been seen so low on confidence as the Frenchman at the start of the campaign. Too easy to beat in one-on-one situations and reluctant to go forward and add impetus to City attacks, he was a significant weakness in the side.
But since November, he’s been superb: controlled and solid defensively; superb in attack. It’s been one of the sharpest turnarounds in form in recent memory.
Aleksandar Kolarov: D
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It’s been a wretched season for Aleksandar Kolarov, whose inconsistency since arriving at the club in 2010 has prevented him from establishing himself as a regular.
Seven league starts this season, after pushing way in front of Clichy in the pecking order last, tells its own story. He has been wasteful in possession, reckless positionally and lacking the confidence to attack with the same kind of purpose we know he’s capable of.
Dedryck Boyata: C-
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It’s a strange existence for Dedryck Boyata. He’s widely seen as not good enough for the City team, yet he remains at the club after signing a new three-year deal in the summer because of his home-grown, club-trained status.
However, this season he's been given a few chances to shine, playing four times and impressing more than ever before. He's less mobile than he should be and struggles in possession, but he's shown he can be relied upon if needed.
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