Why Vincent Kompany's Loss of Form is Major Concern for Manchester City

It’s fair to say Manchester City’s season isn’t exactly going to plan.

Five points behind Chelsea in the race for the Premier League title, early exits from both domestic cups and on the verge of a Champions League exit after being beaten in their last-16 first-leg match against Barcelona on Tuesday, it’s difficult to argue they have progressed since their title win last May.

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MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Relive Tuesday night's @ChampionsLeague clash against @FCBarcelona: http://t.co/pbzIDYRtJM #MCFCB pic.twitter.com/G6iDtyZy8g

— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) February 26, 2015"

The City manager, Manuel Pellegrini, will no doubt be the target of criticism from fans and the media alike, but it isn’t just the Chilean who is responsible for the underachievement. A number of players have regressed this term after a hugely successful campaign last season, leaving City looking far less dominant than they were just a few months ago.

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None more so than their captain, Vincent Kompany, a player who, over the previous five years, has forged a reputation as the best centre-back in the Premier League. He has captained City to two league titles in three seasons—remarkable given the paltry £6 million fee it cost to bring him to the club from Hamburg back in 2008.

This season has seen him go backwards, though, with a series of underwhelming and, at times, concerning displays, characterised by erratic positioning and a rash style of play.

The game against Barcelona highlighted his current malaise: Culpable for both the visitors’ goals, he was left looking short of fitness and sharpness, not for the first time this season.

His injury-proneness may well get to the heart of the issue. Over the past two-and-a-half seasons, Kompany has missed more than 30 Premier League games, with constant muscle injuries, particularly of the calf, causing him issues.

Pellegrini recently admitted it was a concern, saying: “Yes, of course, It’s a matter of concern because it’s too many injuries, especially muscle and calf injuries.

“We are trying to study why it happens, there’s a lot of different reasons, it’s very difficult to know exactly what is the major reason.”

Time out of the side leads to a lack of rhythm, but whereas in the past he has returned from layoffs and instantly rediscovered his premium performance level, this season he’s been left lacking.

The defeats to Arsenal and Middlesbrough represented his worst performances in a blue shirt, and Tuesday’s first-half capitulation against Barcelona further underlined his current inability to compete with the very best. It’s a sad sight for the City fans who had come to love everything about their captain, both on and off the field.

The worry for City is how long his faltering displays will last. Their season is in danger of petering out early, with their pursuit of Chelsea now all-important given their precarious Champions League situation and domestic cup exits. They need their captain back to his best if they are to string together the run of results needed to pip Jose Mourinho’s side to the title.

With Eliaquim Mangala having struggled to settle, it leaves Kompany and Martin Demichelis as Pellegrini’s go-to centre-back pairing for the most important games. Demichelis, at 34, has his limitations, but he’s by far the most consistent defender at the club.

Players with the quality Kompany possesses very often come back from dips in form and reassert their quality. John Terry, the Chelsea captain, has suffered similar nadirs in his time at Stamford Bridge, yet this season, at 34, he is widely considered to be the best performing centre-back in the division.

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There's nothing to say Kompany won't do something similar. The old adage "form is temporary; class is permanent" could well apply to the 28-year-old Belgian. At the moment, however, there are very few signs of a recovery and time is running out to get City's season back on track.

Pellegrini’s loyalty to his players is one of his defining features as a manager. He is fair and respectful, which, in turn, leads to trust. He will undoubtedly stick by his captain, and so he should, but Kompany needs to repay that faith to help his side recover from what's been a difficult few weeks.

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.