Ranking Manchester City's Defenders on Their Ball-Playing Ability

This season is perhaps the first since Sheikh Mansour’s takeover that Manchester City can claim to have genuine strength in depth at centre-half.

Calling it a problem position for City in recent seasons would be somewhat overplaying the issue, but at no time before this season have they had genuine options at the heart of the defence.

Vincent Kompany has returned to form after a poor 2014/15. He suffered a calf injury against Juventus last month, but his first few weeks of the season saw a dramatic upswing in form.

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Alongside Eliaquim Mangala, who had also struggled last season, City didn’t concede a league goal in their first five matches, marrying defensive solidity with their undoubted attacking brilliance.

Martin Demichelis, 34, offers experience and quality, even if his lack of pace is a problem in the eyes of some, and the signing of Nicolas Otamendi from Valencia adds competition. Otamendi has had some settling issues, and Demichelis’ performance levels in recent matches against Tottenham and Borussia Monchengladbach were poor, but City look to have a stronger pool of centre-backs than at any stage of the Mansour era.

Kompany’s fitness, though, is still likely to be key. Ten calf injuries in three-and-a-half years is a worrying trend. The club are trying to find solutions, with Manuel Pellegrini, the City manager, citing the Belgian’s committed style of play as the reason he suffers so many strains.

“The way he plays, Vincent plays with 100 percent intensity, not just every game but every training session,” Pellegrini said prior to City’s recent home match with West Ham United. “That’s the way he always works.

“It’s difficult [for him to ease off]. It is not easy for him. He tries sometimes not to be always 100 percent intensity, but you cannot change.

“It is always important [not] to have injured players, especially the captain and especially in a moment when we didn’t concede any goals in the first five games. I think it is important to carry on playing with the same names, but I always say we have a squad.”

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One of the major reasons Joleon Lescott was phased out by Roberto Mancini and then allowed to leave when Pellegrini joined the club was his lack of ball-playing ability. If City wanted to move into the next phase of their development as a side capable of playing attractive, possession-based football and impacting the latter stages of the Champions League, they needed centre-halves who look comfortable on the ball, who can take a touch, look up and find a pass.

They now have four. Each centre-back brings ball-playing ability. Kompany has an excellent range of passing, capable of switching play with a long diagonal ball. He is also adept at surging forward, carrying the ball from deep and starting attacks through his sheer determination and ability to go past players.

Mangala has improved greatly in terms of his ability on the ball during his short period at the club. Initially he seemed nervous and lacking poise, but towards the end of last season and at the beginning of this, his desire to want the ball and start attacks with his passing has improved drastically. In fact, according to Squawka, his pass completion rate last season was 89 percent—higher than both Kompany and Demichelis.

Indeed, Demichelis is still a fine proponent of the art. He is 34 now and therefore somewhat lacking sharpness, but he always appears to have time on the ball thanks to his acute reading of the game. His style, one which looks to play the ball on the floor out of defence, was a refreshing change when he arrived at the start of the 2013/14 season.

He plays no-look passes, short one-twos with his partner and balls into the feet of City’s midfielders. It is perhaps he who is most comfortable in possession.

And Otamendi, too, has shown already he has an excellent range of passing. At Porto, where he was often paired with Mangala, he was seen as the distributor alongside his more inexperienced partner. Otamendi’s passing strength is his ability to ping long balls into feet, starting attacks quickly and without warning. 

Ranking them on their ball-playing technique is nearly impossible given the closeness that exists between them. Each player brings different qualities, all of which help the side.

Demichelis' comfort on the ball and desire to play the ball short at all times puts him, perhaps, as the No. 1, with Kompany's ability to run with the ball placing him second. Mangala's improvement means he is third, but he is making great strides and it may not be long before he's considered the best ball-playing defender at the club.

That leaves Otamendi, who is yet to really have a sustained run in the side to make an impression, in fourth, but he will likely show more of what he can do when settled and learns how to play with those around him. 

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.