City Need To Wing It
Not a classic at the Reebok yesterday; Bolton games always seem to be dour, uninspiring encounters but a point's a point I guess.
I must admit though feeling somewhat disappointed we didn't come away with all three points in the end. Like Joey said afterwards, 99 times out of 100, he'd have buried that chance... but anyway, the unbeaten run continues... for now.
The return of Sinclair however, confirmed one of City's worst failings this, and previous seasons, namely the absence of attacking wing play. Like it or not, Corradi and Samaras are here to stay for a while longer, so it's important to play to their strengths and get some quality crosses in the area for them to attack.
With the biggest Premiership strike partnership, they need to play in the up front and in the middle - nowhere else. Playing either of them out wide is a complete was of time and confidence-sapping for both players. Such a formation poses no threat to the opposition and puts City un-necessarily on the defensive.The same is also true for Vassell, who for me needs to play in the centre, just behind the front two.
Sinclair is obviously not the long-term solution to this frustrating problem and for a while we've been crying out for a winger or wingers. With the return of SWP looking increasingly unlikely, Pearce really only has a couple of other options in Beasley and Miller, neither of whom are known for consistent quality ball crossing.
It is surprising therefore that so far in the transfer window, City have signed a largely unknown 20 year-old, second division French midfielder who has only played two first team games. Clearly this is not what City need right at the moment.
I think City missed a trick earlier this week when Villa sold Peter Whittingham to Cardiff for just £350k. For a big 23year-old former U21 international who can play either as left wing or at left back and someone who has a few years Premiership experience, that could prove to be one of the best January sale bargains. At that price, it would have been worth taking a gamble with him.
Good wingers are hard to come by and I'm not really sure what the answer is, but without them, playing big strikers up front is rather pointless.
2 comments:
Firstly, this Djamel has played 10+ games for AC Ajaccio (7 last season, scored 2 in the french top league).
Secondly he's only 19, and one for the future. I believe SP had this transfer on the cards regardless of who he was going to bring in. atleast he's looking at the long term and the short term of the club with minimal budget. The last manager who did this was Joe Royal - look at who he brought to the club! give this guy a break and we'll see what he's made of!
I stand corrected about his age and games played, but my point is just how much better is he than our similarly aged Academy youngsters and how de-motivating is it when they see a raw, unknown teenage 2nd division foreign player being drafted in? I agree, we do need to look forward, but recent foreign signings have on the whole, been failures and huge disappointments (Musampa, Riera, Sibierski, Reyna to name a few) and I think the jury is still out on Samaras, Corradi, Dabo and Beasley, who you can't really see taking the Club forward.
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