da apostaganha： Have Manchester City done great business this window? Or have they been forced to settle somewhat?
da roleta： When you look back to previous windows, in quite a lot of recent years, City have done their business early. But with last year’s captures of Raheem Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne happening quite close to – or after – the start of the season, perhaps there is a worrying trend developing.
But City have spent money this window and it’s all come within good time left in the window. The worry is bringing in Claudio Bravo after the start of the season and when he hasn’t had a chance to get to know his defenders, whilst letting go of number one Joe Hart.
You can’t fault Pep Guardiola’s decisiveness, though, and that’s definitely a good thing.
There have been ups and downs in this window, some targets who have fallen through and others have arrived who are still raw.
But City fans, here’s the XI you could have had – are you happy with the one you have now?
Claudio Bravo
In many ways this position could’ve been given to Joe Hart. City fans wanted him to stay, he wanted to stay, but Pep Guardiola didn’t. The new manager has played his authority card early on in his City career, and we’ll see if it pays off.
In Claudio Bravo, though, Pep got his man, and for that reason Bravo makes the list of City’s desired XI – he was, at least, in Pep’s desired XI.
Bruno Peres
A flying full back, Peres is perhaps more suspect in defensive situations. But that doesn’t seem to be where Guardiola is playing his full backs this season.
The inverted positions the likes of Clichy and Sagna mean they are the ones tasked with transitioning from defence to attack, and perhaps you want more of a dribbler or a passer in those positions.
John Stones
The John Stones move was a definite ‘saga’ this summer. So it’s clear that Stones was high up on City’s hit list.
With that in mind, you can hardly say that they missed a target with this signing, and Stones will be a mainstay in City’s side for years to come.
Vincent Kompany / Aymeric Laporte
One missed transfer target, however, is Aymeric Laporte. The young defender blends together strength, dominance and composure – does that remind you of anyone?
Perhaps Vincent Kompany will be back from injury very soon, perhaps he can stay fit for the next five years and lift many more trophies with City, but there’s a real possibility he can’t.
And that’s why City need a long-term heir to the throne. Maybe Laporte will be that one day.
Ricardo Rodriguez
Before Guardiola’s arrival, the full back positions looked like they needed a refresh. With Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna both getting on in age, and with Gael Clichy and Aleksandar Kolarov looking a little jaded with life at the club, it looked like that was a position Guardiola was going to target.
Instead, that was the one place he didn’t target. Maybe Clichy, Zabaleta and co. will get new leases of life and play marvellously in the inverted full back roles they’ve been playing so far, but you get the feeling that an all-action player who is brilliant on the ball would be a better fit – a David Alaba or a Ricardo Rodriguez, for example?
Ilkay Gundogan
City’s first signing is also probably their most unreliable. Gundogan didn’t cost a lot of money – not for City and not in the current climate – but given his injury history over the past two seasons, Gundogan does represent something of a risk.
He is, however, very reliable once you get him on the pitch. City will be hoping Gundogan gets fit and can play the role Fernandinho is filling so adeptly at the moment.
And then will the Brazilian take a full-back slot? Food for thought.
Kevin de Bruyne
De Bruyne is a ‘free eight’ this season under Pep Guardiola, according to the Belgian playmaker.
That might make him just a little bit less explosive this year than he was in his debut season, and it might mean that he and David Silva have more of the ball in front of the opposition, trying to find gaps, rather than counter attacking and scoring goals.
David Silva
The same thing applies to Silva as to De Bruyne. Silva, given his age and his position, could have been forced out in a Guardiola revolution, but once again Silva has proven his worth to City.
The little magician has been magnificent again, and he’s exactly the sort of player who can pick out the tight spaces and perfect balls that City’s attackers can exploit.
Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling has really turned on the heat so far this season. It’s easy to forget that he’s only 21 years of age, such is the hate and schadenfreude aimed at the young man sometimes.
But this season Sterling has proven that he’s actually very good at football. And let’s hope it lasts a long time and puts the doubters away for good.
Sergio Aguero
The talisman, Sergio Aguero is on point this season as Manchester City’s point in attack. He’ll score goals in a Guardiola team, there’s no question about that, but it’s all about whether he can stay fit: the longer he’s fit the more goals he’ll score, and if he’s fit for a whole season, he’ll surely post an incredible haul.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Perhaps this is the miss of the window from City. Not so much in terms of a mistake by the club, but more because Aubameyang is such a talented player.
His pace is obscene and his finishing ability is second to none, and with that combination, City would have a player who can both play on the wing or who can deputise for Sergio Aguero in the central role when needed.