Sunday, 26 May 2019

Manchester City player ratings.


AMAZING season over, how did I rate our players?


Formula


How I do this, is to keep a full record-list of players and adjust their score accordingly as the season progresses. I only rate our players against either Premier League opposition, no matter what competition that may be in, or against Champions League sides.

I also have a * & ** rating, which stands for a player being in particularly good / excellent form on top of their overall rating out of 10.


I really liked Joe Hart and, unlike a lot of short-term-memory, dare I say, slightly fickle fans I heard at the time Pep issued his ‘changing of the gloves’ orders; I simply recalled the many, many wonderful performances from the former, England number 1 keeper that not only kept us in / won us many games but also went a long way to help us begin to fill our trophy cabinets. So much did I respect the fella, in fact, that he was still in our team when I drew up my all-time City 11 & subs…and he was my main keeper! I also gave him my player of the season more than once, if memory serves.

But times and styles did change and it was clear that Joe just wasn’t ‘that sort of keeper’. I did think at the time, though, that such a professional could be retrained to be a ball player as well as a terrific ‘stopper’ but, looking back, I do remind myself that basic “kicking out” wasn’t his finest quality.

So, we – and football – quickly moved on.

Well, Ed is currently doing a flippin’ good job with his application form to get into my all-time, City 11 / squad, that’s for sure. Of course, it’ll take many more years of playing in a City shirt to fully deserve a place but…does this guy have everything or what?!

I’ve called him a “warrior” in the past; one of the bravest keepers I’ve seen. He looks like he would purposely save at the feet of an attacker with his face…and looks like he has done several times (don’t tell him I said that!). His anticipation, reaction and shot-stopping are all in the column headed-up, “Excellent”; as is, of course, his tremendous footwork ability and mid-to-long range passing. I love the fella and having him ever-present in the league campaign plus other competitions has gone a long, LONG way to helping us achieve all that we have achieved.

A few wobbly, lack of concentration moments? A few. But my WORD he’s allowed those in an otherwise assured season.

I don’t do what some publications do after the match, which is to give the likes of Ederson 6/10 if they’ve had little to do save-wise. Instead, what I do is to look at what they contributed in an otherwise quite game defensively; with regards to how much confidence and smooth interaction he had with his defenders / defensive midfielder. Otherwise, the fella would end up with an end-of-season rating that would reflect poorly on his actual contribution.

My rating: 8.5 * / 10


Mr reliable – simple as. He’s definitely more assured than he was when we first sign him; first signed him from Real Madrid, that is, where the fans were starting to get on his back before moving to City. I said in this piece same time last year that Pep would fill him with confidence and I believe he has done just that.

I don’t think he’ll ever be more than a good, 7/10’er but, because of the form of someone I’ll move onto soon, a lot of City fans at one stage of the season were hoping to see the Brazilian start at right-back. Oddly enough, he could be one of a few that’ll be moving on in the summer. If he does, I’m sure he’ll go with a, “Thanks for some crucial, solid performances & cruicial cover fella”.

My rating: 7/10


Honestly, I believed early on last season that it would be ‘our skip’s’ last at the club and I was right. Honestly, I did not think he would play as many games as he did towards the end of the season. I was wrong. Honestly, despite how good he still looked in general, how well he was playing and how fit & strong he appeared to be; I honestly still got jittery a couple of games when I saw him in the starting 11 against teams who, I believed, could have undone him / us for pace. I was wrong both times.

What a hero!


In my all-time City 11? He was before this season. Our best ever Captain? Well there have been some quality City Captains before him but I’d have to say, yes.

What he may have lacked in pace towards the end he MORE than made up for in ALL areas of other attributes and it’s those attributes that saw him and his team cross the last 2 markers to finish treble winners.

It would be easy to go over the top with my marking for Vinny with the influence he had on the team and season, especially after “that” goal. In my current form rating, he definitely gets 2-stars…

My rating: 8** / 10


Paul Lake – and possibly one or two other players whose names escape me – have been described as “Roll Royce” like over the years. Someone might want to explain that to this Frenchman…and explain also that it’s a fine compliment.

Oozes class & calmness…the latter most of the time. Has pace to keep up with most and when he has to slide-in at the end of one of those chases, he does so with great timing 9 times from 10.

He does have a little ‘hot head’ in him and sometimes appears easily provoked…and this can ‘spill over’ a little too much when we need calmness at the back. Again, Pep will have spotted and will manage that.

Chips in with some vital headed goals too! He’s gonna be with us for some considerable time, I’m sure, and I’m looking forward to us finding his long-term partner in blue.

My rating: 8.5 / 10


Actually made enough appearance to warrant a mark! Looked like he’d finally got over his second, nasty injury too, which concerned me a little; concerned me because he might then come in and disrupt what had started to look like something solid on the left of our defence.

But then he broke down again and ended the season seeing a specialist in Barcelona.

My rating: 6.5 / 10


The Argentine probably isn’t too pleased with the amount of games he featured in the season just gone and I think that reflected in the quality of his performances whenever called upon. Never terrible by ANY stretch but he got a well-deserved 8 / 10 form me at the end of last season.

My rating: 7 / 10


Another central defender who didn’t see as much action as he would have liked. Unlike Nicholas, however, a lot of his absences were down to injury niggles…again. And, like Nicholas, decent when he was asked to start or come on as a sub.

My rating: 7 / 10


One of the quotes of the season I’ll never forget from a fellow Blue ‘down my local’ referred to Kyle when he said, “This fella has taken huge strides…backwards”. Funny…and how very true.

Had an AWFUL start to the season; had an awful first quarter of the season, had an awful second quarter to the season (and was probably around the time City fans were-then-hoping to see Danilo in the starting 11 on the right of the defence) and had a distinctly average third quarter of the season.

And he knew it himself as well when, about half way through the season, he admitted in a post-match interview that he needed to find his form again. Still, weeks later, that never happened.

However, I give him credit for not letting his head drop and the form he was searching so hard for came into sight, as he ended the season with a couple of good months. He was heading for a 5 at one point…

My rating: 7 / 10


What an awful, injury-ravaged season one of our star men had! There isn’t much more else to say, really, other than you can only mark him for what he did when he was fit & playing, of course. And, for that, he was mostly amazing when injury-free periods allowed. Kudos to the Belgium international!

My rating: 8.5 * / 10


Simply put, worse season for him in a City shirt. Didn’t feature much…and featured much less as the season went by. I put the latter, at least, down to really off-colour performances from the England man that eventually lead to his permanent exclusion. I can’t see him being here next season either. Shame, he had a really good, 8 / 10 season last time out, which a lot of Blues seem to forget or want to ‘blank out’ in their new pursuit for near-perfection.

My rating: 5 / 10


The man, despite his age and the rigours fighting so long & hard for 4 trophies, just kept going for the most part and most certainly kept the quality of his play going. Time did catch up with him towards the end, where he had to swap match-day pitch for treatment rooms. Still…

My rating: 8 / 10


The player is “good” and is highly likely to improve on that “good” rating with a few more years of coaching under Mr Guardiola, I would say. But I do cringe just a little whenever I hear City fans and general pundits alike going over the top about the Stockport-born player who turns 19 in a few days’ time.

I like the look of him myself but I refuse to get sucked into the theory that he is definitely going to be a BIG player in the future. It’s too early to tell, for me, and a poor display against Leicester City, in fact, saw him substituted on 56 minutes and then didn’t even make the bench in our last 2, vital games in order to complete the treble.

Still, mostly “good” displays from our young midfielder whenever given the chance and, so…

My rating: 7 / 10


Or “Mr Marmite”, as I’ve come to think of him in recent months. I’ve heard some City fans who can’t find it within themselves to find a good word for him; others, in fact, are downright scathing about the German international!

I know he’s not in the same class as Kevin or either of the Silvas but, let’s not forget, we were told at the start of the season that he and the backroom team at City have to manage his long-term fitness with regards to the awful injury he received just after signing for us in 2016. I’ll add also that he was brought in as a creative, more forward-thinking midfielder rather than the defensive midfield cover man we’ve asked him to become in recent times.

He can make wrong decisions with his passing and his passing radar can be off at times. But, overall, I think he’s done better than decent for us most of the time and that goes for the season just gone too.

My rating: 7.5 / 10


“We don’t need him”. “He’s no improvement on what we’ve got”. “I don’t want him”. “I’d rather we spend that money on a (BLANK) than on him”. “Where’s he gonna play, who do we leave out?”. These were questions, to mention just a few, that a lot of City fans were asking as the deal looked to be almost done. Me? I was quietly nodding in agreement with some of those comments with a…“Wait ‘n’ see / could be a good signing” rider.

I waited and I saw.

I saw a player who, at first, appeared to be trying too hard, which was unsettling his game and the whole team, to a point. I then saw a player who, despite the odd decent run, chance and occasional assist, appeared to be just all over the shop; failing to beat a man, cross a ball or shoot accurately for the most part. He looked completely lost in our system in fact.

But Pep worked and worked and worked on him and, towards the VERY end, we saw improvement. He was never carrying weight but he somehow looked leaner & sharper. His runs & passing interplay improved, as did his crossing and shooting. Similar to Kyle’s season in some ways.

My rating: 7 / 10


Not as good-a-season as the last one from the German, I would sum up the-season-just-gone as being for the wild-haired-winger. He still has BAGS of talent and I disagree with those who say that he doesn’t work for the team – I just don’t see that in him at all.

The worst I would say about Leroy is when he has a bad game and looks out of sorts, he really does have a stinker and although every player of his calibre does have an off game or two, his inconsistences do seem to come a little too often at times and you just KNOW that he has it within him to quash that if he applies himself correctly.

Unless Pep has had enough of trying to mould the young winger and those rumblings are being leaked in order to drum-up outside interest; I’m still pretty amazed at the strong rumours linking Sane with a move away this summer.

My rating: 7.5 / 10



Grew and grew and GREW into the season as the months ticked by”. That was my opening line about the Portuguese attacking winger / midfielder in LAST season’s rating article, this time last year. This season, he jumped even higher from the growth mark he left himself at last season and simply got better and better.

So intelligent with his running and interplay. He really does ‘mix it up’ and just when you think he might run down a predicted route, he surprises you (and the defending player) more often than not. I actually think he’s better on the right wing but I can absolutely see why a lot see his long-term future in the middle with Kevin or whoever. My player of the season.

My rating: 9*


One of my all time, favourite City players is a fact I won’t hide from anyone. But just to prove that I’m a fair, unbiased blog writer; I will state quite firmly that, for large parts of last season, our Spanish magician had some very understated games by his standards.

Furthermore, I agreed whenever it was that the decision was made to start him on the bench, as other players deserved their starts ahead of him. But you can’t keep a good brilliant man down for long and as the season came to its various, dramatic conclusions; David stepped back up a couple of notches and proved a key figure in many games. This rating might be the lowest, end-of-season mark I’ve ever given him but, still…

My rating: 7.5 / 10


The boy has become a man. There have been many accolades directed at Raheem in the season just gone (as well as foul abuse form the stands) but that’s my tribute. He really has matured on the pitch while, many would say who know him, he’s always been just that off it.

He really has shown an incredible maturity to deal with off-field shenanigans but on it, we’ve also seen his consistency levels rise a lot too. And do you recall that other, annoying trait our hugely talented winger / attacking forward used to have? Decision making? I don’t recall seeing that in him in the season just gone. Despite tailing off a little towards the end of our campaign…

My rating: 8.5* / 10


Now, get a piece of moulding clay. Got it? Okay, now sculpt something…anything. Finished? Now, using your fist, mash it up! Trust me. Okay…make something else not only just as pleasing on the eye but also something that will be of real use to you.


That’s what Pep Guardiola has done with the once left-sided, attacking midfielder / winger from the Ukraine. And that, ladies & gentleman, is why I also laugh whenever I hear any bitter comments coming from non-City fans about Pep being a “fake” and is only successful because he comes into clubs with established, top-class players in most positions and a cargo ship full of cash to spend on top of that.

This lad has been utterly transformed into a very accomplished left-wing back; one who I have every confidence in being just as good defensively as he looks naturally going forward – for me a perfect balance if you’re going to play someone in that ‘duel role’.

And at his tender age of 22-½, there’s time yet to improve even more those defensive qualities to ease any fears some fans might still have about ‘Kevin Junior”. And ask yourselves this question, remember the injury record & form of two players I’ve already mentioned; where would we have been this season without Oleks performing as well as he has done?

And to think, he was apparently on the verge of a £13M move to Wolves last summer!

My rating: 8 / 10


Even if this guy doesn’t have the very best personal seasons…he’s still one hell of a frightening monster to have in your side leading the attack. And, despite the wonderful array of creative & attacking talent that he has behind him that most strikers would LOVE to have; we have to remind ourselves that he is still largely seen as the main man ‘up there’ to finish – we rarely, if ever, give him a striking partner to play with / off.

However, some would say that he has several attacking partners but, what I’m getting at is, he still has to largely plough that central, attacking path alone in many ways and it’s a route that is getting heavier with rows of thorny, defensive bushes; as teams desperately throw bodies in the way in an attempt to stifle our attacks.

That can make it difficult for our Argentine hero at times and, at times, he did appear to have quiet, frustrating games; far more that he / we would have liked. But still, huff…, 32 goals in all competitions? It seems, therefore, a little crass of me to give the following mark after that ‘goal stat’ (some fans may think it a little low) but my marks are a season-long, flowing one and the little battleship did lose a few knots of speed in the latter weeks. Still…

My rating: 8 / 10


Didn’t really get much of a chance in the season just gone, which was largely down to Sergio’s rare, low-injury-record season and a middle part of the season / winter time where our main striker was firing.

When Gabriel did get his chance for a few weeks; if memory serves it was mostly against lower league opposition and when he finally gained some traction, he did really well I thought. Then he had to take a back (side) seat one again until the latter weeks; where he managed a few more appearances, most notably, on occasions, as an attacking winger / wide forward, where I thought he played really quite well.

This is another player that most City fans aren’t quite sure about or, indeed, differ on a lot; with those who aren’t quite convinced highlighting a very good point about the amount of times he gets caught offside.

I think we need to keep and develop him more under Pep and with one of the best strikers in the WORLD ahead of him in a team that likes to play with just one striker; it’s little wonder he can’t gain any momentum and that, I think, needs to be factored in when judging the 22-year old.

My rating: 7.5 / 10



How can I not give this after all we battled through and won / came close to winning?!

My rating: 10 / 10

Pep


Some might criticise him for what he did in the first leg of the semi-final of the Champions League that eventually saw us depart that competition by the skin of Spurs’ teeth and, fair enough to a point. Huh, but still…

My rating: 9.9 / 10

A look at player ‘ins & outs’ in my next piece. Thanks, as always, for taking the time…

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