Yesterday afternoon, Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini was put to the sword by his number one summer transfer target, Robin van Persie.
While the Dutchman was finalising his move to Manchester United back in August, Mancini was venting his frustration at his own club’s lack of incoming players.
So with the season approaching the halfway point, we look at who did eventually arrive at the Etihad and their impact so far.
Jack Rodwell
A player once touted as the fit version of Owen Hargreaves, Rodwell joined City just days after Mancini’s moan over a lack of new faces on the training ground. For £15million he effectively bought a substitute, because for fans and casual observers alike, it was clear the team’s midfield was full of top class talent.
On both his home debut against Southampton and his away debut against Liverpool, carelessness from Rodwell led to a goal for the opposition. And with so many players ahead of him, it is hard to see him being anything more than an enforced change or a late substitute at present, especially now that the Europa League – the saving grace for reserve team players – isn’t even an option.
Javi Garcia
A product of Real Madrid’s youth system, Garcia’s arrival was hailed as a coup by European football observers. When he scored on his debut to rescue a point against Stoke City, it was clear this defensive midfielder had more than one string to his bow.
Injury has curtailed some of his early promise, but fans seeking a viable alternative to Yaya Toure when he leaves for the Africa Cup of Nations in January may just have found it. Garcia’s arrival reinforces the fact that the signing of Rodwell was more to appease the manager than to improve the team.
In a side piled high with impressive midfielders, Garcia has broken through, leaving Rodwell even further down the pecking order than when he arrived.
Richard Wright
35-year-old Wright was once championed as one of the best ‘keepers of his generation. Signed by City as back-up to the back-up, he is there very much for emergencies. But with nearly 450 career appearances between the posts, there are far worse men to have to call on in an emergency, but fortunately for City such an eventuality hasn’t happened yet.
Scott Sinclair
Sinclair was officially a Chelsea player for five seasons, and yet he averaged just one appearance a year. The term perennial loanee was coined for players like him, because between 2007 and 2010 he went on loan to six different clubs, before finally finding a home at Swansea.
50 appearances and 27 goals later, it was clear why Chelsea bought him in the first place. Sinclair just needed games, as eight more goals in the top flight last season proved. So how must he feel approaching Christmas with only four league starts under his belt?
He probably moved to prove himself. But he needn’t have. He’d proved himself already. Besides, Adam Johnson could have told him all there was to know about Mancini’s opinion of wingers. Signed as a Plan B, Sinclair will get game time over a season, but as it has been so far, it will be counted mostly in minutes rather than matches.
Maicon
Once touted as the best attacking right-back in world football, Maicon’s move to Manchester was left-field but explainable. Despite an outstanding defensive record last season, Mancini seemed intent on starting the new one with wing-backs, an experiment that went better in his head than it did on the pitch.
But with Micah Richards out for up to four months, Maicon has started five of the last seven games. Although purchased a few years past his best-before date, the defender is proving a solid acquisition.
After nine appearances this season, his percentage of tackles won is 100%; while his experience in the latter stages of the campaign will prove invaluable.
Matija Nastasic
Last season City had one great defender. Around him were scattered fairly average ones and, whenever Stefan Savić played, one clearly out of his depth. But when Savić moved to Fiorentina in the summer, a 19-year-old with huge promise and poise moved the other way.
Now forming an impressive defensive partnership with Vincent Kompany, Matija Nastasic is looking like one of the signings of the season. After a wobbly defensive start which saw City concede in each of their first six league matches, the introduction of the Serbian defender has helped the team keep five clean sheets in their last seven league games. Mancini’s youngest signing of the summer is on course to also be the best.
What do you think of City’s signings so far?
image: © Mafue
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