In recent years Man City have become a force to be reckoned with among Europe’s elite, but what would happen if the famous City spine was to break?
Aguero’s 23 league goals, including THAT goal in the 2011/12 season and Yaya Toure’s ever-present name on the score-sheet in the 2013/14 season has seen City lift two Premier League titles in three years.
City have failed to sign any players that will take over the spine of the squad and now it would appear that City’s spine is showing signs of breaking.
Joe Hart – Once mentioned in the same sentence as Manuel Neuer, the man who almost beat Lionel Messi to 2nd place in the Ballon D’or this year. Recent seasons have shown that Hart, 27, has a tendency to make individual mistakes that end up costing City valuable points and in the past two seasons has been dropped by Pellegrini due to poor performances.
Vincent Kompany – Such a defensive presence on the pitch that even just seeing his name on the team sheet must give the City team a morale boost. But it’s now got to the point that ‘Captain Fantastic’, now nearing 29, is bordering on the injury-prone list. Martin Demichelis was brought in as cover last season but has rather become a rock in City’s defence due to Kompany’s constant absence through injury.
Possible Future Replacement – Eliaquim Mangala/ Karim Rekik
City will surely have to show the fans that spending £32-million on Mangala was not a waste of money by giving him a decent run of games in the first team. Another possibility for City looks to be Karim Rekik, brought over from Holland. Rekik, 20, currently on loan at PSV Eindhoven has been seen by many City fans as a future City centre-back.
Yaya Toure – A certainty on the team sheet and can score a goal from anywhere on the pitch, but his off-field antics last summer have surely frustrated the City board. Now, with former City boss Roberto Mancini hinting that he would take 31-year-old Toure to Inter Milan given the chance, this could indeed be the last season we see the towering midfielder maraud forward, brushing off those in his wake.
Possible Future Replacement – Paul Pogba
City have been linked with Juventus star Paul Pogba, 21, and many could see him replacing Toure as a midfield presence but Financial Fair Play will be lingering over City if they really want the Frenchman.
David Silva – ‘Merlin’has undoubtably been one of the best players that the Premier League has ever seen and is constantly being drooled over by the media. But Silva has recently turned 29 and looking at results without him in the squad, City appear to struggle for creativity on the pitch. It is clear that Isco was Pellegrini’s future replacement for Silva but City missed out and everyone can now see Isco winning everything with Real Madrid. A substantial case of ‘what could have been’.
Possible Future Replacement – Marco Lopes
It would appear that the next in line to replace Silva will be Marcos Lopes, currently on loan at Lille, but City will be hoping they do not rue missing out on Isco.
Sergio Aguero – The Argentine is clearly City’s goalscoring machine, constantly giving 100%, but he too, just like Kompany, is teetering near the injury-prone list, despite not being that old at 26 years old. A fully fit Aguero is without doubt a force to be reckoned with, but lately City fans must sometimes see Aguero bursting forward and instead of thinking, ‘Serg could score here’, rather think, ‘please don’t pull up with another injury Serg’. New £28 million signing Wilfired Bony, 28, may steady the ship for City in terms of goals without an injured Aguero. However it looks like Jose Pozo could be in line to take over from Aguero in the future but on the basis of his performances this season the 18-year-old still has a while to go to become a shadow of Aguero.
Possible Future Replacement – Jose Angel Pozo
To some it might seem like only yesterday that City signed the likes of Silva, Toure and Aguero but its nearly been 5 years already and each summer that has passed by, City have failed to secure marquee signings that will be the future of the City spine.
