Manchester City Rear Guard Still Not Right, A Cause For Concern?

Jose Angel Tasende (Angelino)

Every time Kompany and Mangala play together our Captain suffers, I don't believe Mangala is our answer to partnering Vinny at all. With Demichelis getting closer to retirement and only young Jason Denayer as potential at present. I feel somewhat underwhelmed by our lack of activity for a new experienced Centre Back. Here I have placed our players in the positions they can occupy to show a true picture of our strength in depth and positional strength. I really hope the Nicolas Otamendi rumour turns out to be true or we bring in a proven European Centre Back quick.

Goalkeeper: Hart / Caballero / Wright
Right Back: Zabaleta / Sagna
Centre Back: Kompany / Demichelis
Centre Back: Mangala / Denayer
Left Back: Clichy / Kolarov

Right Attacking Midfield: Sterling / Nasri / Lopes
Centre Midfield: Yaya Toure / Fernandinho
Centre Midfield: Delph / Fernando
Left Attacking Midfield: Silva / Iheanacho / Navas / Lopes

Centre Attacking Midfield: Silva / Iheanacho / Bony /Lopes
Striker: Bony / Iheanacho / Aguero / Sterling

This tells me one thing, we are one Centre Attacking Midfielder short, we are also weak at both Wing Back positions and at Centre Back. I'm not at all convinced by Sagna as well as Mangala and Kolarov's defencive ability is not exactly doing Mangala any favours either. We are for the majority of time attacked on our left which highlights how weak City are in that position. Clichy is past his best to say the least so we need Wing Backs super fast, the only Wing Back we have that I have faith in is Zabaleta. One good plus to all this defencive mess is, that we have young Left Back Angelino (Jose Angel Tasende) coming through the ranks and currently on loan at New York City FC.

I am deeply concerned with the season ahead, if we don't strengthen now I see us possibly losing the title race yet again considering the underwhelming emphasis Pellegrini puts on our defencive play. Chelsea clearly showed last season that playing from the back is needed to grind out results. You can't always outscore everyone especially when they always park the bus like most seem to do against us, what do you think of all this?

Real Madrid Vs A 16 Year Old Humphreys, Arsenal And Sterling, Delph And Our Lack Of Defensive Signings

16 Year Old Cameron Humphreys

As the media would have everyone believe, Manchester City were stunned, thumped, routed, mauled, humiliated, over-powered, battered, heavily defeated and destroyed (their words not mine), but every single one of them failed to point out that 16 year old City defender Cameron Humphreys partnered 20 year old Jason Denayer flanked either side by a defensively poor Kolarov and Bacary Sagna, we can argue the only first team players worth their weight in the lineup were Joe Hart, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Raheem Sterling and Samir Nasri. Delph got stretchered off after 18 minutes with what's reported as a hamstring injury, Fernando was his usual underwhelming self and Delph's substitution Jesus Navas was same old same old.

No Aguero, No Kompany, No Mangala, No Demichelis, No Bony, No Fernandinho and No Zabaleta, that was over half our spine missing so is there any wonder we actually lost too

Navas, Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Kross, Modric, Ronaldo, Bale, Isco and Benzema, almost Real Madrid's entire first 11, SO CREDIT where credits due for our two young lads keeping it at a reasonable 4 goals considering. Would have been nice to win the meaningless trophy but it's not exactly worth a place next to an FA Cup or League title trophy now is it?, our Community Shield has more meaning, at the least our Aussie fans got to see and meet some of our boys and watch a few matches.

Well done to our young blues and especially to Sterling, especially against Real Madrid where the referee allowed Real Madrid to knock you around like a rag doll and deny us a clear cut penalty in the process.

Arsenal's Lord Harris has been running his mouth off in the media about how he's glad Raheem Sterling wasn't signed by Arsene Wenger, as if he had any chance over us signing him anyway. LORD of whatever he's Lord of, Harris claims Sterling's didn't treat Liverpool well, well that's a two way street Mr Harris but what would you know about that when you've been fed with a Silver Spoon and probably had your backside wiped for you, that is unless you've actually gone and purchased that title yourself. Mr Prim and proper, oh my did he just Google me. Baron Harris of Peckham, thanks for the giggle.

Delph's problem is pretty simple really if it is his hamstring, minor to moderate he's just pulled his muscles and will be out for a few weeks for some therapy, worst case scenario is he's torn his muscle which would result in surgery. Wishing you a speedy recovery Fabian.

Now to our lack of defencive signings, Delph aside time is running and we are still yet to sign a center half as it's clear Denayer isn't ready to step up and partner Kompany just yet and Demichelis won't be with us much longer. I'm starting to get a little anxious if I'm honest, we are obviously linked with every Tom, Dick and Harry Peckham lately but one name stands out for me, Nicolas Otamendi, looks rather much like a young King Leonidas.

Other than Kevin De Bruyne who happens to be an attacking midfielder and right back Fabinho, no names are standing out at present, the Fabinho move has apparently fallen through. We are in desperate need of already established wing backs with Angelino a few seasons off our first team and Zabaleta getting on in playing years (I'm not looking forward to seeing Zabman decline at all). Sagna was only ever a temporary fix, no offence there Bacary.

Hoping City pull some defenders out the bag soon before it's too late, Comon City.