Will Aymeric Laporte injury cost Manchester City dear? Why Pep Guardiola’s gamble could backfire
The scale of Manchester City woes were laid bare as Norwich stunned them in Carrow Road - and with several different options at his disposal, it could price Pep Guardiola dear from the title race.
John Stones along with Nicolas Otamendi had nightmare matches in the 3-2 defeat, however, Guardiola has made his own bed by deciding replacing Vincent Kompany at the summer, as well as Aymeric Laporte hurt long-term, today seems stuck using a partnership he has never favoured until the January transfer window at least.
He has done his very best to steer clear of matching the two together. For a guy who loves to rotate, Guardiola began them together only 3 times at the whole of last year. They don't look a title-winning combination, especially against a Liverpool side. "Maybe we'll think about [another guardian ] at December, maybe," Guardiola mentioned on Friday, before the Norwich game. That is quickly getting a definitely.
Even if Liverpool drop five points between now and January 1, which will be far from ensured (they've only dropped six in their last 19 games), City would have to be perfect to draw degree. They looked a thousand miles from that against Norwich.
Guardiola's men would have half a season to put themselves back on course, obviously, but if they came back from the brink last season it wasn't from a Liverpool side to a 14-game winning series.
Against Norwich, the duo of Stones and Otamendi were uncertain out and uncomfortable in possession of this, that nervousness seemed to spread upon the rest of their line too, and the antithesis of this Guardiola defence we have become accustomed to.
Norwich must be ideal, was that the message prior to the match. No requirement Stones attempted and failed to play Teemu Pukki offside, allowing him a clear run on goal before squaring to tap in.
Neither when, due to their third, Stones'
unhelpful move across his own box found Otamendi unaware Emi Buendia would closes down him, robbed of their ball along with a finish setup to poke house.
"That second goal demonstrates how much they're going to overlook Aymeric Laporte," Jamie Redknapp informed Saturday Night Football. "He is very important for this group as well as the chemistry between the two centre-backs, John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi, isn't there.
"They were all over the place for the second goal and that summed up their whole performance. With Laporte, they seem to get this stability. It's obvious to everyone that Stones and Otamendi don't look like a real partnership."
Guardiola remained normally defiant. "I'm not worried," he told Sky Sports after full time. He is not likely to throw either defender below the bus, particularly if he needs them more than he would like, but how City determine another few weeks will be a significant concern due to their manager whose actions have often spoken louder than his words.
We have seen these lapses in focus in Otamendi and Stones especially in football in the debut season of Guardiola. Another will swing shambolic and polished one minute with regularity that is consummate with them collectively. They did grow under his wing with another summertime but Pep nevertheless felt that the # 57m addition of Laporte has reliable them to start together in eight league games in the 20 months, also was required in January 2018.
But now it's back to square one. Laporte injured, Kompany gone, Harry Maguire, who Guardiola confessed he had courted in the summer, playing his football in the future.
"We could not manage him" was the official line in the Etihad if Maguire joined Manchester United for #80m, shortly after City had signed Rodri from Atletico Madrid for #62m. Had they been too worried about replacement Kompany, they may have held theirhorses.
City prioritised a Fernandinho replacement a location where they were dangerously short in numbers, isn't certain. But he's made his feelings regarding the present pairing so clear the club is pleased to rely on Fernandinho to slot , or that his hands genuinely were tied, regardless of the fact. Kyle Walker, that had a combined time in centre-back in a back three through the past year's World Cup, has been mooted.
"We didn't expect the injury and in over three decades collectively John and Nicolas have played together, and thanks to them we have won," added Guardiola within his post-match interview.
"Laporte is hurt and Kompany is currently in Anderlecht, and so we can't simply analyse it off one match. We will need to improve on this and hopefully we could do better"
He is right of course. It is only one game. But if trauma struck if it comes down to whether City were prepared to risk spending money on a second defender, or risk losing their Premier League crown , they then might already be needing they made a choice.
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