Player Focus: Stevan Jovetic Ready to Fight for Starting Spot at City
It had started in pre-season. Stevan Jovetic looked like twice the player he had last campaign. He was scoring all types of goals against more than decent opposition. Yes, these were friendlies, of the sort that plenty of players have waltzed through in the past, scoring countless goals, only to reach the competitive season and see their unstoppable form come to a grinding halt. But Jovetic continued where he left off on Manchester City's pre-season tour of the US, blending seamlessly into the new Premier League season without a hitch.
The Montenegrin was City's biggest threat going forwards in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal, and he was a lively nuisance in their opening league game of the season at Newcastle, before he repeated the two-goal haul he managed against Liverpool in pre-season at the Etihad the following week. Although the Reds were the first team against whom Jovetic scored competitively this campaign, he had looked sharp throughout his previous appearances. Last season he could barely get a look in, even when he was fit, given the exceptional form of Álvaro Negredo, Sergio Agüero and later Edin Dzeko. This season, on early viewing, he looked to have taken a giant leap up the City pecking order.
Then there was more reason for positivity. City boss Manuel Pellegrini showed great faith in Jovetic during the transfer window just gone by letting Negredo move to Valencia without signing a replacement. Last season, City's collection of strikers was by a distance the best in the league. Strength in such depth was simply unrivalled in England, and Jovetic was a mere onlooker for much of what was a successful campaign.
With Negredo unhappy in Manchester and lacking form in the second half of last season, Jovetic was given more of a chance. All 6 of his goals for City against top flight opposition have come this calendar year. When called upon he has tended to respond well; of all players to score 5 or more Premier League goals since the start of last season, only Agüero (87.3) and Luis Suarez (95.6) have averaged fewer minutes per goal than Jovetic (115.2).
And yet, in City's most recent game - the loss to Stoke last weekend - their attack looked blunt and lifeless. Jovetic recorded the lowest rating bar Joe Hart (5.23) - who made just 1 save and should have stopped Mame Biram Diouf's winner - with just 5.94. It was the worst Premier League performance by a starting City midfielder or forward while Jovetic has been at the club. With Stoke's deep block - they had 10 men parked on the edge of their own box for much of the game - the Montenegro international, slight and meek amongst Stoke's hefty defence, struggled to make an impact. He had no shots, created no chances and beat just 1 player with a dribble before being hauled off for a half-fit Edin Dzeko in the 63rd minute.
For much of last season Pellegrini had preferred at least one of his 'bigger' strikers, sometimes paired together but more often than not one of them with Agüero - when the Argentine was fit. Although it should be noted that it was City as a whole that were ineffective on Saturday, and not just the Jovetic-Agüero partnership, the result and his team's performance might well have reaffirmed Pellegrini's views that a 'big-little' combination up front is the best way forward. That cuts down Jovetic's chances of starting massively.
It is more than there merely being one spot available between two players. Agüero is nearing full fitness and when he eventually reaches maximum capacity he will deservedly jump ahead of Jovetic to partner Dzeko up front. It was only one poor performance in amongst an extremely bright start to the season, and Jovetic shouldn't be cast aside on the basis of only that game.
However, City have, relative to their rivals, had a quiet summer. Failure once again to make significant inroads in the Champions League has not dissuaded Pellegrini that the squad he has available is good enough, with a few small tweaks, to challenge on multiple fronts once again. They won the Premier League and the Capital One Cup last term, but neither came with ease. Both Liverpool and Chelsea ran them close in the league while Sunderland gave them a scare at Wembley in March. It shows great belief in the likes of Jovetic that signings were generally made to replace departing players, but no signing was made up front. He in particular needs to perform consistently this season to provide another option in attack, and that means varying his game to be able to contend with defensive approaches like that of Stoke.
Having grown up in the violently disbanding former Yugoslavia, Jovetic has faced greater difficulties in his life than a battle to hold on to a spot in the Manchester City first team. Before Montenegro took on England in a qualifier for the Brazil World Cup in March 2013, Jovetic's teammate Mirko Vucinic made the nation's fearless nature plain. "We are not scared of anybody. We weren't afraid of anybody when we were at war so why would we be afraid now?". Coach Branko Brnovic spoke of a "fighting spirit in our genes". They drew that game with England and could easily have won. Jovetic was key.
He is accustomed to times of struggle and often shines when fighting against the favourites. Up against two of the world's best in Agüero and Dzeko for a spot in City's starting line up, do not expect Jovetic to shy away. It would instead be much less surprising to see him continue his early season form and play a big part in their defence of the Premier League title.
Do you think Jovetic will be a success this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
