Player Focus: What Does Otamendi's Arrival at City Mean for Mangala?
Two wins from two, six goals scored and zero conceded – Manchester City’s season has started in impressive fashion. The 3-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday has led many, even at this early stage, to revise their title favourites, with Manuel Pellegrini’s side now five points ahead of the defending champions after gameweek two. While the season is still very young, it’s a big gap to open after just 180 minutes of league action. Pellegrini will be thrilled with the way his team has started the campaign, but the Chilean is not resting on his laurels.
As City sauntered their way to victory against a lacklustre Chelsea side, reports began to circulate that the two-time Premier League champions were closing in on the signature of Nicolás Otamendi from Valencia. Local rivals Manchester United had been strongly linked with a move for the Argentine in a bid to bolster their backline, but it’s City who are now in pole position to secure the services of the highly rated centre-back. Of course, his capture will significantly strengthen a City side that was defensively suspect on more than the odd occasion last season.
Despite finishing 2nd in England’s top tier last term, four teams conceded fewer goals than City (38). If they are to secure their third Premier League title, the Manchester side need to solidify at the back and Otamendi’s arrival will do just that. His WhoScored rating (7.59) was enough to secure a spot in the La Liga team of the season in 2014/15, with the 27-year-old making more clearances (256) and headed clearances (182) than any other player in last season’s Primera Division. Only Lionel Messi (25) and Cristiano Ronaldo (17) won more WhoScored man of the match awards than Otamendi (7) in Spain’s top flight.
However, a reported hold up in the tranfer is that Valencia reportedly want Eliaquim Mangala on loan. While City fans will have welcomed the deal 6 months ago, the Frenchman’s start to the campaign suggests they may want to think twice about allowing Mangala to depart for the Spanish side. After the opening two league games of the season, the 24-year-old has gained a significantly better WhoScored rating (7.48) than he managed last term (7.07). Having appeared wildly inexperienced, the young centre-back now looks far more assured at the heart of the backline, perhaps as a result of Vincent Kompany’s improved performances alongside him.
Either way, his displays for City suggest there is more to come from the defender this campaign and his early season form certainly warrants an extended run of games in the first team. Otamendi’s impending arrival, though, would likely limit Mangala’s playing time just as he is starting to look as though he could live up to the hefty fee City paid Porto to secure his services last summer. The Premier League table toppers may be adamant that Mangala won’t join Valencia on loan, but even then, this presents a dilemma for Pellegrini.
The City boss is unlikely to drop captain Kompany, despite the Belgian underwhelming last season, after all. Mangala’s first team football will unlikely halt completely as a result – the number of games City are expected to play means he should receive ample time on the pitch regardless of whether Otamendi signs or not – but changes to disrupt a defence that looks relatively solid could well have an adverse effect, both on and off the pitch.
Mangala clearly struggled to adjust to the rigours of English football upon his arrival from Porto, but after a year of bedding in, looks to have rediscovered his form. As good as Otamendi is, his inexperience in the Premier League means City could have a similar situation on their hands with the Argentine, which in turn would set City back.
Nevertheless the aim, of course, is to strengthen the team at the back having improved in attack and midfield, despite reports linking Kevin de Bruyne with a move to the Etihad Stadium. Beyond Kompany and Mangala, Pellegrini has only Martin Demichelis to call on at centre-back with Premier League experience. Jason Denayer may have impressed during his loan spell at Celtic last season, but he is not yet ready for regular competitive action for City. The signing of Otamendi would allow Denayer to undergo another loan spell, so it would be good his development, but then a hindrance to Mangala’s.
After such a strong start to the campaign, Pellegrini would be wise to ride the wave of early season success rather than tamper with the team. Of course, what’s likely is City’s defence should grow stronger with Otamendi’s arrival given his defensive calibre, but his signing will come as a blow to Mangala and his hopes of holding down a regular starting berth alongside Kompany. Whether this impedes Pellegrini's attempts to settle on a first choice centre-back partnership will remain to be seen, but for now Mangala should keep his place in the side.
What does the future hold for Mangala on the back of Otamendi's impending move to Manchester City? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
