Manchester Metropolis’s defensive points proceed.
Sunday’s 2-0 defeat by the hands of champions-elect Liverpool was the nineteenth time the Sky Blues have conceded a number of targets in the identical sport this season.
Thus, Pep Guardiola‘s crew have let in nearly precisely 1.5 targets per sport to date this season, which might characterize the Residents’ highest ratio since being relegated in 2000/01.
Nonetheless, Man Metropolis do have a highly-rated teenage defender at the moment out on mortgage who may assist ease these points when he returns to the Etihad subsequent season.
John Stones, be careful…
John Stones’ decline at Man Metropolis this season
When Stones joined Manchester Metropolis from Everton for a reported payment of £47.5m, turning into the second most costly defender on this planet on the time, there have been actually doubts.
Properly, this has actually confirmed to be a worthwhile funding, with former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand describing him because the “greatest on this planet” on his method to profitable six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League.
Nonetheless, extra lately, this season specifically, he has struggled with accidents all through this marketing campaign, sitting out 16 matches already resulting from numerous points, with Guardiola confirming his defender can be sidelined once more, this time for as much as ten weeks resulting from a thigh harm suffered on the Bernabéu final Wednesday.
Jonathan Wilson of the Guardian wonders if Stones’ incapability to remain match is a ‘perpetual state’, not helped by the truth that, as famous by Joe Bray of the Manchester Night Information, he was ‘rushed again’ in December, because of Man Metropolis’s ‘unending harm cycle’ on the again.
Thus, in line with some studies, Stones may go away in the summertime on condition that Man Metropolis have been investing in youthful defenders to take them into the long run, notably Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis.
However, may one other of their younger investments, at the moment out on mortgage, be the England defender’s successor?
Man Metropolis’s new teenage defender
In January, as a part of their spending spree, Man Metropolis signed 18-year-old defender Juma Bah from Actual Valladolid, paying his €6m (£5m) launch clause, earlier than instantly loaning him out to Lens, a deal that has proved to be controversial.
As lately as final season, Bah was taking part in for Freetonians SLIFA in his native Sierra Leone, earlier than making a shock transfer to La Liga aspect Valladolid.
Following, as Reuben Pinder of the Athletic put it, his ‘speedy rise’, Blanquivioletas wished to extend Bah’s launch clause, which stood at simply £5m, and have accused Man Metropolis of ‘tapping up’, encouraging Bah to not signal an expert contract at Valladolid so they might snap him up a cut-price fee, with the Spanish membership ‘threatening authorized motion’ in line with James Ducker of the Telegraph.
Jamie Jackson and Sid Lowe of the Guardian cite a Valladolid assertion that alleges Bah ‘determined to not present up’ later informing the membership of his ‘intention to unilaterally break his contract’.
So, why have been Man Metropolis so determined to safe the 18-year-old’s signature, after he made simply 12 appearances in La Liga?

In The Pipeline
Soccer FanCast’s Within the Pipeline collection goals to uncover the easiest youth gamers in world soccer.
Properly, Mario Cortegana and Tomás Hill López-Menchero of the Athletic describe him as ‘commanding’, whereas knowledge analyst Ben Mattinson labelled him a “powerhouse”, whose “aerial capability makes him a menace on set-pieces”.
In that sense, he may nicely be much like Arsenal’s Gabriel, who scored on the Etihad in September and tends to have an almighty behavior of inflicting chaos from corners and free-kicks.
So, let’s examine how the duo examine, in addition to the place they rank throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues.
Bah vs Gabriel comprison (24/25) |
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---|---|---|---|---|
Stats |
Bah |
Prime 5 leagues rank |
Gabriel |
Prime 5 leagues rank |
Aerials duels gained |
71.1% |
thirty seventh |
58.8% |
277th |
Cross completion |
81.4% |
583rd |
90% |
94th |
Tackles |
10 |
738th |
23 |
114th |
Clearances |
61 |
231st |
77 |
one hundred and thirty fifth |
Interceptions |
12 |
593rd |
14 |
492nd |
Blocks |
16 |
585th |
37 |
thirty fourth |
Ball recoveries |
36 |
1,122nd |
52 |
793rd |
Be aware: All ‘high 5 league’ rankings are out of 2721 gamers |
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Of gamers who’ve been concerned in 30+ aerials duals throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues this season, solely 25 have gained the next proportion than Bah, which is especially spectacular contemplating he is spent the vast majority of the season taking part in for Valladolid, who former Manchester United and Wimbledon striker Terry Gibson described as ‘hopeless’ on the La Liga weekly podcast.
Additionally price caveating that Bah has performed simply 879 minutes throughout La Liga and now Ligue 1 this season, essentially the most some gamers have racked up is 2,430, making it all of the extra spectacular that he ranks thirty seventh for aerial duals gained, essentially the most noteworthy part of the above desk.
Thus, {the teenager} is actually proficient, and a participant Man Metropolis supporters needs to be excited to see in a sky blue shirt quickly.

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