Manchester City They have struggled this campaign, and currently find themselves in sixth place in the Premier Leagueafter winning four consecutive titles in the English Premier League. Pep Guardiola The side look a long way from retaining their crown and making it five in a row.
Guardiola's men achieved the highest percentage of ball possession in the league this season, with 61.6%He achieved the highest number of shots per match, with 17.5, and conceded the least number of shots per match. With 9.3.
However, despite conceding the fewest shots per match, Manchester City concede the highest number of shots per shot in the division, With 0.18.
Since Rodri's injury, midfield balance has become a real issue for City, and when you mix that with the lack of legs and aging personnel throughout the squad, it becomes even more clear that the team needs to rebuild, which is what we could see the wheels starting to turn in the transfer window. For the month of January.
Manchester City is looking for a replacement for Kevin De Bruyne
according to Reports from The Times Last weekend, Jamal Musiala was one of the names on Manchester City's radar as the new year begins. However, beyond that Reports from Football InsiderThey claimed Bayern Munich have no intention of letting the 21-year-old leave in the mid-season window.
With the German currently in limbo over a new contract with the Bundesliga giants, Manchester City will believe there is a good chance of landing him. Other interested clubs include Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid.
Musiala has He has participated in 22 matches in all competitions so far this seasonHe scored 14 goals, provided six assists, and totaled 1,609 minutes played.
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How does De Bruyne compare to Musiala?
Obviously one of Guardiola's key men Kevin De Bruynewho spent two months on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury. Guardiola's comments upon the Belgian's return show how integral he is to the City team, as the Spaniard said:I'm so happy he's back“.
The 33-year-old has He has played in 17 matches so far this seasonHe scored two goals and made two assists, and his total playing minutes reached 898 minutes.
However, as the Belgian has aged, his availability has become less reliable, and bringing someone like Musiala through the door could be the quality replacement needed for the star midfielder.
|
Comparison between De Bruyne and Musiala |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Statistics (per 90 minutes) |
De Bruyne |
Musiala |
|
Objectives |
0.33 |
0.77 |
|
Helps |
0.17 |
0.39 |
|
xG |
0.24 |
0.48 |
|
xAG |
0.51 |
0.35 |
|
Holds progressivism |
2.70 |
4.17 |
|
Progressive passes |
10.1 |
6.22 |
|
Total shots |
3.58 |
3.72 |
|
Key passes |
3.10 |
2.50 |
|
Snapshot creation procedures |
6.70 |
5.96 |
|
Successful acquisitions |
0.80 |
3.14 |
|
Statistics taken from FBref |
||
When comparing the two, you can see that Musiala will provide additional carrying quality for City, with the ability to pick the ball up in deep pockets and push the team forward, with 4.17 progressive passes per 90, but also 3.14 successful passes. Per 90, which is extremely important when facing man-to-man pressing systems in the modern game.
Musiala does not have the same range of passing as De Bruyne, but he is still effective with his key passes, hitting 2.50 per 90 (slightly lower than De Bruyne's 3.10), showing a good understanding of his passing decision-making. Jacek described the German Kulig as “incredible“, having shown his impact on Vincent Kompany's side so far this season.
Of course, replacing a player who averages 10.1 progressive passes is always going to be difficult, but Musiala provides 6.22 passes of his own, as well as bringing other qualities such as his prowess on the ball. Regarding the rebuilding of Manchester City, the A German sensation worth £90m It could be the beginning of a new generation of citizens.
