Three years ago i heard that there was a player in Germany scoring for fun and that a number of top clubs were keeping tabs on him. So i payed specific attention to him as i have with many players since we were taken over by Sheikh Mansour, as there is every chance we would end up signing them. What i saw was a player who had two feet and was a dangerous finisher with both; a good finisher with his head; a player who reads where the play will go; someone who is hungry to score goals - a goal machine, if you like. However I did also notice his lack of pace; his lack of strength; and his fairly poor first touch.
After seeing two and a half years of this - obviously not week-in-week-out, nor live (as in at the stadium) - i actually wasn't sure i wanted us to sign him. I think i said on here that i didn't want to displace Tevez from being the main central striker as he's in the form of his life and scoring for fun there, i thought Dzeko might upset that flow. I also said that i thought that if Dzeko came he wouldn't be a starter. That's me being honest and not being knee-jerk, it was an opinion i developed over a good period of time.
Having seen him in the flesh, i still hold the opinion that he isn't world class (world class to me is the top 3 players in each position in the world, not just someone who has done well and looks decent) but i do like the guy. I like the way he has two good feet and that he looks hungry to do well. I am actually glad we signed him and that we have him rather than the lazy, unreliable Adebayor. I think with a bit of settling in time and a bit more confidence he'll prove to be a good player. I still don't think he'll be a starter with us, in the biggest of games, while Tevez is here. Even if Tevez leaves - again i'm just being honest i'm not purposely being negative - i think we'll need to sign another top quality striker.
Even as a second striker/ a squad player, with City playing 55-60 games a season, Dzeko will start a good 25 games and i'm sure he'll do really well. I just don't think he'll ever be of the very best quality, or the full package we'll need to be the best.
