burning blue soul
Well-Known Member
Where was he rated in season 4 and 5?I realise stats aren't the be all and end all, but for a player who many say he flatters to deceive it's useful to see just how productive he had been.
On whoscored, in his first three seasons at United, he was the third, ninth, and eleventh best player in the Premier League. When you look at the other players in the list, those stats are clearly picking up on something.
It was under Mourinho, someone who has the strength of will to get players working in a system, that he played his best football for United. Could Pep do something similar?
The worry for me is that at 29, have those injuries in the last two seasons just been unlucky, and his drop in form due to the stop/starts they caused, and Ole's lack of a plan, or are they part of a decline?
Pretty sure he drops of a cliff in those,seasons. Maybe it's a blip, and there is still a player in there.
For a "free" transfer there are still risks to City if it goes tits up.
I'll leave the club experts to decide if he could be asset to the team. For me, I feel he is past his best.