During his unveiling on Tuesday morning, Edin Dzeko secured cult-hero status despite not yet having kicked a ball for his new club, “I have heard that most people from Manchester are Manchester City fans.” That’s what we like to hear. His arrival onto the pitch for the weekend’s game is likely to be greeted with deafening noise, as he lines up to play his first game for Manchester City. His demeanor is exciting; I love the man already and am eagerly anticipating his first appearance in Sky Blue.
His main attribute is undoubtedly his ability to find the net. With 76 goals in his last 105 appearances for Wolfsburg it is hard to look past his goal scoring prowess, but there is much more to Edin Dzeko’s game than this record suggests. In those same appearances, he has managed to contribute 27 assists, with only one of those assists coming this season.
These stats prove that this common ‘big man up front’ misconception is wrong. Despite his stature and build he is not simply a target man. Dzeko is actually a very technically astute player who likes to play on the deck – comfortable with both right and left foot and with better agility than many give him credit for. His all-round game could surprise those who know the Bosnian only from his many YouTube clips.
Therefore, City will not revert to a long ball game as a result of his arrival. His aerial ability will give us another welcome outlet, giving our wide players someone to aim for in the box. However, our ball on the floor approach will not be affected, in fact, it could even be enhanced: Dzeko was at his most effective when partnered with Grafite in the 2008/09 season. The two man man combo proved extremely successful as both benefitted from the other’s strengths. Grafite managed 31 goals in 35 appearances whilst Dzeko netted 36 times in 42 appearances.
Dzeko’s arrival at Manchester City sees him in the same team as another of Europe’s top marksmen in Carlos Tevez. However, instead of battling it out for the striking limelight, I’m expecting the two to complement each other as Mancini looks to integrate both into the same side.
In theory, Tevez and Dzeko will be mustard – they are a match made in heaven. Carlos likes to drop deep and collect the ball. He is at his most dangerous when running at back-tracking defenders with supporting runners. However, this tendency to drift can often frustrate as it leaves it our attack devoid of a focal point. Dzeko on the other hand, brings a whole different option to the table – he likes to play on the shoulder of the last defender, in a similar fashion to a Fernando Torres firing all cylinders. Despite a lack of raw pace, a ball threaded in-behind is his favoured method of supply. Dzeko’s impressive agility should then see him bear down on goal where his calm nature and clinical finishing will prove decisive.
Couple both these factors with Silva’s ability to pick a delightful pass and we could be laughing. However, don’t expect instant fireworks from Edin. The Bundesliga’s similarity to the Premier League should help the adjustment period but I’m expecting him to adapt at a similar speed to Silva. Obviously, time will be more limited due to his January arrival and goals will be expected due his nature of play, but Dzeko will not disappoint. He is “made for the Premier League” and will boost City in their pursuit for their first league title since 1968.
Just how Mancini will attempt to include all of his attacking talents is another question, but the Wolves game should give us a useful initial insight into his intentions. I think Dzeko’s arrival will prompt the use of a fluid 4-3-3 with a front three of:
Tevez – Dzeko – Silva
The three players will be given a license to roam which should suit both Silva and Tevez who will naturally drift in-field, but this system offers little width and will require our full backs to up their game. That is a separate issue however but I think Mancini’s longer term solution is a formation containing a narrow, midfield diamond with two central strikers. However, the likely victim of this formation shift will be Gareth Barry as I will discuss in a future post, looking at the potential formations with Dzeko.
