No striker? It’s still no problem for fluid City
When the question came Pep Guardiola was ready for it and armed with a sarcastic response.
‘I want to tell you something,’ he began, following another goalfilled Manchester City win, this time at Brighton in October.
‘One day we’ll lose and you’ll ask me, “Do you need a striker?”. I bet you whatever you want. I don’t buy this question.’
Two months on he still has no interest in buying a striker either. And, to win the Premier League at least, nor does it look as though he needs one.
Two summers ago City missed out on harry Maguire and did not move for an alternative target. Given they were prepared to pay a considerable sum for the england defender, it raised some eyebrows that a cheaper Plan B was not lined up.
The fact they did not fill the defensive void left by the talismanic Vincent Kompany then proved to be a significant factor in them relinquishing their title the following season. The centre back they did eventually sign, Ruben Dias, has admittedly proved to be worth the wait.
The danger after failing to land harry Kane from Tottenham this summer was that history may repeat itself. But at the halfway stage, City were clear at the top having hit a half-century of goals, a total only matched by Liverpool.
Ferran Torres’s £55million departure for Barcelona has removed another attacker from Guardiola’s options. Yet, still, he remains unfazed. Fluidity will continue to be his preferred mode of attack rather than the familiarity of a traditional frontman.
Against Brentford, Jack Grealish was the most central of City’s attackers, with Kevin De Bruyne joining him from midfield and Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus hugging the flanks.
But freedom of movement was key. Swinging in high crosses and battling Brentford’s giant defenders was a waste of time without a focal point.
Instead, all four roamed, interchanged and to devastating effect for City’s opening goal. Just when Brentford’s hopes were building City pulled out one of their trademark moves from the Guardiola playbook and Foden finished off a first-time De Bruyne cross with his own one-touch finish.
Like a clinical, seasoned striker you might say. From the wide role he had primarily occupied, when the opportunity arose Foden had the intelligence to move into the no 9 position ahead of Grealish and convert his chance.
An intelligence all of Guardiola’s forwards need to possess to ensure this way works.
Foden — back in the starting XI for the first time since his ill-timed night out with Grealish — had two more headed efforts from a similar position in the second half, one flicked wide and another converted but chalked off for offside.
All showed the value of the unpredictability of City’s approach. One that is hard for opponents to counter and increasingly looks more than capable of taking them to a sixth title.
And reducing the chances of Guardiola being asked question again.