Laporte gets City on front foot in double quick time
FOR those that wondered if City could improve on last season, Aymeric Laporte certainly appears to have added to the title winners.
Pep Guardiola broke the bank to sign the Athletic Bilbao defender for £57m in January last season, finally landing his man after the player rejected a move to the Etihad at the 11th hour in the summer of 2016.
If the City manager has known what he has wanted at the back since he arrived in Manchester, the form of Laporte this season has still been a surprise given his gentle start.
The Frenchman started nine league games in total and won them all but also played in the cup defeats to Wigan and Liverpool and was not seen ahead of Nicolas Otamendi or Vincent Kompany in the pecking order.
And while the summer gave him the chance to claim a place in the team with his three competitors for a place all away at the World Cup, injury meant he only played in one of the club’s three friendlies in the United States.
Since then, Laporte has started all but one of City’s games – the Carabao Cup win at Oxford United – with Guardiola making him one of the first names on the teamsheet.
For the manager, form and confidence helps, but it is also important for the manager simply to have a left-footed player at the heart of his defence.
With much of the team’s attacks and counter-attacks built on the pace of their wingers, Laporte has become a key figure in getting the team onto the front foot that little bit quicker.
“Firstly I would say we have four incredible central defenders,” said Guardiola.
“For example Nico didn’t play [against Burnley but] without him last season it would not have been possible to do what we did.
“Laporte didn’t have the World Cup, was fresh and arrived in top condition, and especially he is a left-footed player.
“He helped us to make our build-up and when the ball comes from the right, he immediately controls to the left and plays it to Leroy – that is quicker than we would play with a right-footer in that position.
“When he goes and drives a little bit to the middle so he can play the balls to Riyad, to Raz, to the right side, so he gave us two alternatives to make our game quicker.
“It’s so important to have a left[footed] central defender, and he is fit. He is training every single day.
“He is so professional, so serious and he is playing a good level, so that is why we trust a lot in that moment – but the season is so long and when Nico played this season, and John and Vinny always in there, they are all at a good level.
“It’s a good sign for the team.”