CITY Delph shows he can be just Fab for Pep and City
BEFORE England kicked off against Croatia on Sunday, the question was why on earth Gareth Southgate thought Fabian Delph was the way to shut down Luka Modric.
Ninety minutes later, it seemed as daft that nobody had thought of it before.
So immense was Delph in a midfield role against the World Cup finalists that he may well give Pep Guardiola pause for thought should City come up against Real Madrid any time soon.
There was the energy and drive that Southgate had spoken about, keeping the team pushing forward on the front foot at every opportunity.
And from the regular harrying of the Croatians a la Fernandinho, to spraying through balls that Kevin de Bruyne would have been proud of, the Yorkshireman found the perfect balance in midfield to cement another excellent week for him having captained his country against the US.
Southgate may be building for England’s future, but it is clear that 28-year-old Delph can still play a significant part in that.
Guardiola, too, will be delighted by what he has seen from the England camp. City have suffered in this international break with Benjamin Mendy being ruled out for what is expected to be a few weeks at the very least.
Given both the way the Blues were forced to adapt without him last season and their hectic upcoming schedule – there are midweek games now every week until at least into January – it is precisely the kind of blow that the defending Premier League champions do not need. Delph will already have been part of the contingency plan, but it will embolden Guardiola to see how the utility player has thrived on the international stage. Even if he is needed most at left-back, the way he has slotted so seamlessly into his other role shows he Simon Bajkowski can be called upon whatever the situation.
While fitness concerns have been an issue in the past with City cautious about overusing him, two games in four days for England would suggest Delph can make the necessary recovery. And the very fact that has two more starts under his belt improves his chances of game time back in Manchester.
City’s coaching team would, of course, rather have all players returning from international duty with a clean bill of health, but if losing Mendy was a sizable blow then Delph has been a major positive.