Top Gun back on target is a good sign for the Blues
THE evolution of the role Ilkay Gundogan plays in City’s midfield is one of the most fascinating, yet oft-overlooked, elements of Pep Guardiola’s side.
From holding midfielder to box-to-box man, passing metronome to goalscorer extraordinaire, the Germany international has done it all.
The changes in his game have often mirrored City. In 2017/18 and particularly in the 2018/19 season, when Guardiola favoured a pacey attacking trio of Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Sergio Aguero, Gundogan operated more as a No.6, who kept things ticking over while feeding the hungry front three.
In those campaigns he scored six and four goals respectively, before scoring only two in 2019/20. When it became clear last season City were going to have to play without a fixed striker due to injuries suffered by Sergio Aguero, his game changed.
Guardiola adopted a false nine system that gave Gundogan license to drive forward into the gaps left by the absence of a centre-forward. In doing so he scored 13 Premier League goals, a tally higher than the previous three campaigns combined and made him City’s top scorer.
This season his appetite for goals has diminished somewhat. The Blues have scored fewer than they did last term for a variety of reasons, but the upshot is the load is being more evenly shared around.
In City’s 2-1 defeat of West Ham on Sunday, Gundogan ended a run of five games without a goal. His firsthalf strike that opened the scoring was typical of his exploits from last term – a run towards the centre of the penalty area putting him in the right place to guide home Riyad Mahrez’ cross.
Against David Moyes’ side he topped the charts in terms of shots (four, level with Gabriel Jesus), shots on target (three) and chances created (four), while also assisting Fernandinho for City’s second goal.
His third goal in nine appearances this season means he is on track to record his secondbest tally in sky blue, but he is some way off matching last season’s hot streak.
But City and Guardiola don’t necessarily need him to reach his scoring heights again and it would probably be unrealistic to expect him to do so.
What is important, though, is that Gundogan keeps chipping in with goals here and there, especially given the absences of Kevin de Bruyne, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish.
Rumours linking Ferran Torres to Barcelona are the only thing keeping the long-term injury victim in the headlines as he nurses a broken metatarsal.
Over the next month, Guardiola’s side will come up against a number of teams that will make life difficult for them by employing a low-block defence. If Gundogan can continue his scoring habit when the games come thick and fast, then City could be in a very positive position come the new year.