Why Etihad-bound striker is the real deal up front

WILFRIED BONY has been truly outstanding for Swansea and Manchester City will know they are getting a top-quality player. WHEN Bony is on the move, defenders simply bounce off him. He is so powerful and direct that he just swats opponents aside. He embarrasses defenders because they can’t lay a glove on him.

But there is great touch and skill to go with that immense strength.

He is good on the ball and his ability to launch off his left or right foot is similar to Sergio Aguero. He explodes past players in the same way. He is so good at shifting his bodyweight and that makes it hard for defenders to read him and deal with him – once he’s past you, there is no catching Bony.

He likes to stay central and as high up the pitch as he can so that when he runs off the shoulder of a defender, he can minimise the number of touches he needs before he can get a shot in. And when he does get a shot away, he has fantastic composure in front of goal.

Swansea’s crossing accuracy in 2014-15 is the second worst in the league, whereas City’s is the fourth best. If they can feed Bony regularly then he is bound to keep scoring.

He’s quite similar to Radamel Falcao when it comes to heading – neither are huge but they beat opponents to the ball out of sheer desire. He wants to be first to it every time and uses his power well to make sure he is. BONY’S primary function is to score goals, but he is excellent at bringing others into the game. If he comes deep his first thought is to see which of his teammates is in the most dangerous position and he will try to find them.

He’s got quick, nimble feet, so he is able to pull off great bits of skill and he has a good awareness of how play is developing around him. He plays with real imagination and moving to City to play with the likes of Aguero and David Silva will only improve that. BONY is 26 but City are getting a player at the peak of his powers.

It is a dream move so credit to him for working hard for years in the Czech Republic and Holland to progress. That time has served him well but Swansea also deserve credit for giving him a chance to shine where others ignored him. The competition at City will be tough, but he has already seen what it’s like not to play in every game – he was rotated by Garry Monk over Christmas almost as preparation to see how Swansea would cope without him. – Daily Mail