As Manchester City rightly bask in the glory of their Treble, worries that unsettled some fans in January are now forgotten.
The Blues have finally clasped hands on the Champions League, retained the Premier League title for the third year in a row and beat Manchester United in an FA Cup final. But as the calendar ticks over into the second half of 2023, it’s easy to forget that the path to glory was rocky.
After a controversial loss to United at Old Trafford in January, City were five points behind Arsenal in the table and had been dumped out of the League Cup by Southampton, and faced Chelsea in the FA Cup third round. Then, 36 hours from the winter transfer window closing, Joao Cancelo completed a shock loan move to Bayern Munich. City were left without a top-class natural left-back with Sergio Gomez not trusted as a mainstay. February saw a loss to Tottenham and a draw with Nottingham Forest as Guardiola tried to tweak his system to compensate for Cancelo's exit.
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A 3-2-4-1 formation was implemented with John Stones discovering a new-found midfield role - they then went unbeaten until the final day loss to Brentford. Guardiola had the flexibility to adopt a back four if he wanted with either Mani Akanji or Nathan Ake moving to left-back as Kyle Walker came in on the right. It worked, and City have a cabinet full of silverware to show for it. However, Guardiola must continue to be active in the transfer market this summer if he wishes to retain that adaptability.
Cancelo is travelling back to the Etihad after Bayern Munich said no to a £61.6m buy-out. His future at the club looks bleak after Guardiola said he wouldn’t have cared if he had gone to United such was his urgency to see the left-back out of the door. Reports suggest Walker could depart and Guardiola could face a similar challenge to last summer.
A year ago the City boss said his farewells to Olekansdr Zinchenko as he carpooled it down to the Emirates with Gabriel Jesus. Gaurdiola said the club would try to find a replacement.
“But it doesn't mean it's going to happen,” he clarified. "If it doesn't happen we have alternatives with Joao, with Josh [Wilson-Esbrand] is a young young talent, Nathan (Ake) can play there. We will see what happens."
Gomez was brought in late on and has done little to show he is a going to be a regular starter. He still has time on his side but when a flat back four has been played, Guardiola has mostly preferred centre-backs Ake or Akanji.
So the Blues boss still faces the task of bringing in a top class left-back given Cancelo's likely exit and could have to do the same on the other flank too if Walker leaves. The likes of Rico Lewis can fill in at right-back, with Stones and Akanji having played there at times too. There is a sense that City could be found out if last season’s full-back tactics with the same personnel are carried on into next term.
Guardiola has already reacted to Ilkay Gundogan’s exit by bringing in Mateo Kovacic. Centre-back Josko Gvardiol is being linked with a move and that would be a great defensive capture with Aymeric Laporte tipped to depart. But Guardiola can ease any nagging concerns of City fans by making a bolder full-back promise than he did last year.
