The defending Premier League champions are very well known for their squad quality as well as depth. Particularly, in midfield the English champions have more options available to pick, the presence of quality deputies is essential for a team like Manchester City who wants to compete in all fronts. With competition for positions, it is a hard job for manager to decide whom to play and whom to bench.
With James Milner shining in the absence of regular first teamers Yaya Toure and David Silva, it is really a hard situation for Manual Pellegrini to decide over the three players. Here, we are going to discuss the three respective player’s performances so far this season along with some statistical help to see who has done better service to the team.
Yaya Toure
Undoubtedly, Toure is one of the best midfielders in the world and one of the few who can create as well as defend. The giant African provides physical as well as the creative power in the middle and his box-to-box abilities make him a real threat to any team. From the start of the season, the veteran midfielder was criticized for form as well as his lack of physical touch which is his most important attribute. But when Yaya Toure was absent due to his international duties the team missed him much and that was well visible.
The performance of Yaya Toure
Passes Completed
|
91.83 per game
|
Pass Accuracy
|
90%
|
Key Passes
|
1.12 per game
|
Assists
|
0.05 per game
|
Chances Created
|
1.18 per game
|
Tackles Won
|
0.94 per game
|
Interceptions
|
0.65 per game
|
David Siva
The Spaniard is the creative source for Manchester City and is an unavoidable player in the squad. With his intelligence and passing skills, the attacking midfielder can open up any defense and his ability to switch to the flanks makes him more dangerous. Whenever Silva was not present, the team suffers considerably and sometimes badly as well.
David Silva’s performance
Passes Completed
|
71.68 per game
|
Pass Accuracy
|
86%
|
Key Passes
|
2.47 per game
|
Assists
|
0.12 per game
|
Chances Created
|
2.59 per game
|
Tackles Won
|
0.97 per game
|
Interceptions
|
0.63 per game
|
James Milner
The versatile midfielder is not a regular starter for the Citizens and he is at the end of his contract which will expire in the upcoming summer. Even though Manchester City wants to retain the Englishman, the chances he was given at the Etihad are fever to convince him to stay. With a number of EPL clubs showing great interest, it is going to be a tough job for Manual Pellegrini to retain the strong English international.
The versatility and physical touch are the important attributes of the player; also he is good in the final third. His selflessness is a valuable reason to justify his worth, but the midfielder was not praised as much as his fellow team mates.
James Milner’s performance
Passes Completed
|
54.25 per game
|
Pass Accuracy
|
81%
|
Key Passes
|
2.52 per game
|
Assists
|
0.43 per game
|
Chances Created
|
2.94 per game
|
Tackles Won
|
2.65 per game
|
Interceptions
|
0.93 per game
|
Comparison
Even though the three players have different roles in the team, they have a common attribute and a common duty. The three players are all versatile (Yaya Toure don’t play in the wings notably, but he is a box to box and moves anywhere in the pitch) and mastering the midfield is their duty.
With staggering 90% pass accuracy and approximately 92 passes per game, Yaya Toure ranks up in possession where David Silva has 71 passes per game with 86% accuracy. James Milner is not even near his team mates who only managed 54 passes per game with just 81% accuracy.
But when you compare all the other stats, it is very well seen how effective Milner was compared to his fellow mates. Milner maintained to provide more assists (0.43 per game), create more chances (2.94 per game) and do many key passes (2.52 per game) than the other two despite having made a very less passes.
He is also better in defense as he has 2.65 tackles per game which is far better than Yaya Toure and David Silva who made only 0.94 and 0.97 tackles per game respectively.
Conclusion:
Honestly, it is Milner who wins the race convincingly. But the praise given to Milner is very less and he still is a second choice which is the main reason that the player is not ready to pen a new deal with the club. And if Manchester City wants to keep hold of the player then they must give him more chances and pay better, or else, they need to look for an alternative.
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