The exit of a World Cup, Copa América, Premier League and Champions League winner would be a huge loss to any squad, even with the prospect of collecting £81.5m in return. But Manchester City showed at Wembley they can replace the Atlético Madrid-bound Julián Álvarez from within.
Phil Foden and Jack Grealish were absent for the Community Shield, which City won 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Manchester United. That left Oscar Bobb, James McAtee and Jérémy Doku playing the supporting roles for Erling Haaland, with the solitary summer arrival, Savinho, primed on the bench. Belgium’s Doku is the elder statesman of the attacking midfielders having turned 22 in May but they have picked up plenty of game time between them and looked at home playing for the league champions.
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Cole Palmer was allowed to leave for Chelsea a year ago because Pep Guardiola was so confident in Bobb’s ability. The Norwegian is a technical wizard who started on the right against United but can play anywhere across the front. In what was a slow-tempo game, Bobb injected life amid the passive nature of a glorified friendly. He has the attributes to beat a defender on either side and was regularly cutting in at speed, looking for the pockets of space where he likes to cause damage.
The 21-year-old’s quickness of feet and thought make him a dangerous prospect but he is still learning. Guardiola granted Bobb 14 Premier League appearances last season but his promise was given the stage it deserved when he scored a dramatic late winner at Newcastle, keeping his cool to provide a finish after precise footwork to give a sense of what he can bring to City.
This is a pivotal season for Bobb, McAtee and Doku. McAtee, born in Salford, joined City’s under-11s and has spent the decade since working towards becoming a first-team player. In the past two seasons at Sheffield United he learned about the joys of being promoted from the Championship and the pitfalls of playing for the Premier League’s worst team. A lack of senior players on the US tour granted McAtee what he craved: time on the pitch in a City shirt.
Guardiola was unimpressed with his early performances, demanding improvement. McAtee duly obliged to earn his spot at Wembley. The 21-year-old has been brought up on Guardiola tactics running through the club, knows the standards required and has put in the work rate demanded by his manager.
Against United the linkup play between the three was exceptional, showing an understanding of one another’s movements and where they want the ball. Bobb combined with Savinho to get the Norwegian into a position to cross for Bernardo Silva to head home City’s late equaliser. There is never a degree of panic within Bobb’s mind, a trait that makes him special, but Guardiola wants more consistency with his end product, something that will come with more minutes on the pitch.
It is a similar story with Doku, a direct and fast winger desperate to show off his array of tricks and flicks at every opportunity. There were highs in his first season at City but, for all the good work he did to get into great positions, he could infuriate fans and teammates alike in the final third by delaying the pass or choosing the wrong option. His stats are impressive on paper, creating eight goals in 29 Premier League appearances, but four of those came in one thunderous game against Bournemouth.
Like Doku, Savinho has a desire to redecorate his boots with white paint, hugging the touchline from the second he came off the bench for his first taste of English football. Considering he is amid a sort of speed-dating relationship with his new teammates after relatively few training sessions, the 20-year-old looked sharp and aggressive, causing plenty of problems through his positioning and direct play.
Foden and Grealish will return for the Premier League opener against Chelsea on Sunday while Silva and Kevin De Bruyne could be used in the front four to spark further competition. As with all of Guardiola’s players, versatility is key and like Álvarez each of them can play in numerous positions. The Argentinian preferred to play as a No 9 when Haaland was absent and Guardiola will need to plot a plan B for when his talisman is rested or unavailable. The exciting thing for the manager is the variety he has, whether using Bobb or Foden as a false 9 or Doku to run in behind, changing the dynamic of what City are used to.
City are wary of entering the market once the season has started and fear there is no value for money when it comes to those who could make a difference to the team. But Guardiola, like City’s accountant, is pleased with his lot.
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