Manchester City: 5 Lessons Pep Guardiola should learn from Celtic draw

3. Kolarov has to play left back over Clichy

Left back has been a much-maligned position at City with neither Aleksandar Kolarov or Gael Clichy really holding down the spot as their own. Both have been unconvincing in past seasons and many expected Pep Guardiola to replace at least one of them in the summer.

That didn’t happen though and the form of Kolarov at the start of this season has justified that. Kolarov has made a clear improvement on the previous seasons he has had at the Etihad. However, Clichy has not made that same jump.

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Clichy is still Clichy. Good in one-on-one situations, good recovery pace and relatively steady much of the time. The flip side are the defensive errors, poor concentration and the complete lack of any attacking threat whatsoever. All Clichy offers is the potential for a 7 out of 10 game.

Kolarov has a defensive error in his locker, too, but at least he aids the attack. He provides another attacking weapon when he bursts forward and uses his crossing ability. After the leap the Serbian has made this year, he has to play at left back in the important games.

Stones needs to be present in the center for his ability to pass out through the opposition’s high press. Kolarov needs to stick to left back and provide an attacking threat down that flank.