Steve Nicol has claimed that Manchester City have a defender who plays like a midfielder.
Such praise is attributed towards several of the defenders at Manchester City.
John Stones, in particular, who is perhaps one of the most technically gifted defenders in the Premier League.
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Recently, Aaron Ramsdale claimed that the 29-year-old is the best ball-playing centre-half in the English top-flight.
Steve Nicol says City have a defender who plays like a midfielder
Stones has also popularised the tactic of playing centre-backs in midfield, with Arsenal’s Saliba used in a similar role to him at times this season.
Similarly, Manuel Akanji has also been used in key games against the likes of Real Madrid and Liverpool in midfield this campaign.
Akanji admitted that he has been studying how Stones plays in midfield earlier this season.
Even in today’s game, where centre-backs are at their technical peak, not many seem akin to midfielders with the ball at their feet.
But after Manchester City cruised past Fulham in their latest 4-0 victory, Steve Nicol stated that Josko Gvardiol looks like a midfielder going forward.
“Well, I think it’s important, he’s comfortable where he is now. When he started playing in that position, he wasn’t quite sure and you could see it in his performances but Pep [Guardiola] stuck with him, clearly coached him and now, as I said, he looks comfortable”, he said on ESPN FC’s official YouTube channel.
Nicol added: “He looks as though that’s his position when actually, he’s been brought up as a centre-back. But the way he goes about it in the final third has got an air of a midfield player going forward, not a centre-back.”
“The way he played that little one-two with [Kevin] De Bruyne, the way he cut inside [Issa] Diop and the finish as well, he’s caught out the goalie, he’s rolled it into the bottom corner, you know that old commentary? Oh, that was the shot of a defender, you can’t say that about Gvardiol, that was absolutely top-class.”
As Steve Nicol compared Josko Gvardiol to a midfielder, Pep Guardiola joked he is “the best winger in the world.”
Steve Nicol is right about Josko Gvardiol
In our view, Steve Nicol is accurate in his assessment of Josko Gvardiol.
City’s number 24 seems very comfortable in the final third for a defender, as exemplified by his first goal against Fulham.
The way the Croatian was able to combine with Kevin De Bruyne before beating Issa Diop and tucking the ball into the bottom corner was similar to how the Belgian has done on several occasions.
Gvardiol also seems to find it easy to play passes with either foot, regardless of how difficult the angle may be for him.
How seamlessly Josko Gvardiol can dribble past opponents as well, no wonder Steve Nicol has come to such a conclusion.
