Manchester City: Time Running Out for Bony

With Manchester City looking to move ahead in the League and Champions League, does the under-performing Wilfried Bony present an obstacle?

If you’re a regular visitor to Man City Square, and you should be, you’ll know by now that I have something of a flair for galvanising players to hitherto unheard of feats of athleticism via the tried and tested method of constructive criticism. I questioned Manuel Pellegrini’s inclusion of Willy Caballero for the Capital One Cup Final, he saves three penalties in a row in the shootout. I make mention of Raheem Sterling’s struggles to find form, particularly in front of goal, he scores within five minutes of being subbed on at Villa.

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So it is, with only the purest intentions in mind, that I feel it time to sit down and have a little chat about Wilfried Bony and his place in this Manchester City and, perhaps more pertinently, Pep Guardiola’s. The £25million striker has yet to prove even a fraction of his worth alongside a resurgent Sergio Aguero, leaving City with a notable hole up front and doing little to ease the pressure on Kun’s shoulders to deliver.

Perhaps more damning for Bony is his failure to make good on the, clearly excessive, faith put in him by Manuel Pellegrini. While injured, Bony made way for Kelechi Iheanacho, the 19 year old Nigerian striker already well familiar to Citizens for his incredible penchant for finding the net. Many wondered if this was going to be something that would continue after Bony’s recovery, but it was not to be. With Bony back, Iheanacho slipped to third choice up front, a position that, in all fairness, he shouldn’t find himself in.

Even so, Pellegrini sticks by Bony, ever hoping for the form that saw him net 16 goals in 34 games for Swansea in 2013-14. While his confidence in the Ivorian is, in some ways at least, commendable, it smacks of naivety towards the player Bony has become since arriving at the Etihad. The statistics are damning, in 15 starts this season Bony has managed a mere 8 goals, in 7 starts this year Iheanacho put away 9. Meanwhile Aguero just banged in his 21^st there, for those who ran out of fingers and toes to count on.

Honestly, there can be no doubt that Iheanacho deserves to be on the park more than Bony, it’s not even a contest. Looking deeper into Bony’s statistics show an incredible ineptness in front of goal this year, to the tune of 72 shots, only 26 on target and only 10 of those actually ending in a goal. Meanwhile, Iheanacho has the same 10 goals, but managed it with only 31 attempts of which 14 found their mark. It’s clear Bony has all the dexterity and grace of a bull in a china shop and, honestly, I can’t imagine you or I could only hit the target some 18% of the time.

Let’s face it, Bony misses sitters. Most notably, our last game against a hapless, bottom-of-the-table Aston Villa who haemorrhage so many goals they already sit with a goal difference of -33. With all but the keeper to beat, Bony flummoxed and fell, burying his face into the Etihad grass, perhaps waiting for the ground to swallow him up. The fans’ reaction, perhaps a touch unfairly, was to cheer ironically as he was substituted off and take to the internet to vent their frustrations.

For all that, it’s fairly clear to anybody that Wilfried Bony isn’t exactly thriving at Manchester City, Pellegrini’s faith in him be damned. But soon Pellegrini will be no more, the era of Pep Guardiola comes ever sooner. Can anybody make a valid argument that Bony has a place in Guardiola’s City? Iheanacho might well have a claim, given his extreme youth and rare talent in front of goal. But Bony?

Weak links aren’t going to be tolerated in the Guardiola era, this much is for certain. A massive war chest will be made available to him to improve the side this summer and he will move heaven and earth to make an immediate impact to City’s fortunes. I’d be very surprised to see him wearing a sky blue shirt next season, when giving him that opportunity would represent a gamble for Guardiola that he doesn’t need to make at all.

So where does that leave Bony now? Perhaps he’s still out there, face down in the grass. He just hasn’t fit in at Manchester City and that’s, actually, an OK thing. Not every player clicks in every team, for one reason or another. It’s unfortunate he keeps getting time on the park to further prove that and detract from others getting a chance to shine, but Iheanacho’s time will come and Bony’s is running out.

Next: Manchester City - Villa Win Just What Was Needed

For now, we do what we have to, support him and hope for the best. Who knows? Maybe he’s reading this article and planning to prove me wrong. And nothing should make us happier than that.