Manchester City: Our Team of the Decade

Team of the Decade: The Defence

The battle at Right Back is an interesting one within our team because we have been blessed with 3 great players during the decade at the club.

Bacary Sagna was signed from Arsenal and joined with the experience of being a proven winner. He was brought in to provide stern competition as we sought to have 2 players for every role within the team.

Careful and organised, Sagna helped to cement a defence who had shipped goals but he would have benefited from playing in a more settled defence at times, as experimentation at centre back often reduced his effectiveness. As the decade wore on, Sagna began to be defined by what he was not – he was not a wing back and would have struggled within our current defensive system.

Kyle Walker was an inspired signing and his added power proved pivotal in our transition to winning titles at a canter. Roaming along the wing, Walker linked with our flying attackers and created a high speed attacking unit, where the limits to his game were not easily exposed.

But our choice at right back is Pablo Zabaletta, a player who shed blood for the cause. Joining us at the beginning of the revolution allowed him to seize his chance and develop as we all did. His passion and commitment was never in doubt, and it was only as his legs gave out that we reluctantly allowed him to move on.

Right Back: Pablo Zabaletta

At left back we have decided upon Alexander Kolarov. His striding style and surging forward more than countered his lacklustre defending at times. And who can forget the power of his left foot shot?

We toyed with the idea of Benjamin Mendy but he is not currently the player we signed. That Mendy who played around 8 games was a revelation and if that form had continued would have been our first choice.

Left Back: Kolarov

The centre backs are interesting because Joleon Lescott would normally get into this side but we have selected Aymeric Laporte at this point. Laporte is so confident in his left foot distribution that he adds an extra dimension to any other player in our defensive unit,

Alongside Laporte there is only one choice – Vincent Kompany. Our much loved and much missed captain.