Man City’s 2-0 win over Bolton last night saw double gameweek returns for both Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Tevez but it was the twinkling toes of new signing Adam Johnson that really caught the eye.
Johnson made his first start in Mancini’s lineup having impressed in his brief cameo at the KC stadium in the weekend defeat to Hull. With Vierra also making his debut in central midfield, Mancini adapted his formation last night, starting with Vierra, Barry and De Jong in a midfield three, allowing Johnson the freedom of a central attacking role behind Tevez and Adebayor…
The former Boro man has the ability to thrive with such responsibility. Possessing deceptive pace, two good feet and an eye for goal emphasised by his 11 strikes in the Championship this season, Johnson offered City a new dimension last night, leaving the likes of Wright-Phillips and Petrov frozen out on the bench. He was later shifted to the right as City fell into a more traditional 4-4-2. Johnson’s torturing of Bolton’s left-back Paul Robinson providing ample evidence that he has the flexibility to take on a wingers role on either flank. It was his jinking that brought about City’s first goal, drawing a clumsy challenge from Robinson and handing Tevez the opportunity to convert a first-half penalty. Just.
Rotation will undoubtedly be the main concern when considering Johnson as a fantasy prospect. It seems inevitable that he will start some matches alongside his manager on the bench but there’s no doubt that he has given Mancini every indication that he can adapt and impress on the Premier League stage. Mancini’s was certainly far from reserved in his praise for his new signing after last night’s showing…
“That is why we bought him…He is a young player who wants to do well. He can play on both the left and the right and he can also play behind the main striker….He can continue to grow and I think he can be a very important player for this club.”
Fantasy Managers will need to monitor the City teamsheet, looking for patterns in Mancini’s selections. The Italian’s hint that he hopes to start Vierra in “the next 15 games” suggests that last night’s initial 4-3-1-2 could be more than a tactical flirtation. That could possibly see Johnson cement a role in behind a front two.
The weekend FA Cup tie with Stoke will pass by Johnson having already participated in the tournament for Boro, ironically against City. Fully refreshed, his absence from Saturday’s side will likely hand him another starting role in City’s second fixture of the gameweek at the Britannia next Tuesday.
Johnson is likely to find a different kind of opposition waiting for him there – the Stoke defence will have their own ploys to deal with Johnson’s trickery. If he comes through that test and attracts further plaudits and returns to go with last night’s assist, it’s likely we will see interest in City’s new winger start to build. At a tempting 6.0 in the Fantasy Premier League game (0.6 less than Petrov and 2.1 less than Wright-Phillips), Johnson is ready-made to provide you with a cheap and potentially effective differential as we enter the closing months of the season.