I repeat: Buy Boateng

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The stars are aligning in City's first team and for Boateng's fantasy prospects:

"Without flying full backs like Boateng and Kolarov, who can push forward, I’ve had to adjust the team to get results and stay in touch with the leaders. But only until everyone is back and fit.”

The positive signs here are two fold:
  1. Being specifically mentioned by your manager as an important first team player is always a big deal and this ends any worries I had that Boateng might share time at the right back spot.
  2. Being described as a 'flying' full back suggests that Boateng (and Kolarov) will have plenty of freedom and will be allowed to attack the opposition regularly. Boateng's game against Newcastle does not really suggest any more freedom than Richards had but we will see if Mancini opens up the team more when everyone is fit.
A further boon to Boateng's value is City's relatively kind fixture list which, while seeing City entertain both Arsenal and United in the next 5 weeks, also sees them face no other big five* side until week 22. There toughest away game until that point is @Fulham which isn't exactly terrifying. Based on current and prior year performances, City rank 5th in my short/mid term defensive rankings.

At 5.8m Boateng will be 0.5m cheaper than Toure, who is the best City prospect so far this year. I think Boateng will become a mainstay in this side, and provide better attacking options than Toure. I feel that he has top 5 defender potential and would put him against anyone from here on in who doesn't play for Chelsea or United.

Perhaps the strongest recommendation I can give him is that I will be buying him myself as soon as I work out how to use my transfers this week.

*For those keeping score at home the big five currently consists of Chelsea, United, Arsenal, Spurs and City. Sorry Liverpool but Theo Epstein and a juiced Big Papi can't save this team too.

Comments

Unknown said…
Chris, how smart is it to have 2 City defenders? I already have Toure but I have wanted Boateng on my team after watching him in the World Cup.
October 7, 2010 at 8:03 PM
Unknown said…
How about kolorov? he is cheaper and fit. He was mentioned along with boateng. better value?
October 8, 2010 at 1:19 AM
dsrwcxf said…
what about the Sunderland striker, D. Bent? Is he the one that we should consider to bring in/keep or he's just a flash in a pan?

Bent is up there with the big boys and he scored 24 goals of the last season
October 8, 2010 at 1:35 PM
Unknown said…
aku, my opinion is that Bent is a good player but you could better considering the upcoming fixtures. Out of the next 6 games, 4 are away including a trip to Tottenham and Chelsea
October 8, 2010 at 4:36 PM
Chris said…
Auburn - Id be happy starting two defenders from either United, City or Chelsea. I think those three units are a cut above the rest and City are the cheapest options aside from John O'Shea. City rank as the 5th best team over the next 6 weeks based on current/last year results and 2nd overall (behind Che) if you use just this year's results.

Soo Kyo - I think Kolarov will be good value too but I think Boateng will play sooner (ie next week).

Aku - Auburn nailed that one. Bent's fixtures are terrible and Sunderland rank 17th in my short term scoring rankings and 16th in the medium term. he is good and can score against the best but i think better, consistent value can be found. I like Berbatov (Utd ranked 3rd), Chamakh (2nd) and probably Anelka (1st) to outscore Bent over the next 6 weeks or so.
October 8, 2010 at 10:26 PM
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