STEP TOO VAR!
...BUT HELP IS ON IT’S WAY FOR INJURY-HIT CITY AFTER THEY ARE TORN APART BY LEICESTER
RUBEN Dias is expected to become a City player in the next few days and the size of his task was evident as the Blues were blitzed by Jamie Vardy.
The 23-year-old Benfica and Portugal star was given a classic example of what he will be stepping into, playing a high defensive line for the Blues in the Premier League.
And with City falling apart after taking an early lead, it suddenly becomes a big ask for such a young stopper, with all eyes turning to him to try to stiffen up the soft centre.
With John Stones’ unreliability to the fore again, as he cried off with an injury, the arrival of Dias becomes even more important.
Eric Garcia was very good in the first half - his dire lack of pace has been a problem for City at times in the past, but the 19-year-old times his tackles extremely well and on three occasions that anticipation snuffed out the danger of Harvey Barnes and James Justin.
He was being asked to cover a vast expanse of the park, with Kyle Walker - the only truly quick defender in this back four - playing a long way up the field.
That told in the second half when Vardy’s searing pace tempted the young defender into a clumsy challenge and the Foxes striker duly stroked home from the spot to clinch the points.
With Aymeric Laporte on the bench, be City’s defensive injury troubles tr are easing, while Dias has said sa his farewells to Benfica and should sh be training with the Blues before be they head to Leeds on Sunday.
But being a City defender is about much more than defending. Garcia’s passing was a feature in the first half, his probing balls between the lines and quick passes to wide men instantly causing a kink in the bestorganised lines of the Foxes defence.
Garcia is a real talent, but there is some doubt whether his pace, physical strength and aerial ability are good enough for him to be a centre-back in English football.
That was exposed in the second half as his poor challenge on Vardy handed Leicester a second penalty.
Dias should be an improvement in terms of physicality, as well as being quicker than Garcia. The new boy is 6ft 1ins and an uncompromising competitor both in the air and on the ground.
It was noticeable that Benfica manager Jorge Jesus, when asked about the prospect of Nicolas Otamendi joining his squad as part of the deal, replied rather sourly that he would rather keep Dias.
Two or three years ago, City were hoping that Stones and Laporte would form a partnership for years to come, but the England player’s persistent injury problems and sporadic form has left that hope clinging by the slenderest of threads.
That is why City have acted this summer and are splashing out on another centre-back.
Dias comes with the reputation of being a complete central defender in the Guardiola mould, able to react quickly to counter-attacks but also being the first line of attack.
He will need to live up to that billing if a traumatic afternoon at the Etihad Stadium is not to become a precursor to a season of woe for the Blues.