Stevan Jovetic: Down And Almost Out

When Manchester City signed Stevan Jovetic from Serie A side Fiorentina in the summer of 2013 for a hefty fee of A?22m, he was expected to be key member for them in the coming seasons. That, however, hasn’t been the case as the Manchester City attacker has failed to establish himself in the main team and his recent exclusion from Manchester City’s Champions League squad means that his career at Eastlands could come to an end this summer.

When Jovetic signed for Manchester City along with Alvaro Negredo, the eye of the general audience went more towards the Montenegrin. However, it was his fellow new signing who made a better start to his career after scoring twice in the opening two games in the Barclays Premier League. The Spaniard failed to find the target after mid-January and finished the Premier League on nine goals. Although he ended the season on a low note, his goals at home in the first half of the season were key in City’s title triumph unlike Jovetic who had no impact in his first season whatsoever.

Injuries galore for Jovetic in his debut season and in the current season

Last Season

While Negredo started well at the club, Jovetic struggled after a succession of injuries hampered his initial few months. He made his league debut against Stoke City at the Britannia; not an ideal ground to go and play on your debut, if not score! He made two more appearances for the club before being ruled out with a calf injury that kept him out for eight games. He was close to a return but suffered another setback. A hamstring injury ruled him out for an additional nine games.

Current Season

Although Jovetic has managed to appear in more number of games already than the whole of last season, the consistency is still missing thanks to niggling injuries every now and then. After a good start to his second season at the club, Jovetic missed three games in early September to mid-October which totally wrecked the good momentum that he had finally created at the club. Jovetic recovered and played in all but one game and even managed to score twice from the role of secondary striker that was assigned to him. After an impressive performance against Sunderland where he scored and assisted a goal, Jovetic’s luck ran out as he was once again ruled out for the coming five games due to a hamstring injury.

He returned against Burnley in late December and has been fit ever since, but hasn’t found the form that he had built upon before his injury.

Return after injuries and subsequent loss of form

While injuries are a hard period for any player, the phase after an injury is even more harder. With the number of strikers Manchester City have, all it takes is one bad game from your striker to be dropped. Jovetic has appeared in a decent number of games, but the lack of consistent game time has affected his football. Before signing for Manchester City, Jovetic had drawn comparisons with Roberto Baggio and Gianfranco Zola thanks to his neat dribbling, pace and brilliant technique in the ball. Sadly, Manchester City fans have rarely seen him do things related to Baggio or Zola at the Etihad.

*Jovetic missed the whole of 2010-11 season due to a cruciate ligament rupture

Jovetic is still only 25 years of age and there is no reason why he cannot succeed at a club if given more time considering his potential, but that isn’t the case with Manchester City who look for players that can produce instantly. The recent signing of Wilfried Bony pretty much says how much Manuel Pellegrini trusts Jovetic. He was omitted from the Champion League squad that has robbed him of the biggest stage to showcase his talents; one of the biggest reason why he joined City last summer.

“One of the reasons for signing with a big club was having the chance to play in the Champions League,” Jovetic had told FourFourTwo last year.

He had made a total of five appearances in the Champions league but started in only one of those. He was eventually substituted in that game as well. His total minutes count in the elite European competition stands at a paltry 95; hardly something to be proud of. In those games, Jovetic was fit but failed to impress despite being played in his favoured role of a secondary striker or a center forward.

Does he suit Manchester City’s style of play?

Yes and no. While Manchester City can change their style and go to a plan B by employing Edin Dzeko or Wilfried Bony, their primary style of play is to use the pace and movement of Sergio Aguero. Jovetic isn’t someone who would do that. David Silva is usually the architect for those delightful defense unlocking passes. Manchester City under Manuel Pellegrini have flourished only once when they have used two strikers; the combination of Alvaro Negredo and Sergio Aguero in the first half of last season. Negredo however was an out and out striker unlike Jovetic. So, is Jovetic really suited to a secondary striker’s role in the presence of Sergio Aguero? Or does he need someone like Luca Toni with whom he had forged a good partnership during the last season of his Fiorentina career? So far, the answer seems to be the latter as Jovetic hasn’t played well alongside Aguero.

With Wilfried Bony signing, Jovetic could finally have a player that he’ll benefit with as a secondary striker, someone who is known for his strength and holding up the play rather than Aguero. But has it come too late? Aguero cannot be dropped and has established himself as the first choice striker for over two years now and Bony is expected to be Jovetic’s competition in the Premier League, and hence Jovetic’s future at the club is very bleak at the moment.

Numbers indicate League appearances only (source: Transfermarkt.com)