Manchester City have missed Carlos Tevez more than just for his goals - they’ve missed how well he brings the team together.
He’s brought the best out of Sergio Aguero. Those two have started three League games together and between them scored 11 goals. Aguero has seven of them.
Tevez can see things others don’t. He’s fantastic at working the flanks, chips in with a lot of goals - bread-and-butter goals and ones right out of the top drawer - and he scores heavily over Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko with his linking play.
It reminds me of when I played with Dwight Yorke at Aston Villa. Towards the end of his Villa days he was the best striker in the country. He had a sensational first touch and magnificent ability but not only did he score goals, he could spot a run from a midfielder and pick them out with a pass.
Carlito has not even been at his fittest - and it’s unlikely we’ll ever see him at his fittest in a City shirt again.
Since David Silva started to run out of steam they’ve missed Tevez. He could have kept the team ticking over in bad times but without him they’ve hit trouble.
If you want to have the best team you have to have forwards like him. Manchester United have got Wayne Rooney, Barcelona have Lionel Messi, there’s Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid and Robin Van Persie at Arsenal. It’s about finding that player who will get you 30-plus goals and have a creative spark.
I don’t agree with what Tevez did this season - I never would - but it could have been the difference between them winning the league and just missing out.
He is going to move on in the summer, he’s not the sort of person to change his mind that quickly. They need to replace him with someone who can do what he can — and it might just be enough for them to win the title.
Royal approvalReading manager Brian McDermott might have been going straight back into the Championship if he had decided to take the Wolves job. Congratulations to him for sticking with his team and to the players who have got them promoted.
It’s encouraging seeing teams like Norwich and Swansea get promoted playing good football — and Reading are in that mould.
On the up: Reading have secured promotion back to the Premier LeagueFor a long time, teams that had two good strikers, a solid midfield and battling defence got promoted — and went straight back down again. Now teams that play football are getting the rewards.
They have a new owner in Anton Zingarevich who has money to invest in the squad and has promised to use it. And I’m sure if he brings his model wife Katsia Zingarevich to the Madjeski they’ll get another 5,000 on the gate each week!
I wish them the best of luck.
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