Premier League / Manchester City : Jérémy Doku’s return to form delights Guardiola
After a strong start to the season followed by a slump, Jérémy Doku seems to have woken up much to the delight of Pep Guardiola. The Spanish coach is relishing the impactful performances of his winger.
Arriving this summer from Rennes, Jérémy Doku was expected to shine in his first season at Manchester City. It must be said that the Belgian international had the heavy task of succeeding Riyad Mahrez as the explosive winger.
Because the Cityzens’ squad seemed clearly imbalanced in this regard, and the beginning of the season had shown the limitations of having only players like Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish on the wings. In difficulty, no player seemed capable of truly igniting the game with a dribble or an acceleration.
And the arrival of Jérémy Doku had allowed Pep Guardiola to have a real solution on either the right or left flank. The only question was the adaptation time for the former Rennes player known for his inconsistency. How would he absorb Guardiola’s philosophy, known for emphasizing discipline and control rather than recklessness ?
The early signs seemed promising since the 21-year-old forward had quickly shone and torn apart Premier League defenses. In his first 8 matches in his new colors, he had scored 2 goals and provided 5 assists, even earning a starting spot in an XXL squad, especially in the attacking sector.
But the early stages of Jérémy Doku’s career showed that he still lacked a bit of consistency at the highest level. After a muscle injury, he gradually faded and clearly lost confidence.
As a substitute, his appearances no longer convinced Pep Guardiola, who therefore preferred Jack Grealish. But now, in recent weeks, Jérémy Doku has returned to silence all doubters. Against Real Madrid and then against Chelsea, his appearances made life a nightmare for Dani Carvajal and Malo Gusto, while he found the net again against Luton (his first goal in the PL since November).
A true livewire, he hasn’t hesitated to trouble defenses, to burst forward, and eventually to be decisive. Could this perhaps shake up the hierarchy ? It’s a possibility, as Pep Guardiola hinted in a press conference. « We did it in the last two matches (editor’s note : bringing on Doku), but that doesn’t mean it will happen in the next matches. It depends on how we wake up and my inspiration comes to my brain… » he said before continuing.
