When Manchester City splashed out £25m for Samir Nasri in the summer of 2011 they were looking at the creative linchpin of the Arsenal midfield. The Frenchman at the time was touted as one of the best across Europe and a guaranteed starter for all but every one of Europe’s top clubs.
It would be wrong of me to label Nasri a flop, yet he has seemingly dazzled and disappointed in equal measure during his City career. Rather than being the focal point of a midfield, he has become just a cog in City’s Premier League machine and at times he has suffered because of it.
Altercations with management and an apparent ambivalence towards his footballing life seemed to leave the Frenchman treading water at an age when he should have been kicking on to new heights. In some part put down to the management style of Roberto Mancini and for others simply the ferocity of the competition at City, most would agree that Nasri struggled to assert himself fully in his opening couple of seasons.
Under new man Manuel Pellegrini this all looks set to change.
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Nasri has already equalled his Premier League goal haul from last season, and his 24 created chances leaves him impressively just behind David Silva in first for the whole league. Indeed statistics aside this appears a far more convincing spell of performances from the 26 year old and it is no surprise therefore that City find themselves in such excellent goal scoring form.
The Frenchman was quick to thank his manager for aiding his return to form, citing getting over the troubles of last season as central to his revival:
“Last year was a bit difficult for me personally because of the problem I had in the Euros and other stuff,” Nasri said.
“So this summer, I cleared my head and came back with determination to have a great season. But right now everything is fine. I’m in a better place and that’s what I want.”
Nasri enjoyed his best form under Arsene Wenger, and it was his style of management that was most conducive to his development, he drew similarities between new man Pellegrini and his former boss Wenger whilst speaking to Sky Sports:
“He does remind me of Arsene in respect of the way he works, he has the same approach in the way he talks to players and tells them when things are good and when they are bad.
“But it’s always constructive and you always know what he wants form you, and what you to bring to the team. I feel that he trusts me and that he gives me responsibilities on the pitch. When you have a manager like that, you want to repay that sort of faith – and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
City’s midfield is as robust as it is dynamic, the likes of Toure and Fernandinho offering the spine to Silva and Nasri’s flamboyance. In terms of creative expression City have two of the best in the league, and it was only a question of time before Nasri rose to the level expected of him.
At 26 Nasri is heading into the peak of career, no longer should he be considered one for the future, it is time for him to push on and impress and from my point of view he is heeding this call. The tumultuous days of fallouts with club and country appear thankfully to be over, and hopefully now the diminutive Frenchman can get on with what he does best.
The Pellegrini era at City hasn’t been without its problems so far, but his ability to get the best out of Nasri is surely one of his best pieces of work so far. Even within the star studded squad the Frenchman stands out as one of the best and if City can continue to harness his abilities then they are surely onto a winner.
Are we finally beginning to see the best of Samir Nasri?
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