WHY Julian Alvarez will soon be a first team regular in Pep’s unstoppable sky blue juggernaut 1 Let me first talk about the player we thought we bought and the early signs of his quality thus far. In Argentina, Alvarez was developing into quite a prolific goalscorer. I feel his goalscoring numbers here will be negatively affected, but for the benefit of the team, as he will be maximising the goalscoring potential of his teammates. Pep has no doubt been surprised at how quickly he has adapted to life in Manchester, both on and off the pitch. He has shown the early signs he can cope with the pressure of the Premier League and Champions League. Pep has got his hands on yet another versatile and well-rounded footballer. You must possess some impressive tactical awareness and technical skill to fit into a Pep team so seamlessly. 2 One thing I admire of a player is their work ethic, and Alvarez’s work-rate and desire to fight for the ball is unmatched. His high defensive work-rate is there to be seen every game and in every minute. To have a hard-working and tenacious player that high up the pitch helps us win the ball in a dangerous area and disrupts the opponent’s build up play. Astonishing for a player that has had only 14 days rest this summer. It is clearer than night and day when Alvarez takes to the field, compared to the more slower tempo of Grealish and Mahrez, who excel in more isolated one-on-one battles. Alvarez’s energy, high level of intensity and hunger to chase everything makes us cheer louder and gets us on our feet. 3 Alvarez is right-footed, but sometimes you can be fooled into thinking he is left footed, such the accuracy and power he unleashes with either foot. His positioning in the box, finishing from acute angles and his knack for scoring long range screamers make him a very dangerous threat anywhere in the opponent’s half. 4 Let me now talk about his outstanding physical attributes. Alvarez is very agile and quick over short distances. His pace over long distances add a different element compared to our other attackers too. Alvarez is diminutive but his growing frame and powerful legs give him extra strength on the ball, holding up the play or shrugging off an opponent when running with the ball. I think he’ll bulk up even more, adding a few additional pounds. When you have quick feet and dribbling skill, combined with powerful bursts of acceleration, it is a dynamite combination. 5 Alvarez is a very mobile and selfless team player. If you watch him closely his offensive movement is very intelligent. His movement and runs create space for the likes of Haaland, Foden and Mahrez. Pep loves seeing his players open passing lanes in our attack. Alvarez makes unpredictable runs both wide, drawing out the opponent’s defenders and creating space for Haaland, and makes attacking runs into the box. One quality appreciated in today’s game is an attacker’s movement off the ball. It is also his decision-making that makes him such a valuable team player, something that I have become increasingly frustrated with Grealish and Mahrez about. 6 He is not just a class finisher. We’ve already seen Alvarez be used in a withdrawn forward role, similar to how a false number 9 performs. Alvarez has proven he is comfortable playing deeper as he is capable of excellent link up play with De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan and Silva. He is happy to create chances and provide assists for Haaland and our wingers in this role. I think we will see the true quality of his passing ability, creativity and vision in the coming months, in our possession style football. 7 Pep can use Alvarez as both an exciting game changer off the bench or change his system to accommodate him. Pep can play with two strikers, and Alvarez is the perfect supporting forward alongside Haaland. Guardiola may even return to a 3-5-2 formation to accommodate both forwards. We certainly have the ideal wingbacks for such a system. If central areas are congested with the likes of De Bruyne, Silva and Foden, Alvarez is also effective playing as a winger, able to fulfil many roles in the 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formation.
