dailynewsnblog
Manchester City drew 1-1 with Inter Milan yesterday at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong. Inter Milan would subsequently defeat Enzo Maresca’s side 3-1 on penalties to complete the formalities of Manchester City’s first preseason friendly. There were a host of good signs to come out of the match for Manchester City. Perhaps the biggest one was the second half performance of young winger Ryan McAidoo. McAidoo was superb in the second half of yesterday’s match and he showed more than enough to suggest he could be ready to play a role for Enzo Maresca’s side this season.
Ryan McAidoo made a tremendous impact for Manchester City in the second half against Inter Milan.
Manchester City’s preseason matches are a great opportunity for City’s young players to put their best foot forward. Ryan McAidoo did exactly that as he put in a dominant display on the right wing after coming on at halftime. By the time the game ended, it was almost impossible not to think that McAidoo is ready for a role in Enzo Maresca’s squad next season.
Advertisement
From the moment that McAidoo came on, he set about getting at the Inter Milan defence. He tormented the Serie A champions, who struggled to contain the dribbling and directness of McAidoo. McAidoo was also very good in possession, as his upbringing in the City academy system came to the fore.
However, the standout feature of McAidoo’s performance was his ability to beat a man and carry and progress the ball. That was impossible to ignore. In statistics sourced from SofaScore, McAidoo touched the ball 50 times. He completed 30/36 passes and played two crosses. However, the dribbling numbers paint the real picture of McAidoo’s impact. He completed 2/3 dribbles and made 8 progressive carries. McAidoo also has the ability to carry the ball over distance, which put the Inter Milan defence on the back foot. It was McAidoo’s game breaking dribble from the halfway line which saw him surge past the Inter Milan defence and hit the post with Inter Milan substitute keeper Ivan Provedel beaten in the 80th minute.
The statistics paint a small picture of Ryan McAidoo’s impact against Inter Milan. However, the eye test revealed more. Anotine Semenyo was Manchester City’s dominant player of the first half from the left wing. Ryan McAidoo was just as impactful in the second half on the right wing. McAidoo showed every trait that makes him so highly regarded at Manchester City. He laid down a marker for what lies for him in terms of what he is capable of.
Advertisement
Enzo Maresca was pleased with McAidoo’s impact and Maresca added that McAidoo is the type of winger that he wants in his squad.
Speaking after his team’s first preseason friendly, Enzo Maresca praised Ryan McAidoo and how he has performed during Manchester City’s preseason. Also, Maresca said that McAidoo is the exact type of winger he prefers to have in his squad. Speaking on McAidoo, Enzo Maresca said: “We were speaking with the club and since day one I said he is the kind of winger I love. He is very aggressive one v one, he always tries, makes the right decisions. But he is very young and he needs the right path. If you look in the last the clubs I was part of, I always ask for those kinds of wingers.“
Manchester City remain in the market for a winger this summer. However, Ryan McAidoo showed during the second half against Inter Milan that he could be ready to take a major step up this season. McAidoo’s performance was arguably the major positive to emerge for Manchester City in terms of an individual performance at the Kai Tak Stadium. McAidoo provided a tantalizing glimpse of what he could add to Enzo Maresca’s side. If he can build on his performance yesterday he will make the case overwhelming for him to play a role for Manchester City next season.
