Manchester City’s boss Pep Guardiola has shaken things up in recent weeks due to the lack of positive results.
The Spanish tactician got tired of the bad results, and decided to start the changes at the goalkeeper position, After a slow start to the season, Claudio Bravo lost the starting position. This meant Argentinian goalkeeper Willy Caballero got promoted to the starting role. And so far the results have been encouraging.
Since Caballero took over Bravo’s duties between the posts, the Citizens have won three straight games. What’s even better is that they’ve only conceded once over that span. It seems the defensive line looks far better with Caballero instead of Bravo, and all signs indicate the change might remain for the rest of the season.
Having said that, is Caballero really an upgrade over Bravo? The Chilean goalkeeper remains one of the Top 10 goalkeepers in the world and he’s the captain of one of the best international sides in the world right now. Meanwhile, Caballero is a veteran who’s on the wrong side of his 30s, and he doesn’t have a lot left in the tank. His game with his feet is far from ideal. And he isn’t as agile or as quick as Bravo.
However, there’s one area where Caballero has an advantage over Bravo, and that’s experience. The Argentinian already knows what’s like to play in the Premier League. He knows the pace. And he also has an advantage in terms of communication, as he has a better command of English than Bravo. That’s noticeable because it seems the defensive line has been playing better since Caballero became the starter.
There are also other factors that have improved the team (for instance, the presence of Gabriel Jesus over Sergio Aguero on the attack) over the past few weeks. But the one of Bravo has been the one that has attracted the majority of the attention. Bravo has been under heavy criticism this season, but most of that has been way out of line. After all, only a few months ago he was starting for FC Barcelona in LaLiga. That’s not an easy task.
Bravo is really good and no one can deny that. However, Caballero does seem like an upgrade over Bravo right now. Or at least until he settles in the role and life in England. He might represent a downgrade in terms of overall quality, but so far the team is looking better with the Argentinian between the posts. And as long as it’s working, Guardiola should keep things just the way they are.
After all, results are all that matters. And Guardiola needs to start winning soon before he’s the one to judge.