Saturday's game against West Brom saw two popular cameo performances: the introduction of Abdul Razak for his City debut and the return of Shaun Wright-Phillips to the first team.
Abdul Razak, as has been widely reported, has hardly featured for the EDS this term - only recently making his debut against Bury. His only previous performance was the pre-season friendly against Macclesfield, where I was impressed enough with him to mention his name in my tiny review of the game back in July. So his inclusion against West Brom did come as a bit of a surprise, although beady eyes may have spotted he was part of the wider squad that faced Birmingham.
The fantasically helpful MCFC Reserves and Academy website states his lack of opportunities to date were due to work permit issues but, with them cleared, we should now see more of the promising eighteen year old.
Razak became the ninth player Mancini has promoted from the academy and, although it can be argued that these players are not playing crucial parts in games, it must be encouraging for the younger players in the squad that players are getting involved at the top level. Mancini's nine, however well they are ultilised, compares favourably to Hughes' one, for example.
For a player like Shaun Wright-Phillips, on the other hand, the reception he got on Saturday will provide him with the boost he desperately needs. Astonishingly, Shaun's last involvement in the Premier League came on September 19th, away to Wigan, in a game in which he came on under similar circumstances - with the game won. He has played a handful of Europa League games in between, but has largely been overlooked for the league games.
With Adam Johnson injured, Shauny has an opportunity to claw his way back into first team contention. Mancini originally bemoaned the loss of Johnson by saying there was no one like him at the club - no one who would run at players with speed - but somewhere, forgotten and waiting his chance was one of England's wingers at the last World Cup.
The trouble with Wright-Phillips is that he is at his best when he acts on impulse, and the enemy of impulse is uncertainty and low confidence. Slow Shaun down, give him too many options, and his final product often comes up short. Let him fly at players, running with his touch and balance, and anything can happen. Let him shoot without looking!
Arguably Shaun's style doesn't suit the patient passing formula that fits the current team and few expected to see him beyond the end of the January transfer window. So the cheers that met him as Mancini sent him down the line to warm up were probably as much out of welcome surprise and support than anything else. Everytime he touched the ball there was that rush of excitement and anticipation amongst the crowd - and when he hared forward from his own half and, to the exasperation of Edin Dzeko, opted to go it alone, he almost rode the expectations of the blues in the stand.
Whilst he has spent most of the season looking lost and dejected, a confident Shauny can undoubtedly be an asset for the club and hopefully the crowd's reaction at the weekend will remind him of that.
SWP deserves to maintain the support of the crowd over the years he has given his all in tireless performances playing in often poor sides for little reward. true fans will never forget this and i for one would have allowed Shaun to leave on a free he has more than paid back what has been invested in him and if the club can no longer offer him what he wants they should assist him to get it somewhere else.
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