Tactic Talk - Aleksandr Kolarov - the man who can from Left-back

Aleksander Kolarov arrived at Manchester City with a big price tag, a big reputation and a racy showreel of fearsome free-kicks and pot shots.

Before he even pulled on the sky blue jersey he was somewhat of a fans favourite, albeit more out of excited expectation than anything else.

However, an injury picked up against Tottenham on the opening day of the season curtailed the Serbian’s adventure into English football for the next three months, but since his return, Kolarov has increasingly impressed for the Eastlands side.

The former Lazio man has made his stock as a forward thinking left back with a penchant for sweetly struck set-pieces. So far the majority of his 18 Citizens appearances have been in defence, but during saturday’s 3-0 blitz of West Brom, kolarov made an impact from a more advanced left wing position.

The upfield switch was a success against the Baggies. Kolarov got brought down for the opening penalty, almost got on the scoresheet with a trademark blast from range, provided a steady stream of quality crosses and generally offered a persistent and penetrative threat down his flank.

At times this season Roberto Mancini has been criticised for his conservative approach, but the emergence of Kolarov could have great influence on how City fare from here.

Barring Wayne Bridge who has since been sentenced to a loan spell at West Ham, all of City’s full-backs are essentially foremost defenders. Mancini argued that this hindered his teams forward play as the full-backs weren’t providing enough going forward to supplement the creative forces.

Now Kolarov is back into the fray, Mancini has his man, but where will he deploy him to best effect?

If you’re full-backs can be utilised as a genuine offensive tool it effectively gives you an additional attacking body. With City’s full-backs previously offering limited supply, it placed an extra emphasis on the midfield men to get forward and support the more often than not lone striker of Carlos Tevez.

By keeping a fortified back four, City were overmanning their defensive lines and as such, not overloading when going forward. By playing Kolarov in midfield, not much would change. Either Joleon Lescott or Jerome Boateng behind him would offer much the same, where as Kolarov has the ability from defence to do two jobs at once, for the greater good of the side, and especially at home.

By giving Kolarov licence from left-back, City can then afford to operate another attacking option. Against West Brom, Eden Dzeko watched on from the distance of the Dame Judy as Kolarov time and again shaped enticing balls into areas the Bosnian should have been lurking.

Instead, City had a five-man midfield with David Silva off Tevez, it worked, but by incorporating Kolarov at the back, it enables Mancini to swap a defender for a forward and thus make more of his abundant attacking supplies.

For example, by sticking Kolarov at the back, and Silva on the left, Kolarov’s natural insistence to get forward would provide the width to allow Silva to drift from his wide station.

With Milner down the right and any two from Nigel De Jong, Gareth barry, Yaya Toure and Patrick Vieira manning the central midfield, Dzeko could partner Tevez and Silva would be allowed to roam, all without losing any shape, balance or width with Kolarov on the front foot.

there is no doubt Kolarov could do a job on the wing, but the bigger picture should see the Serbian drop back a slot, which would then provide City with more presence further up the pitch.