Here, club journalist Rob Pollard talks to French football expert Jonathan Johnson to get the lowdown on Mendy and find out how he thinks he will fare playing for City in the Premier League
Jonathan, thanks for joining us again, a lot’s happened since we last spoke. Benjamin Mendy has arrived from Monaco. How good was he last season in Ligue 1?
He was phenomenal last season. Mendy was one of the key figures in Monaco’s impressive domestic and continental achievements and it was no surprise that he broke into the senior France set-up because of his superlative form.
As far as full-backs go, it is my opinion that there are no better crossers of the ball in Europe right now.
The additions of both Mendy and Kyle Walker either side of the defence will make City a much greater threat going forward this coming campaign.
Is he suited to the Premier League?
Absolutely. He is strong, fast and agile and possesses brilliant delivery. It might take him a little while to adapt to the pace of the Premier League but the combination of speed and physicality is likely to suit Mendy.
He worked with Marcelo Bielsa during his time at Marseille...does that set him up nicely to play under Pep Guardiola?
I think so, certainly in terms of how he plays when going forward. Bielsa’s tactics with Marseille verged on all-out attack.
Pep is more balanced than Bielsa and places greater importance on possession of the ball but still likes to see his team go forward as often as possible.
I expect Mendy to have few, if any, problems with Pep’s style,
What are his major strengths?
He is strong and fast, which makes him ideal for the Premier League. However, Mendy’s greatest asset is his crossing ability.
His deliveries from the left were second to none in Europe last term and he will be a menace for all right-backs this coming season.
He will make City’s left side much more of an attacking threat and will be exciting to watch.
How good can he be?
He is already one of Europe’s best in his role and, in my opinion, he crosses the ball better than any other attack-minded left-back.
What he needs to do is pick up where he left off with Monaco and consistently produce those sorts of performances. If he does, then he will be a roaring success.
Jonathan Johnson is ESPN FC &beIN Sports USA’s French football specialist. You can follow him on Twitter @Jon_LeGossip
