Defenders

Gael Clichy
Apps: 37 (28 PL)
Goals: 0
Assists: 4
Of all the players we've bought from Arsenal in recent years, the cheapest and arrived with probably the least fanfare but has been the most successful in my view. Perhaps not the greatest start, as it was his misunderstanding with Kompany that allowed Nani to score an injury-time winner in the Community Shield, but consistently excellent since then. I find it hard to believe that in some quarters the France left-back position is considered a problem - Clichy's pace will always mean he is effective in defence, while his overlapping runs and crossing is important for our style of play because of our narrow midfield. The difference when he is playing and when he isn't is stark - it's no surprise that some of our worst performances last season, like Napoli at home, came when Clichy was rested for Kolarov. Probably the only left-back in the country who gets close to Ashley Cole, and perhaps the only blot on his copybook in the season proper was getting sent off against Chelsea.
Moment that defined his season:
As I said, one of our most consistent and effective performers, and the way he kept Nani quiet in the home derby was superb, but I'd probably go for his assists towards the end of the season - he provided a great pass for Aguero to score the first against Wolves in a nervy win straight after United's draw against Everton.
Keep hold/get rid?
Class, and young - hopefully he'll be a stalwart for years to come. Delighted he's ended our run of slow, dirty, hopeless left backs (Kolarov, Bridge, Ball, Thatcher...).


Aleksandar Kolarov
Apps: 30 (12 PL)
Goals: 4
Assists: 6
Probably my least favourite of the players that regularly played for the first team last season, Kolarov is just so frustrating to watch. The difference in City's style and overall effectiveness is so obvious when he is playing instead of Clichy - there's no width and much less movement. Kolarov also commits the unforgivable sin of giving the ball away and not tracking back to make up for it. The problem is, having him on the pitch means our team loses its shape, but often it's difficult to change it if we go behind because we have so many attacking options on the bench that swapping the left-back seems a waste. He is the type of player that people who don't really watch City very often think is decent because they see him hitting shots from distance, and on several occasions last season he disguised a poor performance with a goal from a free kick. He did actually get more assists than Clichy (and more goals obviously) but stats don't always tell the full story and anyway I'm certain that he was at fault for many more goals conceded.
Moment that defined his season:
I'm going to go for the goal he scored in the Champions League against Napoli - there's no denying he's got a hammer of a left foot, and it was a crucial goal, but I'm convinced we wouldn't have needed to score it if Clichy had started instead.
Keep hold/get rid?
I'm not a fan. We paid £16m for him, and it's unlikely we'd get anything near that if we sold him so perhaps we have to keep him for FFP reasons, but if we were offered anything even close to £10m I'd snap their hand off.

Vincent Kompany
Apps: 40 (31 PL)
Goals: 3
Assists: 1
What an absolute hero. Up there with Hart, Aguero and Yaya as our most important players, the spine of the team and the leaders. He is just an unbelievable performer, week in week out- solid, composed, quick, skilful, intelligent, reads the game well, great communicator, great in the air, and that's just a few of his attributes. He was a Champ Man legend a few years ago, so when we bought him I was excited (although slightly wary - they aren't always as good in real life!), but I could not have imagined how well he was going to do. There can't be a better signing in terms of value for money currently playing in the league (apart from Hart!). That Chelsea banner for Terry ('Captain, leader, legend') is so much more apt for our captain than for theirs. It was clear that our worst periods of the season coincided with the times when Kompany was out injured or suspended (that decision by Chris Foy to send him off against United in the FA Cup was nearly so costly).
Moment that defined his season:
It is very difficult to look past his goal in the home derby - although his defending has been exceptional all season, he stepped up when he was most needed at the other end, in the highest-pressure match of the season. His celebration showed how much it mattered as well. Special mention though goes to his assist for Johnson's goal at home to Norwich - he popped up on the left-hand side of their box, did a stepover and chipped it to the other corner of the box for Johnson to finish. A delight to watch, and a centre-back! Amazing.
Keep hold/get rid?
Absolutely, definitely, unequivocally keep hold. He is so important to the team, and he seems to have a genuine love for the club (he was recently quoted as saying he wants to stay at the club for beyond the duration of his contract). I want him as captain for the rest of his career, then as manager, then chairman.

Joleon Lescott
Apps: 42 (31 PL)
Goals: 3
Assists: 1
One of Mark Hughes' obsessions, I liked Lescott at Everton but struggled when he first arrived, and is still the only member of our team who doesn't really look comfortable with the ball at his feet. That said, he has improved dramatically this season, and has formed a great partnership with Kompany at the back. He is great in the air, and although he is a bit slow and cumbersome he makes some important blocks and tackles and scored some key goals. I do wonder if he might be a bit of a liability against the very best opposition, although of course he is an international, and managed to help prevent the likes of Balotelli, Benzema and Shevchenko from scoring in the Euro (although not Olaf Mellberg!). He would be the weak link in our first choice XI though.
Moment that defined his season:
It was so nearly his misjudgement against QPR that gifted Cisse his goal, but thankfully it didn't matter in the end so I'll go for his goal against Villa - in a tense, tricky away tie he scored the winner and of course every point in the end was crucial. His goal against Tottenham was funny too, as was his reaction ('I think I'll get Goal of the Month!').
Keep hold/get rid?
I'd definitely keep him, but I think a centre-back has to be top of our shopping list, even if it's just as cover for Lescott and Kompany. Long term, I'm afraid I think we can do better but he's not exactly a terrible player to have in the squad.

Micah Richards
Apps: 39 (29 PL)
Goals: 1
Assists: 6
Richards is a very important player for me being the only remaining Academy player who gets near the first team. While I would not complain about the oil money buying the likes of Yaya and Aguero, I do think it's important to remember the roots of the club as well and Richards is key in this regard. At the start of the season especially he had recovered his form of a few years ago, strong and athletic when defending and dangerous with his forward runs down the right. Like Clichy, his support going forward was crucial to how the team played due to our narrow midfield. Towards the end of the season, though, Mancini seemed to prefer Zabaleta, and of course he did not make the squad for the Euro. Some feel that although he makes some great blocks and uses his athleticism to get City out of trouble, it is his lack of concentration and positional awareness that caused the problem in the first place! I don't think he's as bad as he was a couple of seasons ago (when there was the rumour that he was more interested in doing weights than in training for matches) but there is still a sense that he hasn't quite yet heeded Vieira's advice ('How do you expect to improve when you're the last on the training pitch and the first off it?') and that Zab is more trustworthy in the biggest games. He stepped up at centre-back though when Kompany was suspended and Lescott injured, and I hope he will continue to improve to the extent that he is definitely our first choice right back. He still manages to go flying in with his arms above his head in the box and give away penalties though - another thing he needs to work on in training (if he ever turns up).
Moment that defined his season:
Made a trademark last ditch tackle away at Fulham to deny Dempsey, and a great block towards the end of the season to save a goal against Newcastle, but as it's his attacking that is really his forte, I'll go for his assist for Aguero's goal at Old Trafford - capping an amazing move with passes in all directions and angles with a penetrating run (Evra was nowhere) to set up a goal and put the game beyond United. Significant as well that this was in the first part of the season when he was in fantastic form.
Keep hold/get rid?
Definitely keep hold, there aren't many players who are as part of the club as him and his physique and pace are so useful going back and forwards. We just need to keep him improving and working on parts of his game, and hopefully see him reach the potential he's shown since scoring that header against Villa in the cup.

Stefan Savic
Apps: 23 (11 PL)
Goals: 1
Assists: 0
Probably the only player who you can really say had a bad season for City last year, and when Kompany and then Lescott were out through injury and suspension the lack of depth in our squad was horribly exposed, almost having fatal consequences for our title challenge. For a player so tall he looks nervous when defending high balls and his distribution is erratic. Not good enough.
Moment that defined his season:
Frequently gave the ball away in dangerous positions, and the most damaging time was Swansea away - he gave it away in the middle and then didn't get back in time to prevent the goal that seemed to have put paid to our chances of winning the league.
Keep hold/get rid?
Definitely get rid - he's just not good enough. Although we didn't pay loads for him (£5-6m) we will be lucky to find anyone to take him off us! I just can't help but think that Onuoha can do everything he can and better. I was very disappointed when Nedum left the club - Mancini didn't seem to rate him, which makes it all the more inexplicable that Savic is there instead. Definitely need a new centre back (or two).

Kolo Toure
Apps: 20 (14 PL)
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Another of Hughes' overpriced under-performers, Kolo has never looked good enough for City. When we bought him an Arsenal fan said to me 'Now you'll see why Arsenal let in so many from set pieces', and his positioning and reading of the game mean that he never plays well enough to justify a place in the first XI. Although I was glad of him when Kompany and Lescott were out, and he did ok in a makeshift pairing with Richards, his price tag and wages are too high for a player who is likely to be on the bench for most of next season. He's also the only player not to chip in at the other end.
Moment that defined his season:
Not really a moment, but his performances with Richards just about meant that his season was a success.
Keep hold/get rid?
I feel that he is too expensive to have on the bench - with FFP, we run the risk of not being able to sign other players while Toure is just backup. Again, I would rather have Onuoha - he's cheaper and (in my opinion) better. A moot point I know, but a shame. Get rid of Kolo, although he's yet another example of players in our squad (mostly signed by Hughes) who were signed for far too much and we've got no chance of getting anywhere near what we paid. The only reason I can really think of for keeping hold of him is if it influences Yaya to stay.

Pablo Zabaleta
Apps: 31 (21 PL)
Goals: 1
Assists: 0
At the beginning of the season Zab was used with Kolarov as what was really the second-choice full-back pairing with the problems for the style of play that I've already described. However, towards the end of the season he had displaced Richards, playing in all the crucial games at the end. I'm a bit of a late convert to Zab to be honest, although his effort and commitment will always win over fans, he's a bit workmanlike and I'm always worried that he's got a mistake or two in him, or perhaps more likely a red card when he goes flying in to challenges. His attacking game improved though in the second half of the season, he gave Evra a torrid time in the home derby and was involved in winning the corner that led to the goal, and he clearly loves the club, so he's won me round to an extent.
Moment that defined his season:
I know I've mainly gone for goals, but it's hard to look past his only goal of the season on the final day - demonstrating his desire by continuing his run, taking the pass from a half-fit Yaya and smashing it, even if it did get a bit of help from Kenny (had Silva injured him with his shot at the near post a bit earlier?).
Keep hold/get rid?
Definitely keep hold, he's valuable as a squad member although I'd prefer to see Micah at right back.