Wilfried Bony Must Be Given Time to Show Manchester City What He Can Do

It’s a sign of the immediacy of modern life that Wilfried Bony, a player who has managed just 136 minutes of football since arriving at Manchester City, has faced criticism for the start he has made at the Etihad.

Three substitute appearances and one start is all the Ivorian has managed since his initial £25 million move from Swansea City in January, but his failure to score has led to some early question marks over his suitability for a top club.

The advent of social media and the hours upon hours of rolling news coverage means football is now analysed in the extreme, and a slow start, like the one Bony has had, can lead to unfair levels of criticism.

But, speaking to the club’s official website, the striker says he remains confident he can provide Manuel Pellegrini with goals.

I can handle the pressure.

This is a great move for me but I need to work hard, take my chances when they come along and it will get easier as I get to know my team-mates better and get a better understanding.

I’ve only been here for two weeks so I’m just settling in, getting to know everyone better and they are getting to know me and what my strengths are, too.

When I first came to England there was big pressure because I was coming from Holland to the Premier League.

At Swansea, I didn’t score in the first few games so there was more pressure again, but it’s just something you have to live with by improving and doing things better.

More than anyone, Yaya told me that City was one of the greatest clubs in the world and said that if I had the opportunity to come here that I should take it with both hands, so I did.

He’s barely been given time to settle and already there have been some grumbles and concerns over his form, but it seems the 26-year-old is fully aware he needs a bedding-in period to really begin forming relationships with his new team-mates on the field.

He had a golden chance to score on his debut when he came on as a substitute against Newcastle United during the club’s 5-0 win, but he put the ball wide of the upright when clean through on goal.

Short cameos against Barcelona and Liverpool gave him little chance to shine, but against Leicester City on Wednesday—his first start in blue—he missed a number of gilt-edged chances. There appeared to be an over-eagerness on his part to get off the mark for his new club as his finishing lacked the kind of composure he showed when impressing at Swansea.

However, the quality of his all-round display has gone largely unnoticed. He showed moments of class, with his strength and aerial ability particularly impressive. If he had added goals to his performance, it would have been a fine full debut.

His ability to hold defenders off, buy himself some time and bring others into play was clear—something City have missed this season.

There was enough to suggest City have found a player who can bring a new dimension to their forward line. With Edin Dzeko’s injuries and patchy form, they have missed an out-and-out striker with a physical presence to play alongside this season, and Pellegrini hopes Bony will provide fresh impetus in the striking department.

It's far too early to judge Bony yet. His goalscoring record for Swansea, where he scored 25 goals in 54 Premier League games, means he deserves a chance at a big club, but he needs a run in the side to really show what he can do. 

He's an intelligent striker who likes to link play, relying on the movement of others to really flourish. Until he understands the type of runs the players around him will make, he won't be able to maximise his talents. Given time, he could prove to be a smart move for the club.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.