Zinedine Zidane is shaking things up for Ryan Cherki in the French national team, deploying him in a deeper role than fans might expect.
The new head coach is grooming Cherki, one of Manchester City's standout players, to take on additional responsibilities as a box-to-box midfielder. Thus far, the results have been mixed.
Cherki has already established himself as a crucial player for City, netting four goals and registering two assists in just eight appearances this season. His strengths within the City squad have stemmed from his freedom to operate, his technical prowess, and his ability to conjure up creative solutions. However, Zidane is now looking to broaden his skill set, testing him in a more central role that requires him to contribute more defensively.
In a recent outing against Italy, Cherki spent 76 minutes on the pitch, making a whopping 91 touches — the highest among his teammates. Despite his industrious performance, he struggled to leave a significant mark on the attacking front, earning a rather pedestrian score of 5 out of 10 from L’Equipe, which noted his tireless work rate but lack of the attacking sharpness and risk-taking typical of his game.
According to L’Equipe:
“He was active throughout the match — 91 touches — but lacked the creativity and willingness to take risks. Nevertheless, he won a free-kick that led to a goal from Michael Olise while continuing to put in a significant shift defensively in his box-to-box role.”
The deeper position allows Cherki to see the game unfold ahead of him and engage more with the ball, but it also distances him from the opponent's goal.
In another assessment, L’Equipe commented:
“Being at the heart of the action, he received the ball more frequently and had a clearer view of the goal, but he found himself further away from the opposition’s penalty area.”
Cherki is undoubtedly a creative force, but against Italy, he often opted for simpler solutions. Like many of his teammates, he struggled to quicken the tempo of the game and occasionally took too long to find the right pass.
So far during this international break, Cherki has provided two assists, although both were the result of Michael Olise’s individual brilliance following straightforward passes from him.
If Zidane can successfully mold Cherki into a full-fledged midfielder, it could create a conundrum for Enzo Maresca. Manchester City have already bolstered their midfield significantly this summer, signing Enzo Fernandez, Elliot Anderson, and Ayoub Bouaddi, making it challenging to find space for all these talents.
For now, this shift looks more like an experiment for the national side rather than a permanent tactical change. However, Zidane appears determined to enhance Cherki's versatility, even if it means sacrificing some of the creative freedom that has made him one of the Premier League’s most unpredictable attackers.
