MANCHESTER City may be struggling to maintain their early season momentum but Nedum Onuoha is still loving every minute of first-team action.
The England Under-21 star has started City's last three matches after finding himself playing understudy to currently injured hard-man Danny Mills at the start of the campaign.
Although the Blues have won only once in that time, part of an overall spell which has seen them pick up just two victories in eight Barclays Premiership outings, Onuoha's footballing education is continuing rapidly.
After playing in central defence against Birmingham and Wigan, he was deployed at right-back against Chelsea and handed the job of marking Damien Duff.
It was a role he carried out with great effectiveness and even though Joe Cole was filling the Chelsea left-sided role when he netted the champions' late winner, Onuoha, who is still only 19, emerged from only his 24th senior appearance with great credit.
"It makes no difference to me whether I play at right-back or in the middle, I just want to be involved," said Onuoha, who hopes to keep his place for the trip to Middlesbrough.
"I have been working as hard as I can to get into the squad and when I do get my chance, I know I must perform at my very best to keep it.
"I am very happy at City. I am learning my trade here and feel very much part of the club."
Where do you think Onuoha should be played? Have your say.
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RB for me, the kid is wasted at centre half becuase he's great going forward. he even managed to play a ball square across the 6 yard box against chelsea. he doesn't realise his own ability yet, definitely the best academy prospect since SWP.
Nedum should be played wherever he feels he can do a job for us. For years he's been putting in the work and performances at academy and reserve level. For a lad who started off as a forward, he's versatile just like Micah and both will go far.
Basically, where Nedum says in the article; either in the centre of defence or at right back. He has the assets and pace for either role. I don't agree with calls from some City fans, in posting on other articles, for him to be tried at left back. I just can't see that working and I think the suggestion is out of desperation to get Thatcher and/or Jordan out of the starting 11. Speaking of which, yeah Thatcher & Jordan are no world-beaters and they might both be experiencing a dip in form of late to say the least. But they're not as bad a lot of fans are making out...are they? Some unquestionable howlers, no doubt about that. But it wasn't THAT long ago that Thatcher, at least, was playing really well. I recall Pearce in the press, quite recently, who was justified in praising them both...
The best is yet to come from Nedum, with more experience he will only get better.
Stu has got to play Nedum where he feels most comfortable unless there is an emergency to play him out of position
Onuoha is going to be a really great player for City and is already showing it at such a young age. Physically, he looks like the prefect modern defender and he's a great athlete, but just as important, he's got a decent footballing brain. He'll play for England in the future