Will we win the league this season?

This current City team reminds me of Arsenal in the later Wenger years. It will beat a lot of teams and most likely fight for top 4, but not quite good enough to win the big trophies.
While maybe similar in where we’ll end up due to points dropped, I think we’re a lot tougher in mentality and physicality and are much harder working than Wenger’s later Arsenal’s teams. Those Wenger sides dropped too many points because they were too soft and didn’t work hard enough.

Whereäs we have a big strong team and very rarely look like we’re being dominated physically. Against Arsenal at the Emirates a few months ago, the best set piece team in the league barely troubled us from set pieces at all because we dominated them physically.

You could also outwork Wenger’s later Arsenal teams, whereäs nobody works harder than us:

 
We are going to carry on with this inconsistency until we have a fully fit Rodri and have some players with balls in the midfield when the game needs it like yesterday, and most Aways (and that’s not even a slight on Gonzalez).
Ditto a proper pair of fullbacks when we could probably see what Nico could do in his proper position.
 
While maybe similar in where we’ll end up due to points dropped, I think we’re a lot tougher in mentality and physicality and are much harder working than Wenger’s later Arsenal’s teams. Those Wenger sides dropped too many points because they were too soft and didn’t work hard enough.

Whereäs we have a big strong team and very rarely look like we’re being dominated physically. Against Arsenal at the Emirates a few months ago, the best set piece team in the league barely troubled us from set pieces at all because we dominated them physically.
To an extent. However, when we field a midfield/attack of Silva, Foden, Doku, Cherki, and Gonzalez, we can be outmuscled, particularly when officials allow opponents to foul with impunity. We’re going to see even more of this in the coming months, alas.
 
Bizarrely, this season is actually wide open bar the arse. If they lose a couple of their tough games they’ve got coming up then it’ll be a close call, especially considering they are serial bottlers and have that moron as their manager.

Could be anyone’s this season.
Did you get my voicemail?
 
We are going to carry on with this inconsistency until we have a fully fit Rodri and have some players with balls in the midfield when the game needs it like yesterday, and most Aways (and that’s not even a slight on Gonzalez).
Ditto a proper pair of fullbacks when we could probably see what Nico could do in his proper position.

Our inconsistency yesterday had very little, if anything to with Rodri being out.

Had Haaland and Foden taken their glaring chances we score 3 in the first half, making it nigh on impossible for Newcastle to get anything out of the game.

Nothing Rodri can do about that.
 
We are going to carry on with this inconsistency until we have a fully fit Rodri and have some players with balls in the midfield when the game needs it like yesterday, and most Aways (and that’s not even a slight on Gonzalez).
Ditto a proper pair of fullbacks when we could probably see what Nico could do in his proper position.
Yes, no one stepping up at the minute in the middle.
 
While maybe similar in where we’ll end up due to points dropped, I think we’re a lot tougher in mentality and physicality and are much harder working than Wenger’s later Arsenal’s teams. Those Wenger sides dropped too many points because they were too soft and didn’t work hard enough.

Whereäs we have a big strong team and very rarely look like we’re being dominated physically. Against Arsenal at the Emirates a few months ago, the best set piece team in the league barely troubled us from set pieces at all because we dominated them physically.

You could also outwork Wenger’s later Arsenal teams, whereäs nobody works harder than us:

I wasn't talking style of play, just more Arsenal from the late 00s til Wenger left were flat track bullies. I feel that's what we are at the moment. We will win most games, but there will plenty more games like yesterday's this season. We are capable of beating anyone especially at home, but I don't see us beating many top sides away from home.
 
We have won 7 of our last 21 away games since that bad run started last year and lost 9 of them.

This needs to improve a lot!

The 7 were

Leicester
Spurs
Ipswich
Everton
Fulham
Wolves
Brentford.



We have lost to

Arsenal
Liverpool
Forest
Brighton x 2
Newcastle
Villa x 2
Bournemouth
 
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"Cherki is hit and miss at best ...Reijnders has been poor...RAN is being kept out of the team by a kid...". That's too negative.

What I see now is a City squad with some strength in depth. We could have played Khusanov, Reijnders and Marmoush at SJP and we still have Rodri to come in.

The theme that I would concentrate on is improving our goal output across the side. We attacked very well at Newcastle until the last action.
They all have potential...espeCherki and Reijnders I would strongly agree.

goal output from others I would defintly agree but we are desperately in need of some physicality in as well.

This is where Cherki and reijnders are lacking at present...however they can improve in this area but do they have the mimdset to do it is the question. .....we have seen players like David Silva turn into physical machines to go alongside his undoubted technical ability...he was a fighter as well as brilliant with the ball at his feet. ...so was Bernardo Silva when he was at his peak....

A lot of this squad at the moment are not putting in the physical graft to go along with their undoubted technical ability....Reijnders is weak for such a physical player, Cherki just floats around and the bits Ive seen of RAN in this one respect is worrying

Yes Rodri changes this of course....but dont put him in there and take out Nico G for instance...that would just be swapping out a player for a player and although Rodri is the best in the world in that position the problems would still persist

Marmoush is a very strange one - where does he fit....he can play the 10 role but he aint as creative but more of a goal threat than our other options there. If we play him as the 10 we need creativity outwide - we simply dont have it besides Doku(who is a good example of what some of our players are lacking at present...regardless of performance Doku is always up for a battle - determined, strong and will fight for everything). Likewise Marmoush is wasted outwide and comes inside so we then lack width on one side when he does play.

Our right had side is defensively weak. Nunes has improved but no matter who we play in front of him other teams target that side as Nunes has no cover over there. Khusonov sorts out that problem but Pep clearly wants Nunes there as his build up play is better (Im presuming this is what Pep sees - I dont know)

With EVERYONE fit and at peak I wonder what our best 11 for a big game would be against a physical and technical team

You can assume these would start:

---------Donarumma----------

-----RB?------RCB?------Gvardiol--------LB? (for me its NOR)

------------Rodri-------Nico G------

------------------Foden??? or Cherki?--------

----RW?----------Haaland------------Doku

A lot of question marks

Is it Khusonov or Nunes...at present its Nunes but are EITHER of them good enough there...neither are fullbacks by trade.....

the number 10.....Foden gets the nod over cherki for me but I can completely see the opposite argument for Cherki as well

Marmoush doesnt really fit anywhere in this but who plays on the right.....None are good enough at present....Bobb and Sav are young but neiter are performing well much at all. Marmoush is too good to sit on the bench but he doesnt really fit in anywhere....square peg in round hole outwide

Would Pep even play Rodri and Nico G in the same team...It certainly makes us more solid and both those players can weigh in with goals and Rodri's creativeness is understated as well
 
To an extent. However, when we field a midfield/attack of Silva, Foden, Doku, Cherki, and Gonzalez, we can be outmuscled, particularly when officials allow opponents to foul with impunity. We’re going to see even more of this in the coming months, alas.
the game is a physical one and I for one like the fact that we are seeing a return to it to an extent....

We need to adapt to this. We cant change officiating therefore its up to the players/coaches/manager/club to adapt to it....every week there are complaints about decisions by refs/var etc....but thats all they are...excuses. We win some of those decisions (last week against the scousers for example) and we lose some.

We are outmuscled as you say...its not just about set pieces...we are outpaced and out run through midfield and outwide...
 
I'm not sure they'll keep this type of form up throughout the season. My concern is our inconsistent performances or results every 4 or 5 games will hinder us from making a concerted challenge.

They are this season what Liverpool were last. Not brilliant, just the most consistent.

The City and even Klopp Liverpool teams would have walked last and this years title race. It would be over now in my opinion with both teams 10 points clear.

Arsenal are currently the only team that can go on a 5, 6, 7 match winning run in this current league, the rest cannot. That's why they will win the league.

This season looks one season too soon for us.
 
the game is a physical one and I for one like the fact that we are seeing a return to it to an extent....

We need to adapt to this. We cant change officiating therefore its up to the players/coaches/manager/club to adapt to it....every week there are complaints about decisions by refs/var etc....but thats all they are...excuses. We win some of those decisions (last week against the scousers for example) and we lose some.

We are outmuscled as you say...its not just about set pieces...we are outpaced and out run through midfield and outwide...
Some of the players are 3-5 years from being in their physical prime, so it’s a weakness that could dog us for a few seasons. We either play to our creative strengths and accept we will be outmuscled in certain games, or we bring in a couple of players that can add protection.

I would say, however, that there’s a significant difference between physicality and deliberate fouling. Cherki took a deliberate one from behind and saw no protection from the referee; the next pass in to him he tried to lay it off immediately, conceded possession, and Newcastle created a chance from it. Doku and Foden were also recipients of unpunished challenges in the opening 30 minutes. That’s par for the course on Tyneside, of course, but we can expect more of the same on our travels.

If Guardiola and Viana don’t rate the fringe players, then get them out, starting in January, and bring in the physical protection the others need.
 
I'm not sure they'll keep this type of form up throughout the season. My concern is our inconsistent performances or results every 4 or 5 games will hinder us from making a concerted challenge.
The obvious difference between us and Arsenal is that we're in the midst of a huge rebuild - whereas Arsenal have started with a solid base and have tweaked it a bit - to improve.

Arsenal don't need to be fantastic every game. They have a big lead. Moreover, their lead is deserved.

Arsenal are by far the best side on defense in the P/L. They are not going to concede many goals.

And Arsenal are OKish going forward... they'll score just enough to maintain their best record.
 
The obvious difference between us and Arsenal is that we're in the midst of a huge rebuild - whereas Arsenal have started with a solid base and have tweaked it a bit - to improve.

Arsenal don't need to be fantastic every game. They have a big lead. Moreover, their lead is deserved.

Arsenal are by far the best side on defense in the P/L. They are not going to concede many goals.

And Arsenal are OKish going forward... they'll score just enough to maintain their best record.
Not disagreeing with any of that. Their lead is deserved, but my point remains about the coming months. They may well keep this up and no arguements if they do. But if they don't, it would be a shame that not being able to iron out a few of our problems will prevent us from being in the mix. A nice little winning run from us now would be most welcome.
 

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