1 We haven't been bad since just after new yearWorth noting that we are actually 2nd in the table and in all competitions.
Clearly though there has been a dip in the new year and the performances have been extremely disappointing - and not enjoyable to watch at all.
I dare say the Club World Cup led to us losing more points than we otherwise would have earlier in the season as well. City, Chelsea, PSG, Real and a couple of others haven't quite been at the races this season.
Having said all that, I think that Arsenal will have a post-title winning drop off next season and that we'll go on to win the title with our newer players having more experience of playing together. Think about some of the disappointing performances this season vs this 'best ever' Arsenal team, we're not even that far behind them considering everything which has happened. It tells me that they can be overtaken with this team having longer in the oven and with a couple more additions.
He doesn't need to do anything. As he said numerous times hes happy and has a contract to 2027. Why does he need to tell anyone anythingPep needs to tell everyone connected to the club and the fans whether he’s staying or going
It is all very bizarre, ridiculous reallyComparisons to Wenger FFS.
Wenger went 14 years without winning. Pep has gone 1 year, probably 2.
He's in the first year of rebuilding the greatest ever Premier League side, his side by the way.
It will take time.
Unfortunately some of you want instant success. Don't reply saying no you don't. You do and you know you do as you wanted Pep gone last season - the year after winning 4 titles in a row.
So because he didn't win 5 you wanted him gone.
Some of you have strangely always wanted him gone. You can read the previous seasons Pep threads to see that.
Some since the year liverpool won during the COVID season and so a year before we won 4 in a row - a feat no other club has ever done.
And some bizarrely during the treble winning season and you've not changed your mind since.
Finally some positivity.:-)If he stays then I genuinely think we have a great chance of winning the title next season.
Arsenal will have the standard post-title winning drop off (lets face it they're strong favourites now) and Liverpool will have VVD, Allison and Salah (if he's even still there) another year older.
We'll have our new signings with more experience under their belts, Rodri will be back to top form, there won't be unbalanced tiredness from the Club World Cup since most big players from all the top teams will be involved in the national version, and another transfer window will put the rebuild at completion.
If Pep did want to leave in the next year or two then next season's possibilities give him a great chance of going out on a high.
I’m on the fence with Pep atm.
The football has become boring.
Slow, sideways, backwards, regimented, etc.
If Pep decided to step down as City manager at the end of the season and Vincent Kompany was made manager, I wouldn’t mind.
I think it would give our support a huge boost, which has been, and is still dropping off.
I will always love Pep and thank him for what he has done for the club, and the trophies he has won for the club, but it’s becoming clear his time at City is coming to an end.
Neither of those 3 are ready imo. Ideal scenario IF pep goes is get an experienced calming manager a la pellegrini for couple of seasons then we can see how fabregas alonso etc are looking and also vinny will be closer to end of his contract. Ancelotti would be idealDefinitely feels a bit different this time, doesn’t it?
Fabregas, Alonso or Maresca.
A bit gutted Kompany extended his contract to 2029, I’d hazard a guess that when it was 2027 that City were eyeing that up considering that’s when Pep’s expires.
Personally I think it may be time, he doesn’t seem to have that fire in him but I could easily be wrong. Whatever happens, he’s a hero in my eyes - given me the best times of my City-supporting life. Statue and stadium/stand naming, please.
Neither of those 3 are ready imo. Ideal scenario IF pep goes is get an experienced calming manager a la pellegrini for couple of seasons then we can see how fabregas alonso etc are looking and also vinny will be closer to end of his contract. Ancelotti would be ideal
Is this the PL where 5 clubs finished in the top 8 of the CL league phase? And where the team in 17th place currently has 26 points from 24 games and so is on course for the mythical 40 points for the first time in 10 years - is it that PL you mean where the 'standard of 16 of the 19 clubs in the PL is awful'?
I have to disagree with this. I think this idea that our football is dull is an exaggeration. We've had plenty of games this season where we've played some absolutely wonderful football and have done it in a way that hasn't involved passing teams to death all the time - instead, getting the ball forward quicker than we might've done previously under Pep - but the issue recently is that we've not been able to control games for the best part of 90 minutes, often having one good half and one bad half. Sunday was a classic case in point. We were good for a 3-0 or 4-0 lead at half-time and played some great football in the first half that most certainly wasn't dull, but then lost all control in the second half for one reason or another, only regaining it later in the game.I'm not Pep out, absolutely far from it but I do think the football is really dull. We've got so much quality within the squad yet we play with zero intensity. We don't flood the opposition box and we don't take risks.
Watching us pass the ball sideways isn't exciting. It's possession for the sake of possession.
I’d be very surprised if Ancelotti goes back to club football. He will be 67 at the start of next season.
Glasner is more likely than Ancelotti, and that's not going to happen either.
Anyone else get the feeling all is not well with Pep off the field?