Another transitional season? No.

[BosnianBlue]

One thing I definitely agree with you on, I think we're all significantly underrating the possibility that this will be Pep's last year with us. Even if, for some reason, you think the Mirror has some special insight into what Pep's wife is going to do three months from now, saying "not to worry, she's going to move back in a few months time" is what you say regardless of whether thats the plan or not. It's called, "not letting it become a huge story". Also even if they are correct and that is the plan, there's absolutely no way to predict how things are going to go and how everyone is going to feel when it comes time to actually do it.

I still think it's likely that he'll see out the contract, but to pretend there isn't a decent chance that this'll be it is foolish in my opinion.

I'm more and more in the camp of significant possibility that Pep might even go next summer and completely sure that he won't extend. He looks bit tired, I don't see the passion and intensity he usually has and that's being reflected to the team more often.

 

[TheThirdDeano]

now the dust has settled a bit and most people are asleep I’ll post what I think;

I think Transitional is the wrong word.

I'd say a recovery season. The lack of recognition and plaudits for what we’ve achieved in the past 2 seasons diminishes the effort put in to it by everyone at our club.
This isn’t France or Germany, the British season is a war of attrition, and the past two years we have pushed further than any team in history. Our players are young, sure. But we’re talking two straight years of playing at the peak of the game. Add to that every year there’s been international games; we were the club most affected by the World Cup.
We’ve had injury after injury, cup game after cup game. Last year our heroic quadruple required us to play a game every 3 days.
Even with our quality laden squad we can only rotate so much, and that isn’t enough.

we as fans never see what’s going on, on the inside. These guys are human after all, and whilst they do have all the fanciest medical technology going I sincerely doubt anyone’s body could go through all that and it not eventually catching up to it.

What we’re seeing now is the result of being the best team in the world for back to back years. And it upsets me to see city fans calling for players head’s, some calling for pep to fuck off, and most of all arguing amongst themselves because we should be proud of what we’ve achieved over recent years and we should cut the players some slack particularly in a year where we seem to be getting injuries every week.

Let’s not live in the past, but let’s get some perspective.

 

[bangkokblueballs]

Pep will walk this summer if not the next summer he won’t overhaul this squad again

Bold statement... why u think that.

There could be a argument for the opposite. If we were to win again this season. Then 3 in a row and all the rest could lead Pep to think he has done everything to be done, then decide on a new challenge. However if we don't win the league or cl then Pep still has work to do.

Why u saying this today??? Because we lost

 

[Keeper!]

I'm more and more in the camp of significant possibility that Pep might even go next summer and completely sure that he won't extend. He looks bit tired, I don't see the passion and intensity he usually has and that's being reflected to the team more often.

Agreed, and the story of his wife returning to Barcelona if true was worrying and not a good sign of him extending his stay.

 

[ws01]

I don't think we're in transition at all, rather just have a couple of weaknesses that are being exposed. Look at the number of players we have who are still 25 or under: Stones, Sterling, Jesus, Zinchenko, Angelino, Laporte, Rodri, Sane, Bernardo, Cancelo, Foden, Garcia.

That's still the bones of a top young squad. We've now got a managed approached to recruit where for the foreseeable future, we don't need to be making any major recruitment or squad overhauls. Merl, Bravo, and probably Otamendi will go at the end of the season. We've got Foden, Garcia, Bellis, might just need to sign a quality back up to Ed. I'd say OKun and likely Fernandinho will go the season after, which will need two major purchases. So yeah, doesn't look to me to need major overhaul.

If you want to know what transition is, check out the outgoings before the 17/18 season: Bony, Nolito, Fernando, Kolarov, Hart, Nasri, Zabaleta, Caballero, Clichy, Navas, Sagna, Iheanacho. That's 10 regular first teamers under Pellegrini plus Nolito and Caballero.

Won't see something like that for a long time.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

Climbing the mountain and retaining the league was a huge ask and the team managed to do it. Three in a row, even harder especially after running perfect from January till May.

we have Silva, Aguero, Walker, Otamendi and Fernandinho approaching 30 and injuries to Stones, Sane, Mendy and Laporte. It leaves us with a slow ponderous midfield, a right back playing left back and a centre midfield playing centre half.

Stones needs to get back and find some form quickly, now we are 8 points behind maybe it is time to see what Garcia can do and start building for next year. We now have 3 players who can play left back yet non of them are an automatic pick, we haven’t solved that problem for years only Clichy between 2011-2014 has held down that spot.

Get Gundoghan out of attacking midfield, Ive never seen a player let a game by pass him so much and put Bernardo in there. Give Jesus some more game time if it’s out wide as he always looks desperate to make something happen. Well we have an international break to stew in our juices, we got caught by Norwich after the last one the focus needs to come back.

 

[BlueMoonz1977]

agree that the standards we have set over the last 2 seasons are catching up with us, especially with the injuries that are leaving us severely exposed.

Lets not forget that as champions, opposition teams will always try harder and up their game - this is something that liverpool have yet to experience. We are capable of clawing this lead back, liverpool are now title favourites so the pressure is on them for the next 7 months.

Regarding otamendi, i agree that i would prefer garcia to step in but we would need stones back and in form quickly

 

[Citizen in Pakistan]

This ain't no transition as many have pointed out, i think we took a gamble heading into the season when we didnt signed Kompany's replacement and it back fired as injuries piled up.

I have no issues with club waiting for a perfect replacement but with Kompany gone and no replacement signed García or bellis should have been integrated into the squad rather than using make shift arrangements. Same goes for foden, youngsters warming the bench won't help city or the players in the long run.

I also felt that we should have changed our system a little bit in this season and give teams something different to think about.

I still think we can turn this around and even if we can't so be it, we've had 2 amazing seasons. This team would fight back like they have done numerous times in the past. Being 8 points behind fergie with 6 games to go was more challenging than being behind with 30 games still left to play.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

I fancy we might get more of a 'traditional' season than a 'transitional' one - summat like '64!

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Lets not be silly. Where are the WORLD CLASS replacements for the players we are losing?

Next summer will be another big spend, but let’s hope it isn’t all spent in fucking defenders!!!

Is this gonna be one of the perks for Platinum ST's? I'd much prefer a free bag o' chips or a free pie!