Who and what’s to blame?

Not replacing kompany combined with losing laporte meaning that ferna had to come out of midfield were the two biggest factors.

That said, if we bought koulibaly last summer and laporte never got injured, I still don't think we would have won it this year
 
This game was a microcasm of our whole season, ability to completely outplay any team in the world but also the inability to concentrate and control counters. I thought Fern was quite good in this game but i think the transitions is where we have failed massively this season, he has more awareness and was already intregrated so to lose him and move him back to CB imo has been a big issue. Not saying Rodri and Gundo aren't good there, but they're just different and don't smell the danger and get there quick enough. When losing the ball, we are 2 passes away from the opposition being in on goal, that's a HUGE problem.
 
I seem to remember that before Fern was moved back to accompany Laporte that it was suggested that he couldn't do a full on season in midfield again.
Why people are thinking moving him back is a good idea beats me.
 
Do you think Otamendi or Stones are good enough? Stones potentially is but we haven't seen what he is capable of for 2 seasons. It's been one injury after another. Otamemdi is too slow. He's only here because we failed to replace Kompany last Summer.
We need three very high quality CB's and one youngster of enormous potential who is learning from the other three. Just now we only have one of the right quality - Laporte and three youngsters with potential Garcia, HB and Tosin. The balance is all wrong. I would let Otamendi and Stones both go but only if we could recruit two replacements of the right quality. Not an easy task for one let alone two. I haven't seen enough of the three youngsters to know who has the most potential. Tosin seems to be doing very well for Blackburn. Garcia is a pep player. On balance I would want someone whose physicality matches their ball skills and I guess Tosin is closer to that.
 
We need three very high quality CB's and one youngster of enormous potential who is learning from the other three. Just now we only have one of the right quality - Laporte and three youngsters with potential Garcia, HB and Tosin. The balance is all wrong. I would let Otamendi and Stones both go but only if we could recruit two replacements of the right quality. Not an easy task for one let alone two. I haven't seen enough of the three youngsters to know who has the most potential. Tosin seems to be doing very well for Blackburn. Garcia is a pep player. On balance I would want someone whose physicality matches their ball skills and I guess Tosin is closer to that.
If we don't get rid of them then the temptation is there to play them. Goodbye,good luck and thanks.
 
Kompany only played 13 premier league games last season but it's clear to me that this season we've missed his leadership skills on & off the pitch.
I love David Silva as a player but I'm not so sure he's a leader. Next season the armband needs to go to Debruyne. I'm not sure whether he would be as influential as Kompany but when you listen to him he's always talks constructive & would get the respect from the squad.
 
What’s clear is that it was in no ones interest to see city stroll the league again and collect a third consecutive PL title.

above all, that couldn’t and wouldn’t be allowed to happen.


It’s been achieved by a mixture of a little bit of Var, a little bit of poor reffing, mixed with some unfortunate long term injury abscences.
 
One interesting thought is how many points do we think will be required to win the league next season. The rags used to win it regularly with low 80's. Getting 90+ was very rare. 95 The record before we beat that the last 2 years and Liverpool on for similar. We could finish with 84. In old money we would be in with a chance with 84 again, one more win and 87 wins it most years. Or is 95+ the new normal where we need 10 more points next year.

I suspect it will be less next year. Less than 90. If we can keep Laporte and Stones healthy then we have a good chance.
 
Recruitment been shocking, 2 major signings are flops, Right back we paid a huge sum for man who can’t get in team centre mid Rodri looks slow with turning circle of a truck, personally don’t think Gundogan is top drawer but he’s better than Rodri. Signings needed at left back and centre half were not made. Team getting old again needs young players again. A lot of work needed now starting with getting rid of fringe players who won’t ever be first choice, sell our 3 left backs and buy one good reliable one, need to prioritise league and play development team more in cups as all I will judge season on is league.
Top priority is sorting out why players are getting injured more, suspect because we try and compete on all fronts all time and may need tweeking
 

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