Dropping out of the top 4 - potential repercussions?

[OB1]

I'm still clinging to the belief we'll get our act together enough to finish in the top four. A lot of our rivals play each other in the coming weeks, so points will be dropped somewhere. A win against West Brom at home, coupled with our existing points (and goal difference) advantage will give us a bit of breathing space. It's too good a squad to completely capitulate, even though it seems hard to see light at the end of the tunnel at the moment. Big changes needed in the summer regardless though.

I should squeak this out today, but I just don't see it. A huge player turnover has never been helpful and our squad age has been overblown. 26-32 are the prime years of players, not the years that we should be looking at replacing them. AvB had this problem at Chelsea too where he thought anybody over 30 was dead weight and people like Cole, Lampard and Terry went on to have some of their best seasons in the shirt afterwards.

We're not on the level of Barca, Bayern and Real and no matter what we do outside of spending about a billion pound we aren't going to be in one window.

But we're better than this season has made us believe. For many reasons this year we haven't really had a settled squad and we've been a bit wobbly. Fernando and Mangala will be one year more experienced in our squad and league, which I think will help us a lot. Hopefully Zabaleta will go and have a bit of a lie down this summer as he played almost every game last year than a full World Cup then almost every game this year, and with his mileage covered in a game then he has to need a rest.
Kompany has been off his game, Yaya had his issues at the start of the year and hasn't grabbed games by the scruff of their necks, Aguero has been injured numerous times, Silva and Nasri have barely been on a pitch together.

I think evolution rather than revolution is all that's needed. A couple of signings to replace outgoings like presumably Jovetic and Milner, bring in Lopes, Denayer and maybe give a few more games to Barker and we'll be fine. I just don't see this big disaster that everybody else does. Our squad doesn't need this massive overhaul, just another year of tweaking.

We're in bad form yet remain second in the league and still in the Champions League (though it would obviously take a minor miracle to get to the next round). The world isn't falling, we're just on a run of bad form. We need to be composed and rational rather than making big changes to what is already a squad which at its core has won two Premier Leagues.

I put this down to people getting carried away with the age thing. It went from Mourinho saying our squad is old, to people then using words like "tired" and "needs refreshing", to now people suggesting overhauls.

We're fine. Let's not panic and bring in a bunch of new players.

Whilst I think we have to be careful - we do not for instance want a repeat of what happened when Malcolm returned - some serious changes need to be made this summer. The last three summers have just done little more than leave us treading water as a squad. After yesterday's performance, I am still of a mind that no one in the squad is untouchable e.g. Yaya, Silva and Sergio were all huge let downs for me yesterday. However, my hope is that some key additions, both in terms of talent and attitude, will help to bring the best out of the players that we keep. I think we have a raft of players that could be replaced without damaging the core. I also believe that we need to begin transforming the squad to one that runs further and faster, whilst also raising the skill level.

We also need to remember when panicking over where we will finish that yesterday's defeat - as poor and unacceptable as the performance was - involved City dominating the game and having 21 shots, being denied a blatant penalty and conceding to the sort of goal Burnley score infrequently.

Our star striker, the best in the league, had 8 shots and got 1 on target; that is pitiful by his standards. In fact of the 21 shots we had, the only decent effort I can recall was Yaya's.

 

[dancity19]

We WILL qualify for the CL and finish 2nd.
Why?, Because we are going to roll our sleeves up in the last 9 games and play like champions. Even if it means ultimately surrendering our crown to Chelsea.

A good summer and a hungry and reinvigorated squad will make us to champions again in 2016.
Enough of the negativity.

Based upon what mate? We had a good chance yesterday, going to 2nd to bottom who hadn't kept a clean sheet in 17 GAMES, and we play like we had nothing to play for. The most half hearted effort I've seen for a long time. Chelsea had a tough week, and we could have gone and put some real pressure on them.

It reminded me of Southampton away in 2013 when it was clear Mancini had lost the dressing room. When the players stop playing for you there is no way back. They have stopped playing for Pellegrini, unfortunately.

 

[leighton]

I think its coming to the stage of playing our strongest 11 from now till the end of the season. We need to do it. No more swapping and changing. We come Wednesday night could well be out of the champions league with just the league games to go for a fully focused 11 going out 1 game a week and turning teams over. Fuck it MP should be behind the scenes telling everyone at the club if they want to be here next season fight for it and show it on the pitch.
I look at the squad and I think the big players Yaya has been a nightmare this season I would be happy to see him going. Get rid of the bad influences on the club and bring in the new talent. We need players whens it tough who will fight for it and not just roll over. I think there will be comings and goings out of the club. Can see Nasri to PSG , Yaya and Jovetic out to a Italian club 3 players who simply lack the fight to stay. It might well be harsh but it has to be done.

 

[BLUEMATT23]

If I'm honest I think were getting to much stick for yesterday.
Sometimes you try your best and it doesn't work. Clearly their are players out of form and the team are not playing with great confidence at the moment.
However I don't think it's as bad as people are making out.

We WILL qualify for the CL and finish 2nd.
Why?, Because we are going to roll our sleeves up in the last 9 games and play like champions. Even if it means ultimately surrendering our crown to Chelsea.

A good summer and a hungry and reinvigorated squad will make us to champions again in 2016.
Enough of the negativity.

Based upon what mate? We had a good chance yesterday, going to 2nd to bottom who hadn't kept a clean sheet in 17 GAMES, and we play like we had nothing to play for. The most half hearted effort I've seen for a long time. Chelsea had a tough week, and we could have gone and put some real pressure on them.

It reminded me of Southampton away in 2013 when it was clear Mancini had lost the dressing room. When the players stop playing for you there is no way back. They have stopped playing for Pellegrini, unfortunately.

 

[razman]

Don't know why I have a feeling...(being too optimistic) that we are going to get a result at barca and that will be the turn around.. Similar to what happened after bayern at home... And the run we went on.. Only this time I hope that run ends (if it starts) only on the last day

Ok.. Maybe I am too optimistic :)

 

[dancity19]

I'm still clinging to the belief we'll get our act together enough to finish in the top four. A lot of our rivals play each other in the coming weeks, so points will be dropped somewhere. A win against West Brom at home, coupled with our existing points (and goal difference) advantage will give us a bit of breathing space. It's too good a squad to completely capitulate, even though it seems hard to see light at the end of the tunnel at the moment. Big changes needed in the summer regardless though.

I should squeak this out today, but I just don't see it. A huge player turnover has never been helpful and our squad age has been overblown. 26-32 are the prime years of players, not the years that we should be looking at replacing them. AvB had this problem at Chelsea too where he thought anybody over 30 was dead weight and people like Cole, Lampard and Terry went on to have some of their best seasons in the shirt afterwards.

We're not on the level of Barca, Bayern and Real and no matter what we do outside of spending about a billion pound we aren't going to be in one window.

But we're better than this season has made us believe. For many reasons this year we haven't really had a settled squad and we've been a bit wobbly. Fernando and Mangala will be one year more experienced in our squad and league, which I think will help us a lot. Hopefully Zabaleta will go and have a bit of a lie down this summer as he played almost every game last year than a full World Cup then almost every game this year, and with his mileage covered in a game then he has to need a rest.
Kompany has been off his game, Yaya had his issues at the start of the year and hasn't grabbed games by the scruff of their necks, Aguero has been injured numerous times, Silva and Nasri have barely been on a pitch together.

I think evolution rather than revolution is all that's needed. A couple of signings to replace outgoings like presumably Jovetic and Milner, bring in Lopes, Denayer and maybe give a few more games to Barker and we'll be fine. I just don't see this big disaster that everybody else does. Our squad doesn't need this massive overhaul, just another year of tweaking.

We're in bad form yet remain second in the league and still in the Champions League (though it would obviously take a minor miracle to get to the next round). The world isn't falling, we're just on a run of bad form. We need to be composed and rational rather than making big changes to what is already a squad which at its core has won two Premier Leagues.

I put this down to people getting carried away with the age thing. It went from Mourinho saying our squad is old, to people then using words like "tired" and "needs refreshing", to now people suggesting overhauls.

We're fine. Let's not panic and bring in a bunch of new players.

Genuine question - not being argumentative, BUT, Lampard and Cole went on to have some of their best seasons after AVB??? What on earth are you basing that on. Considering you are using that as a bedrock for your argument, I'm intrigued to know how they had some of their best seasons, considering he left in 2012, and they were both gone by June 2014? Apart from being in the CL winning team, how did they have some of their best seasons?

 

[dancity19]

If I'm honest I think were getting to much stick for yesterday.
Sometimes you try your best and it doesn't work. Clearly their are players out of form and the team are not playing with great confidence at the moment.
However I don't think it's as bad as people are making out.

We WILL qualify for the CL and finish 2nd.
Why?, Because we are going to roll our sleeves up in the last 9 games and play like champions. Even if it means ultimately surrendering our crown to Chelsea.

A good summer and a hungry and reinvigorated squad will make us to champions again in 2016.
Enough of the negativity.

Based upon what mate? We had a good chance yesterday, going to 2nd to bottom who hadn't kept a clean sheet in 17 GAMES, and we play like we had nothing to play for. The most half hearted effort I've seen for a long time. Chelsea had a tough week, and we could have gone and put some real pressure on them.

It reminded me of Southampton away in 2013 when it was clear Mancini had lost the dressing room. When the players stop playing for you there is no way back. They have stopped playing for Pellegrini, unfortunately.

Dno mate - our form this year has been: wwdllddwwllwl

We have picked up 18 points out of a possible 39 (this doesn't equate in league points, as I have included cup games in there...) League points are 15 out of a possible 30.

More worryingly is the players attitudes in recent games - their heads aren't there. It really looks as though they just aren't playing for him. I said it under Mancini - a couple of players can hit bad form, of course they can, but when it is every player in the team it points to a bigger problem.

Also - it's the tactics argument. There is debate on here, but many people want us to go 451, or a version of that - the insistence of 442, when everyone else is calling for different formations is just going to exacerbate fans irritations with him!

IF we do finish outside the top 4, then I do worry Aguero would go, or at least have his head turned by a big move for him. Fortunately, a lot of the teams around us still need to play each other, which is very helpful.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

dropping out of the top 4 , will set the club back 5 years , the club has already taken into account potential earnings from the champs league to comply with FFP for next season . The shortfall in income , will mean an exodus of players , and reducing wages , the likes of aguero , silva , yaya will be telling their agents to find them another club. On the plus side , we might actually see some of our excellent youngsters get a game , rekik , denayer , cole , barker , hiwula , pozo , lopez to name a few , i would rather see raw potential giving 100% , than our superstars cheating the supporters with their half hearted efforts.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Have to hope Liverpool lose at Swansea now or we are really starting to feel the heat.

Unbelievable that we have allowed this to happen from being level with Chelsea a couple of months ago.

 

[Musampa 209]

It's actually ridiculous that we are in a scrap for Top 4.

Playing a Pulis team 3 days after a game against Barcelona isn't going to be fun either