Five years that's all we got.

[urban genie]

What clubs were in decline? spurs were begining to bulid a new younger talented squad, liverpool had in that time challenged for a title and reached a cup final while aquiring a much sought after mamanger, Arsenal were steady as always top 4 wise and won 2 fa cups bar last year chelsea won a pot a season including a league title, only suprise in that time was the foxes last season, bar that it's been pretty much even between the top 5 teams.

we are in a much more competative league than 2011 and the league is better for it, yes we have allowed the squad to age and possibly let ourselves lose out because of this, but there was never a guarantee we would win anything anyway.

 

[robbieh]

I think he meant 1 since we won the first title, in other words building on that.

He has a point. This team, for all it's talent, has chronically underachieved. I don't think there's one of us who can argue that. We should have been so much more successful in this period given the talent in the initial title winning squad and the money invested to improve it.

We've continuously made poor decisions by letting the likes of Dzeko, Mangala and Nasri out the door when hindsight has shown we needed them or they were more talented than given credit for. We've laughed Savic & Boateng out who've both gone on to bloody great careers tbh.

I think we can look back and agree that we've suffered for backing the players over Mancini. I'm not saying Mancini would have kicked on, but it sent a message to the players that undermined the club. Players like Clichy and Aleks were more than happy to just coast along at times doing the bare minimum. Joe Hart, for all his talent thought he owned the place.

I think for all our success, the talent we assembled should easily have had more, or at least been in contention for more, last season being the evidence of that.

onwards and upwards though and Pep will work his magic next season.

And that is pretty much all I was trying to say. I take on board PB's point, as I didn't realize that RM had handed in his notice before the 2012/13 season.

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

You could not be more wrong on this and I'll tell you why.

Just after we won the title in 2012, Mancini handed in his notice as he didn't want to work under Begiristain. Had we accepted it, as we should have done, we could have had Guardiola then but the board spent weeks trying to persuade him to stay despite the fact they knew there were likely to be significant problems between him & Begiristain. I think they were worried about bad PR in the wake of the Hughes sacking but it ended up worse because of their lack of resolve. So by the time we'd sorted it out (Mancini didn't sign a new contract till July) we'd left it too late to do any decent business.

Yes he wanted De Rossi, van Persie & Hazard but De Rossi made it clear he wouldn't leave Roma so there was nothing anyone could do about that. To get van Persie, he was told he'd have to sell Dzeko or Balotelli. We got a decent offer for Mario from PSG but he wouldn't sell him so we lost RVP. Hazard we were close to signing but his father made an unreasonable & unforeseen financial demand at the last minute and the club wouldn't meet it.

But no doubt you'll carry on repeating this pile of shite that bears no relation to reality ad nauseam.

What he said isn't really that different though. By not backing Mancini(and the evidence shows they did not) the club set a bad precedent. De Rossi, I wouldn't blame the club. But Van Persie wanted here and we ballsed up royally not paying whatever Hazard wanted. History has shown that. Bobby was left paying the price for Adebayor, Bridge etc. Thankfully the club has learnt it's lessons from that time and put a solid wage structure in place.

 

[crazyg]

Did the Samaritans hang up on you? There's a place in Switzerland that may be able to help. Tip: buy a single ticket as you won't need the return part!

;-)

 

[Rolee]

What he said isn't really that different though. By not backing Mancini(and the evidence shows they did not) the club set a bad precedent. De Rossi, I wouldn't blame the club. But Van Persie wanted here and we ballsed up royally not paying whatever Hazard wanted. History has shown that. Bobby was left paying the price for Adebayor, Bridge etc. Thankfully the club has learnt it's lessons from that time and put a solid wage structure in place.

We ballsed up or we couldn't afford it?

As for your "chronically underachieved" remark in your first post, that is just hyperbolic nonsense.

The growing sense of entitlement amongst Blues is very worrying.

 

[blueinsa]

What he said isn't really that different though. By not backing Mancini(and the evidence shows they did not) the club set a bad precedent. De Rossi, I wouldn't blame the club. But Van Persie wanted here and we ballsed up royally not paying whatever Hazard wanted. History has shown that. Bobby was left paying the price for Adebayor, Bridge etc. Thankfully the club has learnt it's lessons from that time and put a solid wage structure in place.

What evidence?

 

[Mike N]

What a cry baby!

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

We ballsed up or we couldn't afford it?

As for your "chronically underachieved" remark in your first post, that is just hyperbolic nonsense.

The growing sense of entitlement amongst Blues is very worrying.

It's not hyperbolic nonsense. Unless of course you think losing to Wigan in the manner in which we did was acceptable, or the failure to show up at times in the champs league?

We've had some bloody talented players. Champions. But both years we won the title in great fashion were followed by a year long holiday. That's underachieving mate.

 

[Rolee]

It's not hyperbolic nonsense. Unless of course you think losing to Wigan in the manner in which we did was acceptable, or the failure to show up at times in the champs league?

We've had some bloody talented players. Champions. But both years we won the title in great fashion were followed by a year long holiday. That's underachieving mate.

Drop "chronically" and I might see your point of view.

 

[Tom_mcfc]

I think there is a point to this thread but worded wrong.

When we won the league in 2012 that should of been the start of a domination of the English game. Whilst we haven't done too badly we kind of won the league then went out with a whimper. After a shite season after we then bounced back winning the league and a cup. We then haven't challenged for a title since. Each time we should of kicked on we have stalled or even gone backwards. Hopefully this year is the last year of plodding on. Cups are a good way of glossing over a bad year.