Have we seen the best?

[Cobwebcat]

Depends how you measure it. There is an argument that this City team has been the best team in the World for the last year so we can only match that.

We could improve while still being the best team. We peaked last season with the home performance against Shaktar.

It will be difficult to improve on winning more trophies unless we can win the CL but the CL is a lottery after the group stage and the best team only wins it around 25% of the time.

So it’s going to be difficult to improve because the bar we have already set is ridiculously high. It helped that Liverpool pushed us a lot last season but the people thinking they had a lot of luck were correct. While still being by far the second best team in the PL their expected goals indicated they should have finished around 7 points behind us. That’s why I think we will win the PL again next season.

So I suppose winning the CL in other people’s eyes will do it but that might not actually mean we have improved as a team necessarily.

I’m such a geek.

 

[The Nicky Reid Sprint]

The EPL will always be my first priority - bread n butter - . Followed by a good run in both domestic cups. Then enjoy the group games in the CHL and go as far as possible. As others have said, KDB being fit will be paramount together with Gundog going forward, Rodri settling well and Mendy and co keeping it tight at the back.

 

[OB1]

I personally would always take the FA Cup over the Chumps League. The Daddy of all cups has the edge every way I look at it. No seeding and everybody in the velvet bag for the draw. It can be Man Utd at home or Glossop Town away. Compare that with the UEFA Champions League nonsense. Clubs seeded for the groups; then you can't play teams from the same country till the last eight; starts as a league and then becomes a knockout cup. Last, but not least, we have to put up with German/ French Ultras clapping, singing, jumping to the whim of some pillock with a microphone.

I love the FA Cup. I really enjoy winning the League Cup (whatever it's called at the time); although I'd remove that tournament from the calendar. However, the only competition that I want City to win more than the Champions League is the Premier League. At some point soon, I'd even "sacrifice" the domestic title for the UCL if we haven't won it. We can't win the league every year but I would like us to set the record for the most consecutive wins; which is a very big ask given the competition.

 

[jayfx]

Pep has set the bar, for winning the PL, very high and we have to remain at that level. Our old guard, Silva, Ku and also Fernandinho aren't getting any younger but we've added Rodri, while Sterling, Bernardo, amongst others, are continually improving,in particularly Fodan. Then, of course, there's KDB back to fitness and hopefully Mendy will stay fit too.

I don't think we'll massively improve and continue breaking records but I don't think we have peaked. The PL (3 in a row) and the UCL would be amazing but I'd bite you had off if you offered just the UCL this season.

 

[Blue Maverick]

I want us to win the league 4 times on the trot no one has ever done that, a few more domestic cups as well. The champions league is the icing on the cake but it’s so much of a lottery that if we do it we do it, if not I won’t lose any sleep over it.

 

[OB1]

I’m sure pep will want to win all four. I don’t think the issue is the total number of games, more the fixture congestion.

It’s the extra December game before the Xmas fixtures, the extra two midweek games in January when other clubs are recovering from Xmas and then possibly 3 rearranged midweek games at the end of the season. It was a miracle that we were able to put together that 14 game run in the pl at the end of the season but at times it looked like the players were running through treacle.

If we are to pull off a pl and cl double we need those extra midweek breaks

Yeah, those ridiculously congested periods are tough, even with a fully fit squad; and that will be even more the case if you the schedule faces you up with more of the stronger opponents.

You need some serious good fortune to win multiple trophies. We got it last season in the form of a lot of decent cup draws but we were shit out of luck at home to Spurs in the UCL and lost the tie by the finest of margins.

I think we were technically good enough to win all four last year but it's virtually impossible to do because of the level of luck you need to win three cups. And, if we had had to play two semi-final games in the UCL, that might have cost us the league. We'll never know but there is still no doubt that the way we closed the season out was exceptional.

 

[OB1]

Depends how you measure it. There is an argument that this City team has been the best team in the World for the last year so we can only match that.

We could improve while still being the best team. We peaked last season with the home performance against Shaktar.

It will be difficult to improve on winning more trophies unless we can win the CL but the CL is a lottery after the group stage and the best team only wins it around 25% of the time.

So it’s going to be difficult to improve because the bar we have already set is ridiculously high. It helped that Liverpool pushed us a lot last season but the people thinking they had a lot of luck were correct. While still being by far the second best team in the PL their expected goals indicated they should have finished around 7 points behind us. That’s why I think we will win the PL again next season.

So I suppose winning the CL in other people’s eyes will do it but that might not actually mean we have improved as a team necessarily.

I’m such a geek.

Having won the league, we can say that Liverpool certainly appeared to be extremely lucky at times; although we probably exaggerate that due to our own bias and I think it would be a mistake to underestimate how much of a threat they will be this season. I expect the CS will be a very tough game but it may not be the best guide to the forthcoming season. Anyway, it's good to see that you have pulled out a stat to back up the view that Liverpool were lucky to get so many points or, put another way, overachieved.

Anyways, I'm going with my usual stance, no predictions of who will win what and just taking things one game at a time.

I'm such a wuss.

 

[chesterbells]

Having won the league, we can say that Liverpool certainly appeared to be extremely lucky at times; although we probably exaggerate that due to our own bias and I think it would be a mistake to underestimate how much of a threat they will be this season. I expect the CS will be a very tough game but it may not be the best guide to the forthcoming season. Anyway, it's good to see that you have pulled out a stat to back up the view that Liverpool were lucky to get so many points or, put another way, overachieved.

Anyways, I'm going with my usual stance, no predictions of who will win what and just taking things one game at a time.

I'm such a wuss.

I see City and liverpool are both at 50/1 to go the season unbeaten- at those sort of odds I’m minded to put some money on both of them

 

[OB1]

I see City and liverpool are both at 50/1 to go the season unbeaten- at those sort of odds I’m minded to put some money on both of them

Not a betting man myself but I guess it’s a reasonable risk reward ratio and it’s not impossible one could do it but I very much doubt that they will. City have broken so many records so wouldn’t put much past them but our defence is not quite reliable enough to go unbeaten and we still look like a team that’s going to waste too many scoring opportunities.

 

[Kinkys Left Foot]

I don't think its the defence per say as a unit. More the style of play we employ. invariably if we turn the ball over in the opponents offensive areas we are likely to be countered effectively. Although we manage this well usually on the balance of probability we will lose at least one or two with the opponent in question parking the bus effectively once punishing us on the counter.

Something like that anyway.