Sunday was a great day, and great for Pellegrini to win another trophy. However, aside from that it's been a hugely disappointing season, and one which the club has definitely not planned for. It's arrogant to suggest top 4 is safe, we of course should get it, but if we don't that wasn't planned for.
It's true what you say but things happen some you can control other things you cannot.
Something had to give when you don't bring in the quality you require to keep ahead of the pack , your spine and people you depend on age or get injured too often and take longer to recover to not only reach peak fitness but better performance level and you don't have the youth from the academy or want to throw a selected number in the deep end to not only freshen things up but see what they can do at a higher level.
On top of that you have a manager who manages individuals but cannot manage the team to perform at or close to their maximum level week in week out like the best managers do.
The stark drop off in points per game under MP on a season by season basis is a combination of his many weaknesses he has as a manager in not only this league but in any league he manages.
Today was the 50th time a City side under MP have conceded 2 or more goals in a game that's almost a season and a further third in less than three seasons of football,
His set up and game plan is not suited to the premier league but there is no doubt that both individually and collectively most of our squad are not only past their best but cannot contribute in a meaningful way to a side wanting to compete not only with the best but even within the premier league anymore.
Zaba , Clichy , Kolorov, Mangala, Nasri, Silva , Navas, Fernandinho , Fernando , Toure , Sagna, MDM and Delph for various reasons don't have a future at the club beyond the next two windows.
Silva for as good as he has been is too easily marked out of too many games and injuries are taking their toll and MP is actually shortening his career by playing him when his ankle is not right and probably never will be unless he has an operation that with the risks involved can get his ankle/s to near what they were 2 seasons ago.
It might be harsh for sentimental reasons but they all need to go preferably over the summer but certainly by the end of next season.
It won't be easy to remove them all in one window highly unlikely and some Pep might want to give a full season to before they are discarded at the end of next season but that's how it is.
As better Pep may be than MP with the same players these players will not take City forward to where we want to be and in fact need to be so they need to be replaced by younger , fitter , faster , more physical players with far better skill sets than these players as a group.
