I still think we will win the league

[hgblue]

Maybe because as I've just pointed out the circumstances were totally different. Seems pretty straight forward to judge a situation on it's merits and not on the merits of a previous situation.

But Chelsea are nowhere, United would send a glass eye to sleep, Liverpool are in transistion, Arsenal are Arsenal, and Pellegrini has added 250 million pounds worth of talent to the excellent squad he inherited and has been given the time to get his methods through to the team. These are factors that make our current form less easy to explain.

 

[BillyShears]

But Chelsea are nowhere, United would send a glass eye to sleep, Liverpool are in transistion, Arsenal are Arsenal, and Pellegrini has added 250 million pounds worth of talent to the excellent squad he inherited and has been given the time to get his methods through to the team. These are factors that make our current form less easy to explain.

That wasn't your question. Your question was why is my opinion different this season to that three years ago. Which i've just answered.

Funny that you mention the money that we've spent in the last three years but don't mention the money that the other clubs who you have ready made excuses for have spent. Anyone would think you have an agenda to highlight the negatives in our situation whilst bolstering the excuses of our other big spending competitors.

 

[taleofbluehalves]

If we can start scoring away from home and maintaining our home form we can do it. Same defence week in, week out so MP should be able to get them organised shouldn't he?

 

[BillyShears]

Just had a quick look. United spent near enough 300 million in the period Pellegrini's been in charge. Chelsea somewhere around 250 million.

 

[mcfcphil]

But Chelsea are nowhere, United would send a glass eye to sleep, Liverpool are in transistion, Arsenal are Arsenal, and Pellegrini has added 250 million pounds worth of talent to the excellent squad he inherited and has been given the time to get his methods through to the team. These are factors that make our current form less easy to explain.

I don't see how the failings of other clubs can be seen as a failing of City. You could quite easily spin this the other way and say that the fact other "big" clubs with vast resources are struggling is testament to just how well City are doing this season in maintaining our form.

While other clubs have slipped out of the top 4 (united/liverpool), some clubs have had one disastrous season at the bottom of the league (Chelsea) and other clubs haven't won the league in over a decade (Arsenal) it puts city's achievements of 3rd,1st,2nd,1st,2nd, likely 1st or 2nd this year into perspective. We are consistently challenging for, and winning, the league title every single year and it looks like being no different this season.

Now that's progress.

 

[daztrueblue91]

The problem with Pellegrini's reign is that he has not really moved this side forward. I struggle to see any mark on this squad that was not already there under Mancini.

In a way I feel sorry for Pellegrini. I think the success of his first season masked over a lot of the problems within this squad. Especially when playing his 4-4-2. Then we had to contend with the FFP restrictions whilst our rivals all strengthened.

Last season the cracks that what already there in the team got drastically exposed. It was a mixture of the players not responding to Pellegrini's formation, their effort and injuries/age.

I think the club took the easy option this season in adding top players to the squad and changing the formation rather than making the bold decisions and replacing/ challenging the key players.

Perhaps the club are planning to wait for Pep and let him bring in his own core. In the long term it makes sense. However, last season shown that we could not heavily rely on Kun, Yaya and Vinny and this season their injuries and influence on the team has got worse.

When you take Aguero and Yaya out of this side then our striker and CM options are bang average. That is what Pellegrini has to deal with.

 

[hgblue]

That wasn't your question. Your question was why is my opinion different this season to that three years ago. Which i've just answered.

Funny that you mention the money that we've spent in the last three years but don't mention the money that the other clubs who you have ready made excuses for have spent. Anyone would think you have an agenda to highlight the negatives in our situation whilst bolstering the excuses of our other big spending competitors.

Just read my post again and fail to see the ready made excuses I give for the failings of our main rivals?

 

[OB1]

Just had a quick look. United spent near enough 300 million in the period Pellegrini's been in charge. Chelsea somewhere around 250 million.

That's a fair point to raise. Those teams, relative to their spending on wages and transfer fees, are presumably underperfoming this season by a greater degree than City. I suspect City are running below expectations if you crunch the numbers for this season's league but I suspect it is not as far off as some would like to portray things. More importantly, we still have our destiny very much in our own hands and the scope to improve to a degree that hopefully exceeds our rivals.

Our best players need to stay fit and composed and put in the hard yards and the form will follow. If they find their best form often enough, we will win the league.

 

[Manchester1894]

Arsenal are not to be underestimated IMO. Transfer window could establish their credentials for the title quite easily. I scoffed they'd only signed Cech, but I'll give them their dues, they don't look like they are easily bullied anymore. If they get KO'db y Barca(surely over two legs), we're likely to beat Kiev and have more games ahead of us.. no not inconceivable for us to drop points.
I cannot see anything outside top 2 for us though.

3rd and 4th... likely to be out of Leicester, Spurs, Rags, L'pool. If you were United or Liverpool you'd try and weaken a rival with BIG money for Kane/Ali/Mahrez/Kante(think Vardy is just having temporary goal rush. It's a risk not buy one them in their position IMO.

5th and 6th... even tastier when you add 2 of the above PLUS: Palace, West Ham, Watford, Stoke and maybe Everton.

Have a feeling we'll see Liverpool take 3rd, Rags 4th, Spurs 5th and Leicester 6th.

 

[citymad]

At some point we'll have to start playing better if were going to win this title, my fear is this is as good as it gets.We've had plenty of opportunities and jolts to wake ourselves up out of this poor form but we haven't turned it around. Perhaps this is all we've got this season. Don't get me wrong I'll be surprised if we don't finish top three but I see Arsenal as champs this season as they will only get stronger with Wilshire, Cazorla and Sanchez coming back. This is not the same Arsenal from previous years, they seem more resilient especially with Cech in goal and a settled back four. Southampton was a bit of a surprise which we all know can happen in this league but overall they've been more consistently good and will get better. The way they got themselves out of a mess in the champs league was pretty amazing.On top of that Liverpool and Tottenham look like title challengers which means we've definitely got out work cut out to finish in the top 3.