If the rot continues what happens ?

[East Level 2]

We keep turning up, singing our hearts out and cheering on our team. What else would you do? :-)

I seem to recall many thousands turning up in most of our relegation seasons.
It was all we could do then, but now we can suggest improvements, and moan like hell, thanks to Tim Berners-Lee.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

We keep the faith and trust in the manager it will come right.

Well that's alrighty then.

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

I honestly think if we’d have kept those three fit, plus Dias, our problems would be nowhere near what they are now. We’d probably still be right in the title race.

It's really that simple. If you have three of Stones, Dias, Akanji and Ake continuously fit we are in a title race (and probably coming up a bit short).

 

[Mike N]

This is an odd thread indeed.

Nothing changes the fact that we are all blues and will continue to support our team.

We are not going to sack the manager who has given us everything.

 

[WestGorton]

This is an odd thread indeed.

Nothing changes the fact that we are all blues and will continue to support our team.

We are not going to sack the manager who has given us everything.

We are not self entitled and never will be. It's been good and it was good when we were not good.

 

[Roachy]

This is an odd thread indeed.

Nothing changes the fact that we are all blues and will continue to support our team.

We are not going to sack the manager who has given us everything.

Most of the answers to the question that the OP raises are stating what won't happen or the reasons for this downturn, so yes it's a bit of a weird one. But the question does remain. Taking it the extreme, it'd depend how bad and how long it went on for. And if it didn't, things would have improved.

 

[urban genie]

I honestly think if we’d have kept those three fit, plus Dias, our problems would be nowhere near what they are now. We’d probably still be right in the title race.

We've been in nearly.every fame inn this slump, only to give away leads and points, the issue is we cannot seems.to do more than 60-65 mins in a game without tiring or losing concenteation, thisnhas happened with all those player in a some points.

seems.more an all round fitness thing or mental block developed where we try holding on than go for the kill.
Everyone keep saying get Akanji back yet has had a mistake ridden season mainly due to fitness, having players back not fully fit won't fix this, but we have had to do it and it is costing us.

We can either carry on doing the same or concede we need to buy 3-4 or play the kids untill every experienced player is 100%, a season trophyless won't harm us and blues will accept that.

 

[Coatigan]

I'm not overly optimistic but I hope you are right but let's take it one point at a time

1 players back from injury, apart from Bobb the rest are injury prone so they may come back but are likely to be injured again.

2 pep has had a while to make adjustments so far he has failed quite badly

3 pride, unlike some I don't think we have thrown in the towel it's a combination of injuries, age, poor signings and other teams copying the great man with better current resources.

4 Jan transfer we agree it's a bit of a lottery

5 we have been beaten or drew to some very average sides. Apart from Villa the fixtures coming up should be decent until mid Jan then the ones after are very difficult. If we are not top 4 by mid Jan with a couple of good signings we are in trouble.

I wouldn't put a penny on us finishing top 4, doesn't mean we won't though

Dour much?

 

[hilts]

Dour much?

Only If that's your incorrect word for realism

 

[Fordyboy46]

We've been in nearly.every fame inn this slump, only to give away leads and points, the issue is we cannot seems.to do more than 60-65 mins in a game without tiring or losing concenteation, thisnhas happened with all those player in a some points.

seems.more an all round fitness thing or mental block developed where we try holding on than go for the kill.
Everyone keep saying get Akanji back yet has had a mistake ridden season mainly due to fitness, having players back not fully fit won't fix this, but we have had to do it and it is costing us.

We can either carry on doing the same or concede we need to buy 3-4 or play the kids untill every experienced player is 100%, a season trophyless won't harm us and blues will accept that.

I think it's more psychological now, it has to be with the stupid late capitulations we're witnessing. We do seem a fragile bunch when the opposition score now

 

[Coatigan]

Only If that's your incorrect word for realism

Sorry, but it is not realism, to be so convinced that this team with this manager that has won 7 trophies in the last two years is that far away from finishing in the top 4. May happen, who knows, but to think it that firmly at this stage, is just pessimism.

 

[Roachy]

Dour much?

There's not one point in there that doesn't have, unfortunately, an element of legitimacy.

 

[Coatigan]

There's not one point in there that doesn't have, unfortunately, an element of legitimacy.

Don't particularly disagree, but the same goes for the counterpoints he was responding to. And both ignore how good this tram has been and really is, this spell aside. I don't believe there are 4 teams better than us this season, even with a terrible couple of months. I don't buy that this will last all season.

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

I think the late victory at Newcastle last January not only changed our perceptions for the season, but also papered over a few cracks.

Firstly we were lucky to only be 2-1 down at Half Time and Walker had been outpaced and outthought for both goals.
Then our two subs changed the outcome, and the nature of our last minute victory created some momentum.

Unfortunately De Bruyne's impact has since been marginalised whilst Bobb returned to the periphery and then got injured (in the same week that we sold Alvarez) just as he seemed destined for a decent run.
Meanwhile Walker's downward trajectory has accelerated and our injury prone defenders have returned to type

Whether this is just a bad run of form or something completely worse will probably be determined over the Christmas period with three games against teams in the lower half of the table

 

[hilts]

Sorry, but it is not realism, to be so convinced that this team with this manager that has won 7 trophies in the last two years is that far away from finishing in the top 4. May happen, who knows, but to think it that firmly at this stage, is just pessimism.

I said it may happen you've said it may happen, convinced? The reading comprehension on here sometimes:-)

Pmsl

 

[East Level 2]

It's really that simple. If you have three of Stones, Dias, Akanji and Ake continuously fit we are in a title race (and probably coming up a bit short).

Brilliant. Base our defensive strategy on three injury-prone players being fit plus Dias who is slightly less injury-prone.
It would work of course, but having three of the four fit at the same time rarely happens.

 

[Roachy]

Don't particularly disagree, but the same goes for the counterpoints he was responding to. And both ignore how good this tram has been and really is, this spell aside. I don't believe there are 4 teams better than us this season, even with a terrible couple of months. I don't buy that this will last all season.

It surely can't mate and I think even with the accrued injuries we're all a bit shocked, maybe even alarmed, at the past 2 months performances and results. There is a very good chance though that elements of this team has had it's day. We can acknowledge this and at the same time be grateful for it's achievements. We're better placed than most of, if not all, the other clubs to be successful in the long term. This short term slump we're in could really do with ending now though.

 

[Blueknows]

An attitude of wanting to play and win...

Daft him ain't he..

Problem at the time he had mahrez and silva ahead of him and pep couldn't guarantee him a regular start

 

[East Level 2]

Problem at the time he had mahrez and silva ahead of him and pep couldn't guarantee him a regular start

Didn't Palmer leave at the same time as Mahrez, and the same summer we bought Doku?

 

[the blue panther]

The thread asks "If the rot continues, what happens?"

If it goes on for another month, Pep will walk, I believe - because it would mean that he hasn't been backed in some way or other. I can't see that happening, but, he will have learnt that he can't put himself in this position again. So many events have conspired against him, but, many of them were foreseeable, and preventable. The chief lesson is that you must have a more bloated squad to guard against a crisis like this, especially if you don't intend to rely on youngsters. Especially as, season after season - if we remain at the top - our players are always going to be short of a proper break in the summer.

Ultimately, it will be stopped by several signings in January; the return to fitness of several defenders plus Bobb getting fit; and let's hope that young Echeveri when he arrives turns out to be the new Maradonna!
Losing Rodri - our Ballon D'Or man - is the equivalent of losing 2 world class players. Add that to the loss of Foden so far this season, due to injury and illness, then KDB, and you've ripped the heart from last season's midfield, which a bunch of other ageing squad members have been unable to cover, exposing a dodgy back five for what it really is.

I've written-off the Villa match, so it's looking like 1 win in 12 - I hope I'm wrong.
Everton come to the Etihad on Boxing Day, getting a free hit at us. Let's hope Santa stops the rot for us in the meantime.