It's Quiet Thread 15 - Txiki Blinders

[The Stockport Iniesta]

I know I may get shouted down but here goes...

It seems many are enamoured over our performance last season, perhaps lulled into a false sense of security, assume based on getting to champions league final and our final league position/ points versus our rivals, perhaps nonchalant in belief of our perceived superiority over our rivals.

Omitting the champions league results vs PSG, Dortmund and Chelsea we lost 4 times of 8 games at end of last season from 10th April

• Saturday 29th May City v Chelsea - LOST 0v1
• Tuesday 18th May Brighton v City LOST 2v3
• Saturday 8th May City v Chelsea - LOST 1v2
• Saturday 17th April Chelsea v City - LOST 1v0
• Saturday 10th April City v Leeds - LOST 1v2

Our opponents were very poor last season, they will be much better this season, especially Chelsea and Liverpool
If you dissect the season we started very poorly, then strung a remarkable run of games together, we ought to be hugely greatful to Gundogan who won us the league imho.

We lost to Chelsea 3 times, only got 1 point vs the rags and I don't believe we played anywhere near our best football, I'd go as far as to say the Everton match aside we never really hit top gear at the end of the season and looked very laboured and slow with our positional play and build up.

If we don't get the right signings and approach the start of the season with the correct attitude we may not get the chance to recover from a slow start this season. that is even more critical when we consider our tough away fixtures versus direct opponents, slow/ no pre-season and the possible loss of KDB for majority of those head-head matches.

I am perhaps a pessimist but I think it would be naive to think our rivals wont be much stronger next season, I hope we're up for the fight and get back to back titles

We were resting players ffs, yes we lost the CL final after Pep tinkered again but to suggest the end of season results are some warning of impending doom is ludicrous.

 

[burnley blue mcfc]

I will say,and its just opinion....
1-City
2-Chavs
3-Dippers
4/5 /6 between Leicester,West ham and Spuds.......7th,yep,you guessed it....the dark side.

The “city reject” improves the scum to be honest, can see them making top four, but with ole at the wheel theirs always hope :)

 

[MadchesterCity]

More pragmatic with what we had at our disposal, imo

We measure our season in quite an illogical way, however, we still excelled above others who also had a down season in terms of performance, being the best of a bad bunch still makes us the best, surely?

Yes we were the best over the season, I don't question that but my point is we need to improve again and we must factor that our rivals will improve significantly. Liverpool and Chelsea will both have a much higher points tally next season, can almost guarantee that.

I do think our form dropped towards the end of the season and we were reliant throughout the season on our excellent defensive form (best in Europe?) based primarily on the bond between Stones and Dias and less individual errors. I hope they will be able to maintain that level but some unknowns in that equation.
It would be difficult to argue with a Chelsea fan that Chelsea (post Tuchel takeover) weren't a better team second half of season and the fear should be that they will improve further again.

As I say i'm hopeful, I'm always pessimistic, but let's not rest on our laurels or be cocky approaching the coming season

 

[Leeky]

Almost perfect from a result perspective, hard to argue that but our performances were below our usual high standards, as I see it, we were clearly much better defensively but created much less going forward, you may disagree?

Unprecedented times we live and play in, considering we had no time between the seasons ending and and lost our most prolific striker for the whole season, we adjusted to what was made available and delivered, with outstanding performances from John Stones, Kyle Walker, Phil Foden, Riyadh Mahrez, KDB and the outstanding Ruben Dias and Ilkay Gundogan, amongst many others.

 

[Tangled up in blue.]

I will say,and its just opinion....
1-City
2-Chavs
3-Dippers
4/5 /6 between Leicester,West ham and Spuds.......7th,yep,you guessed it....the dark side.

That would be glorious

 

[manimanc]

We did, in a year with no challengers.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

More pragmatic with what we had at our disposal, imo

We measure our season in quite an illogical way, however, we still excelled above others who also had a down season in terms of performance, being the best of a bad bunch still makes us the best, surely?

It's just the trend of a Pep team to peak at the best time for the league but we're fucked come the big knockouts hence why we're so dominant in the League Cup. This year we took our chances in the CL and had a bit of luck and then Pep blew it anyway. If we want to win the FAC and CL I think with Pep's intensity the league will have to be sacrificed, not that we'll likely have the best squad next season and Tuchel is firmly in Pep's head.

 

[MadchesterCity]

We were resting players ffs, yes we lost the CL final after Pep tinkered again but to suggest the end of season results are some warning of impending doom is ludicrous.

There was no mention of impending doom, my message was about those thinking we were going to win again at a canter and to open a discussion on form and drop in performances, opportunities to improve and address some of the issues from tail end of last season

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

There was no mention of impending doom, my message was about those thinking we were going to win again at a canter and to open a discussion on form and drop in performances, opportunities to improve and address some of the issues from tail end of last season

The issues were from over rotation, chill out and see what the squad looks like Sept 1st, if we've done no business, then hit the claxon and start the red flashing lights.

 

[MadchesterCity]

The issues were from over rotation, chill out and see what the squad looks like Sept 1st, if we've done no business, then hit the claxon and start the red flashing lights.

Can we make it blue flashing light please, I'm not panicking just don't understand why some think we are miles ahead of our rivals when it's all to play for again next season.

Rags already strengthened with Linngaaard and Sancho
Chelsea linked heavily to Haaland every day, already very strong defensively with loads talented young-uns to gel
Liverpool: VVD back and added depth at center half

We've done nothing yet, Aguero gone, Fernandinho renewed but 1 year older and Pep obviously doesn't fancy him in the biggest matches.
We're hearing Kane (150M) and Grealish (90M) and Jesus to be sold for 45M WTAF and Bernardo and Cancelo unhappy and likely to be sold on the cheap.
You can see how some negativity and concern could creep in, no?