Sadly it’s just too many games for the players and mental fatigue comes into play. Can’t believe we have played 4 times since Liverpool last played a game. That’s a pretty mad stat
i agree with this, that fatigue plays a huge part - not just in performance, but for morale and in mental attitudes too.
Yes, oc KDB and Mendy are coming in from injury - as is Sergio, and they do need an extra bit of care - but these guys do have the very best in medical care and post-injury care / physio etc.... they may not play for 90 minutes, but yes, being tired / exhausted / drained - mentally, physically and emotionally are always going to be the biggest hurdles when City are fighting four fronts.
But we do also forget that City players are at the very peak of fitness, bar a few players like Mendy and KDB whose fitness dictates their play-time.
Rotation certainly plays a key to the teams state of fitness and state of mind, and with rotation 4 games isn't necessarily 4 games for every player.
Play one rest one is a good regime, but they remain in training and the schedule is tough - forget Liverpool, City's biggest enemy is the schedule, for sure.
But, we are also dealing with athletes who are at or very near their peak fitness - but certainly it doesn't help that the field isn't level in that our opponents are not facing the same play-regime that City are.
Lots of factors, bad judgements, bad tackles, missing passes, not being as fast on the ball or the pace or being in the right place etc - there were times, even, against Burton away and against Rotherham at the Etihad when players weren't always in the right place when the ball came in, it may have just been one step out, sometimes even less, and i'm not going to crucify a player for that - but even so, and even then, where City had blistering wins, fatigue was playing a part in some area's of play too.
Edit to add: City are a great team, they have shown us some fantastic football - the last three years or so at least they have been absolutely world class, i enjoy watching football and the last couple of years City have played some of the best football i have ever seen.
If Liverpool win the PL this season, fuck it, they will never ever be able to replicate the football City have played this year, or last year - and they can't take the memories of that play away, or diminish it on the strength of three bad results. And they will never be able to take back being beaten at the Etihad by a team that outclassed them in every respect :)
But, the scousers ain't won it yet :)
