Not been the greatest season obviously....

[BillyShears]

44 in other competitions, is up I suspect ?

Probably due to our CL run this season and the fact we got to a cup final.

 

[cleavers]

Probably due to our CL run this season and the fact we got to a cup final.

Yeah probably and we did score a lot in the LC.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Not saying we haven't declined, and that wasn't the point of the thread, which was that scoring over 100 goals (14% more) is still not a bad effort, despite MY perception it wasn't that good, and that I think our forwards have been as much to blame as anyone else.

Think it's less to do with strikers and more to do with one-dimensional, lethargic attacking play, neither our attacking or defensive play is anywhere near well drilled enough, just shows to me that the application and focus is lacking in training, from coaching to the players. What you do on the pitch is the culmination of everything you do off it, and Pellegrini's tenure has seen him and us fail miserably there.

The first year of restoring confidence and letting the players play worked until teams went to stop us and our best players went off the boil, and the squad around them went off the boil, and neither was truly enhanced. There was no Isco, James or Sanchez or anyone to give Silva/Nasri a kick up the bum, there was no Pogba, Kroos or Gundogan to put Yaya under pressure nor has Kun had any threat for 2 years, partly because Kelechi has been stifled but ultimately because his replacements haven't been up to the job, whether that be Dzeko/Jojo last year or Bony this year. It's still been Navas on the wing, who now isn't quick enough to do what made him quite successful 2 years ago.

The prem was lazy 2 years ago and still stuck in the "old guard will win it playing their way" mentality, City stayed there and everyone moved on to the point that this season they've been 2/3 seasons ahead of us, with lesser players and squads. This has all come from the training ground, and thankfully Pep will fix this because he is relentless and obsessed about it.

 

[cleavers]

The prem was lazy 2 years ago and still stuck in the "old guard will win it playing their way" mentality, City stayed there and everyone moved on to the point that this season they've been 2/3 seasons ahead of us

You're too negative I'm afraid JMW, and your post is incorrect in facts.

Chelsea have regressed further than us by a long way, in a shorter time too, as have liverpool, everton, and united did it 3 years ago, and haven't progressed since, all are (currently) below us still, and its hard to find an argument that arsenal have progressed much either (and their fans seem to agree). Spurs have yes, west ham also, but the leicester "miracle" is unlikely to be repeated, and southampton have stayed level imho. I won't bother with the rest. So its not everyone is it ? I know you are passionate about Manuel, but you've lost some perspective, and in 4 days he's gone anyway.

This thread was solely to discuss us scoring over 100 goals again, and that I was actually disappointed with that tally, and it certainly wasn't in support of the manager, who I stayed to applaud last Sunday, but who I won't shed any tears after his last game on Sunday.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

You're too negative I'm afraid JMW, and your post is incorrect in facts.

Chelsea have regressed further than us by a long way, in a shorter time too, as have liverpool, everton, and united did it 3 years ago, and haven't progressed since, all are (currently) below us still, and its hard to find an argument that arsenal have progressed much either (and their fans seem to agree). Spurs have yes, west ham also, but the leicester "miracle" is unlikely to be repeated, and southampton have stayed level imho. I won't bother with the rest. So its not everyone is it ? I know you are passionate about Manuel, but you've lost some perspective, and in 4 days he's gone anyway.

This thread was solely to discuss us scoring over 100 goals again, and that I was actually disappointed with that tally, and it certainly wasn't in support of the manager, who I stayed to applaud last Sunday, but who I won't shed any tears after his last game on Sunday.

The pressing other Prem teams do, their commitment to building specific plays which suit their style, Leicester's version of an Atleti/Dortmund blitzkrieg, Tottenham's play and move with verve and intensity, even teams like West Ham who although can't do it consistently, on their day play a style that reflects that Premier League football has moved on leaps and bounds in the past 2 years. Pellegrini and City have been left in the early 2010s. The press and counter executed to perfection is here, position football with intense pressing, constant running and quick passing is here, we have been left behind, conclusively.

Pep can take it on and bring the consistency to it that the others can't because of either resources, talent or the fact Pep is a pure genius, but if you can't or haven't seen the advancement in how other teams play in the Premier League, at least when they're on form (consistency is an issue admittedly) then you can't have had your eyes open at the Etihad this season. Teams have killed us, completely outplayed us and nullified us. We've been left behind, it's not negative, it's reality.

 

[paulchapo]

Probably after such a flat season it was always going to be iffy expecting fans to stay behind and applaud/celebrate.If we had beaten Arsenal a few more might have done, but looking like we had blown getting into the top four and getting knocked out of the champions league so tamely,it was always going to be a lame affair.

If we beat Swansea and secure top four it is a pity the club can't then do something,where the league cup is paraded around and the fans do turn up and send off Manuel in a fitting way,maybe a kind of end of season open day at the ground or something.It needs to be a quick affair though not a long drawn out bore and I am sure on reflection if we get the result against Swansea a lot would turn up.

 

[hjm1962]

Too many excuses...it must have felt good for a minute..

 

[cleavers]

The pressing other Prem teams do, their commitment to building specific plays which suit their style, Leicester's version of an Atleti/Dortmund blitzkrieg, Tottenham's play and move with verve and intensity, even teams like West Ham who although can't do it consistently, on their day play a style that reflects that Premier League football has moved on leaps and bounds in the past 2 years.

I don't disagree, but obviously many other clubs haven't evolved either, as they are still worse/same as us, and you only named the 3 that I named who have improved, and I do think leicester is a one off, even though I congratulate Ranieri for a very good job that nobody could have expected, not even him.

As I said, as passionate as you are, you are still exaggerating our fall, which is fine, you are only interested in City, like me.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

I don't disagree, but obviously many other clubs haven't evolved either, as they are still worse/same as us, and you only named the 3 that I named who have improved, and I do think leicester is a one off, even though I congratulate Ranieri for a very good job that nobody could have expected, not even him.

As I said, as passionate as you are, you are still exaggerating our fall, which is fine, you are only interested in City, like me.

don't think you can exaggerate 18 points less minimum within 2 seasons, 10 league defeats, outplayed by Leicester, Liverpool twice in the league, United comfortable as hell twice against us, West Ham seeing us off at home, should have beaten us away where we were fortunate to get a point, Watford the same away from home (change point to win). Sure we've missed a few sitters along the way but too many games the other team have done a number on us and got a result, or been unlucky not to.

 

[Herman1973]

What's been most disappointing about this season is the fact that when we've gone behind, we have rarely looked like getting back into the game. Under Mancini, there was a lot more fight in the team and they could generally be relied on to equalise and usually go on to win. We didn't seem to ship as many soft goals as well.

Cant agree with this. Yes mancini came in and worked hard to improve the defence and got us an fa cup. We then went on to have a great half a season and went 5 points clear by the new year......only to find ourselves 8poimts behind with 5 games to play.......a swing of 13 points in roughly 13 games and we playing abysmal. Thankfully the scum totally imploded and we went on a run at the end. But even then we nearly fucked up in the last game going behind against one of the worst teams in the league in qpr. It was great drama and a season we will never forget, but we got away with it. The following season was the most apathetic ive seen city play for many a year.......no fight, pace or intensity at all. And mancini had players at their very peak ......ä yaya..zaba...Silva.....kompany. Pellergrinis major fault has been not replacing those players quickly enough and bringing through a couple of younger players. But we shouldnt get all rosy about mancini....we were,shit in the league in his last season innehar was probably the weakest the pl has been and we were shit in europe and in the cups.