OK, let's be realistic

Matt Diablo said:
I never thought bringing gungon was a fucking masterstroke thank you!
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His numbers at Barcelona last season were very impressive - 51 games, 5 goals and 14 assists - so I have been surprised how much he has been struggling for City. I don't think he would have played half as much as he has done if Rodri was not crocked. He is not the player he was and I am not sure whether things would have been better if he had not returned and Pep had been forced to play the youngsters in midfield.
I still have massive love and respect for him but it is hard to watch him at the moment.
 
Let’s be realistic and play a different way because of our vulnerabilities. Playing the same way is costing us games. Teams know how to beat our high line and our walking football. We’re being outrun, so why not setup differently, defend deeper and at least play for a draw. Get our resilience back. (Oh, and stop playing Lewis in midfield).
 
oakiecokie said:
I don`t think anyone could see this fall from grace so quickly and its been a shock to the system for one and all.
I don`t blame individuals as IMO I believe its been a collective thing from the Powers That Be in the corridors of The Etihad, Coaches and the Players.
Lets just stand back for a while and take stock of how and why this has happened. Obviously the main problem has been injuries and long term ones for quite a few players but Rodders is the main problem as its near impossible to find anyone like him currently. Pep for whatever reasons has kept faith with some of "old brigade" for too long now so both himself and Txiki are culpable of not strengthening the squad, certainly this season.
Its certainly come back to bite Pep on the arse with using a small squad. We then look at the roles of Soriano and our wonderful Khaldoon. Have they taken their eyes off what could happen and been too over confident ?
And finally the Players. Lets be honest and I would say that the majority of Blues were delighted with the return of Gundo at that time. Certainly I was.Players like Walker, KDB,Gundo and Stones, just to name but a few are possibly well past their sell by date, but we shouldn`t forget their loyalty and how they formed this wonderful team.
The drop of Phil Foden is alarming and that to could be said of Bernie plus the drop off can be said of young Lewis after some very promising performances last season. Two or three of our signings have been underwhelming and perhaps we bought in panic mode, who knows.
So finally we have been on a wonderful journey over the past 8 seasons or so and all good things must come to an end eventually. I think the majority of Blues knew this journey wouldn`t continue ... but by the same token I don`t think we thought we would end up falling off a cliff so rapidly.
Who knows what the outcome will be on this season but lets not forget that should we not reach those top 4 positions then we will lose out on attracting the top players.
Fingers crossed.
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Good summation imo. There's lots of problems at the moment including Pep's outdated desire to work with smaller squads, City's insistence on waiting for the right player, the loyalty to the current crop of players and the general anxiety that has overtaken the team. But all of this exist ultimately because of injuries; if we magically wave a wand and everybody is at peak fitness then none of these are a problem.
 
SomeMightSay said:
Let’s be realistic and play a different way because of our vulnerabilities. Playing the same way is costing us games. Teams know how to beat our high line and our walking football. We’re being outrun, so why not setup differently, defend deeper and at least play for a draw. Get our resilience back. (Oh, and stop playing Lewis in midfield).
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No. This is never the answer. Not to insult you personally mate as this isn't targeted but it's typically English cowardice that has cost this country development and trophies for decades. Any time things get a bit dicey then we've got to go back to defensive blocks and hard tackle and direct football because that will get us results. It doesn't get results.

And to think that a man like Pep Guardiola will EVER abandon the principles that made him one of the world's most successful ever managers and certainly the most influential manager of the last 50 years is bonkers. Pep has consistently shown that when his ideas aren't working, he does them more not less, and that's the correct thing to do.
 
oakiecokie said:
I don`t think anyone could see this fall from grace so quickly and its been a shock to the system for one and all.
I don`t blame individuals as IMO I believe its been a collective thing from the Powers That Be in the corridors of The Etihad, Coaches and the Players.
Lets just stand back for a while and take stock of how and why this has happened. Obviously the main problem has been injuries and long term ones for quite a few players but Rodders is the main problem as its near impossible to find anyone like him currently. Pep for whatever reasons has kept faith with some of "old brigade" for too long now so both himself and Txiki are culpable of not strengthening the squad, certainly this season.
Its certainly come back to bite Pep on the arse with using a small squad. We then look at the roles of Soriano and our wonderful Khaldoon. Have they taken their eyes off what could happen and been too over confident ?
And finally the Players. Lets be honest and I would say that the majority of Blues were delighted with the return of Gundo at that time. Certainly I was.Players like Walker, KDB,Gundo and Stones, just to name but a few are possibly well past their sell by date, but we shouldn`t forget their loyalty and how they formed this wonderful team.
The drop of Phil Foden is alarming and that to could be said of Bernie plus the drop off can be said of young Lewis after some very promising performances last season. Two or three of our signings have been underwhelming and perhaps we bought in panic mode, who knows.
So finally we have been on a wonderful journey over the past 8 seasons or so and all good things must come to an end eventually. I think the majority of Blues knew this journey wouldn`t continue ... but by the same token I don`t think we thought we would end up falling off a cliff so rapidly.
Who knows what the outcome will be on this season but lets not forget that should we not reach those top 4 positions then we will lose out on attracting the top players.
Fingers crossed.
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Like many I didn't think our form over last few years could continue but never in a million years thought it would be as spectacular as it has
One think I will blame Pep for is since the start of the decline he has changed SFA.not trying anything different keeping same formation.This lot hasn't looked good for last 12 games but won't trust that academy players .They must be thinking if we can't get a game when we are this shit we never will
Forget the top 4 this season ,if it wasn't for good results to start with it more chance of being in the bottom 4
 
CL football next season is the minimum requirement,and would represent success from where we are now..

Elite young players and coaches dont want to be in the Thursday Cup.

CTID.
 
Realistic you say?
I’ll take finishing top half but doubt we’ll manage that this season.
A 10 point deduction and we might be in serious trouble.
Fuck me I’ve depressed myself.
 
Damocles said:
No. This is never the answer. Not to insult you personally mate as this isn't targeted but it's typically English cowardice that has cost this country development and trophies for decades. Any time things get a bit dicey then we've got to go back to defensive blocks and hard tackle and direct football because that will get us results. It doesn't get results.

And to think that a man like Pep Guardiola will EVER abandon the principles that made him one of the world's most successful ever managers and certainly the most influential manager of the last 50 years is bonkers. Pep has consistently shown that when his ideas aren't working, he does them more not less, and that's the correct thing to do.
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Please stop making sense. You need to run around with your hair on fire and fit in.
 
Damocles said:
No. This is never the answer. Not to insult you personally mate as this isn't targeted but it's typically English cowardice that has cost this country development and trophies for decades. Any time things get a bit dicey then we've got to go back to defensive blocks and hard tackle and direct football because that will get us results. It doesn't get results.

And to think that a man like Pep Guardiola will EVER abandon the principles that made him one of the world's most successful ever managers and certainly the most influential manager of the last 50 years is bonkers. Pep has consistently shown that when his ideas aren't working, he does them more not less, and that's the correct thing to do.
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You wouldn’t have taken a draw against the Rags then when it went 1-1? I knew we’d lose that one if we continued to play the way we did, just like the 3-3 v Feyenoord. You call it cowardice, I call it 1 point v 0 points, again.
 
Pep has generally performed miracles as manager, consistently turning good players into great players and getting us playing glorious football. However his preference for small squads added to complacency in recruitment has created the current situation. Pep has managed the last few seasons despite poor recruitment but now the one player we couldn’t lose is gone for the season.

We didn’t bring in cover for Rodri, when we tried we were lazy in bringing in Kovacic and Gundogan, easy pickups with no competition. It seems the view in recruitment seems to have been, Pep will sort it. Unfortunately he’s left with a past it Gundogan, an unreliable Kovacic, an injury prone KDB and wildly out of form Bernardo and Foden. None of our wide players are any goal threats. Pep doesn’t rate any of our young midfielders.

In addition we’ve ignored the warning signs with Stones, Ake and to a lesser extent Akanji and their injury issues. Pep inexplicably begged Walker to stay, so we have an injury prone defence and a full back who no longer play at the top. Our other defenders (Dias, Gvardiol and Lewis) have been flogged regardless of fitness or form.

Our problems now are unfortunately stemming from poor recruitment over a number of transfer windows. I can’t see us qualifying for the Champions League next season but hopefully the CWC will cover some of the lost income next season. We need major, major surgery but unfortunately it looks as though it will be very difficult to get the kind of players to make a difference in January.
 
Kirkstall Blue said:
Every club goes through a bad patch let’s just concentrate on supporting the club and players even in the down times they need our support CTID and go to heaven knowing we won the CL
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Always have ,haven't we ?
summert the deluge of plastics will know nowt about over the last 10 years or so.
 
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