True about Arse and Dippers.Something like the dippers would be bragging about. Hell they'd even be looking for a trophy for being the best team since January.Dippers checked out ages ago as did Arsenal when they couldn't catch them. October to January we'd probably have been bottom 4.
It's been poor to watch this season but credit to the players for digging in and getting the champs league spot.
Hopefullly some new energetic players to come in and Rodri back and hopefully a fully rested and recharged Foden
Finished the season unbeaten in 10… not too shabby!True about Arse and Dippers.
Our worst spell was November and December to Christmas - W1D1L6 for 4 points and dropping 20 points and wooden spoon for that period. As bad as it gets.
Only Real has a bigger UEFA coefficient.Years from now we will look back to this season and cringe.
Still, I am happy it wasn’t worse. We will build on this and be stronger for it.
PS: 15 straight years in the CL. You’ll never sing that!
Very telling. I wouldn’t have guessed that table.So City are the best team in the league since the turn of the year which coincides with the 2nd half of the season....
The league recovery has been brilliant since the W1 D2 L9 all comps disaster in November and December.
Since Jan 1st:
1st - Points
1st - Goals Scored
2nd - Goals conceded
1st - Goal Difference
1st - Wins
Obviously no where near our best but what a wonderful base to kick-on next season.
Pep deserves all the credit in the world for the turnround albeit very dogged at times particularly away from home.
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Yup. Gvardiol is a CB, not a full back.It's felt very dodgy at times . Those games in November and December , we all know which ones , were like a flashback to some particularly poor performances through the eighties and nineties , we all know which ones. And I agree the 1989 Bournemouth draw was up there with the worst .
At times I felt like we'd jumped off the Champions Hot Air Balloon , having enjoyed the view for four seasons , without a parachute or a reserve just for fun , specially when team after team scored on their first attack simply by putting ten men behind the ball then countering.
Teams were more than happy to see us advance up the pitch in Full Pep Player in Every Section Formation , doodle around on the wings with little prospect of an effective cross and let the ball go out for a goal kick after a les than inspiring attack . It could get very boring and predictable
The signings we made and our youngsters , albeit played out of necessity , really made the difference and I hope they continue to improve . Nunez has finally stopped looking lackadaisical and shown some talent out of position and Kova proved to be forward thinking but with a defensive bite AKA strong in the tackle , but needed someone alongside him. to cover his masy runs forward, as he has no pace . No idea why Grealish has been sidelined . His performance at home against Forest was majestical but he's not been given the opportunity to make the midfield , or anywhere else , his own
Best goal for release of tension was against Arsenal at home in the dying seconds and Harland's mischief or perhaps Stones' one against Wolves and Bernie's mischief . Most important was Nunez against Villa. Best away trip Ipswich , great fun and old school stand and Tottenham, which felt like a turning point after loosing twice to them .
I'm happy with our final position , not bothered about the FA Cup as it's a lottery , apart from That Handball Decision, but not so with our woeful performances against Rags in the league which began with the embarrassment at Wembley a year ago . Thank goodness for Tottenham , something I never thought I'd be glad to say. The CL exit is what saved our season, as we could rest some aging legs and maybe Pep could coach some new moves .
Let's hope Foden regains form , Oscar Bobb stays fit and Rodri gets up to speed . No idea about signings except to say we need some , three at a minimum . Oh and please play Gvardiol in the centre . Please Pep .
So City are the best team in the league since the turn of the year which coincides with the 2nd half of the season....
The league recovery has been brilliant since the W1 D2 L9 all comps disaster in November and December.
Since Jan 1st:
1st - Points
1st - Goals Scored
2nd - Goals conceded
1st - Goal Difference
1st - Wins
Obviously no where near our best but what a wonderful base to kick-on next season.
Pep deserves all the credit in the world for the turnround albeit very dogged at times particularly away from home.
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Our run starts at the end of February after we get KO'd from the CL. The CL exit gave us recovery time. We are still missing Stones and Rodri who are arguably our 2 best players whilst Haaland also missed a significant chunk of games at the end of the season.Id imagine that's because the dippers have been phoning it since they won the title and arsenal gave up on the league a while ago because they couldn't win it and focused on the CL
Let's be real, are only ahead by 2 points in that table. Dippers and Arsenal would have got more than 2 or 3 points if there was more to play for until the end
All blues will agree with your summary but there will be some disagreement on City's potential. You did not acknowledge the reasons, briefly injury to Rodri, an ineffective KDB and Foden. Only 1 of those factors is likely permanent. And there are players like Echeverri who have a very high potential.Turgid boring football for the most part.
Lost the FA Cup final
No trophies
Poor Champions League performances
Off field issues for players and manager
Injuries
Ticket price protests
115 charges hanging over us
Qualified for the Champions League
Could have been worse but definitely a poor season in comparison.
We played some of our best football when Haaland was gone. Also think calling Stones one of our 2 best players is a huge stretch, spent the last year and a half in the physio room.Our run starts at the end of February after we get KO'd from the CL. The CL exit gave us recovery time. We are still missing Stones and Rodri who are arguably our 2 best players whilst Haaland also missed a significant chunk of games at the end of the season.
In terms of going toe to toe.Villa & Forest home wins were massive in terms of context, did the double over Chelsea & won at Spurs, slim pickings from an average season. Don’t feel like we went toe to toe with a decent side all season, it was more bob & weave rope a dope tactics from Pep, some say he’s a genius for his football philosophy or trophies won, but this season, more than any other, he has proved how good he really is, nobody else gets us 3rd after the success of previous seasons & tribulations of this, can’t wait for next season already
I watched all our games.I strangely enjoyed the season. Probably watched more football not involving us than ever before and not having the stress levels of the last 4 years was nice.
Would be nice to get that pressure back though, now.
3rd place flatters us a little as that form in Autumn 2024 was truly rotten. This season was about realising we’d lost our way in keeping the squad fresh and how reliant we were on Rodri and Stones. Next season is working out how we replace Kev and probably Stones if he can’t get back fit permanently. Hopefully Foden gets back to closer near his best.