Earlyriser
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- 21 Feb 2025
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- 997
- Team supported
- Manchester City
in the lack of pace category I would add Gvardiol which is why he should never be asked to play full-back again but play in his natural position
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Season Summary - 2024/25
- Thread starter Stuuuuuu
- Start date
Musselburgh Blue
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 15 Sep 2016
- Messages
- 129
It wasn't the best season. That goes without saying, but we've been spoilt rotten in recent years which makes it much more palatable.
Losing Rodri for the season back in September was a hammer blow to say the least. It can't be down played. The best midfielder in the world with the highest accolade in his trophy cabinet to prove it. If he doesn't get injured, it doesn't fall apart the way it did.
What that showed was how reliant we've become on one player. He is crucial to our system and his injury appeared to result in others not being as confident with him out the side. All of a sudden, others looked shaky and it snowballed big time during THAT run of form.
The FA Cup final was a huge disappointment. I just wish Haaland had taken the pen. It is what it is, I was more gutted when we lost last years, further back, the loss to fucking Wigan.
It's difficult to pick out any real highlights, but as others have said, the form since mid-March has showed shoots of recovery. I'm hoping the new arrivals from January learn a lot about Pep's methods and are ready from the off next season.
We could still win the Club World Cup, but for some reason I cannot take the tournament serious when you look at some of the sides taking part.
Roll on a solid few months of recruitment and next season. Here's hoping that charges bullshit is put to bed by then. Ideally we've won and Premier League chief look like dickheads and fans of other clubs cry over the course of the summer.
Losing Rodri for the season back in September was a hammer blow to say the least. It can't be down played. The best midfielder in the world with the highest accolade in his trophy cabinet to prove it. If he doesn't get injured, it doesn't fall apart the way it did.
What that showed was how reliant we've become on one player. He is crucial to our system and his injury appeared to result in others not being as confident with him out the side. All of a sudden, others looked shaky and it snowballed big time during THAT run of form.
The FA Cup final was a huge disappointment. I just wish Haaland had taken the pen. It is what it is, I was more gutted when we lost last years, further back, the loss to fucking Wigan.
It's difficult to pick out any real highlights, but as others have said, the form since mid-March has showed shoots of recovery. I'm hoping the new arrivals from January learn a lot about Pep's methods and are ready from the off next season.
We could still win the Club World Cup, but for some reason I cannot take the tournament serious when you look at some of the sides taking part.
Roll on a solid few months of recruitment and next season. Here's hoping that charges bullshit is put to bed by then. Ideally we've won and Premier League chief look like dickheads and fans of other clubs cry over the course of the summer.
From a purely football perspective it was disappointing based on the last few years where we've mopped up all before us, the mid season dip being uncharacteristically bad. That said I'd have ripped your arm off for this "dissapointment" not too long ago.
From a personal point of view we've had some great moments with yesterday's De Bruyne send off topping off another great away day.........we must have the best song book in English football with another quality addition yesterday.
Keep smiling, it's all good.
From a personal point of view we've had some great moments with yesterday's De Bruyne send off topping off another great away day.........we must have the best song book in English football with another quality addition yesterday.
Keep smiling, it's all good.
bridgeblue
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- Joined
- 3 Jun 2009
- Messages
- 1,198
Fully expected some sort of drop off, but we have been really poor in lots of games. We kept making the same mistakes week in week out, including some poor decisions by Pep.
If at the start of the season we would finish 3rd and get to a final, I would have been fine with that. The problem has been our performance level has dropped beyond recognition.
I fullyexpect us to be challenging for titles next year, we will be back!
If at the start of the season we would finish 3rd and get to a final, I would have been fine with that. The problem has been our performance level has dropped beyond recognition.
I fullyexpect us to be challenging for titles next year, we will be back!
GaudinoMotors
Well-Known Member
Poor recruitment,
unfathomable selections,
loss of fan and club connection.
unfathomable selections,
loss of fan and club connection.
geoff hammond
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- Joined
- 3 Sep 2009
- Messages
- 979
One of our best in our long history.
But one of our worst of the last 15 years
But one of our worst of the last 15 years
Marvin.
Well-Known Member
In my opinion the recruitment was not poor. The major problem has been a drop in the quality of our midfield due to:
a) Injury to Rodri which hit hard in October-December when Kovacic was also out,
b) KDB's age. He became ordinary,
c) Foden's form.
The problems were also compounded by a series of injuries to Ederson, Ake, Dias, Stones and Akanji. Our defending improved when Dias got fit and we stumbled on Nunes, and O'Reilly as full-backs. We recovered somewhat in February once we had been KO'd from the Champions League which gave us some time and energy, and we ended the season on a long unbeaten run in the Premier League winning 9 of our last 12 league games, and drawing 3.
IMO we will improve next season, how complete our recovery will be depends on:
d) the recovery of Rodri, Foden and Bobb,
e) finding a midfielder who can restore a supply line into Haaland and Marmoush, either in the transfer market or from the development of Echeverri.
A long term problem is developing which is whether Pep's liking for a small squad is compatible with increased demands from the fixture schedule.
a) Injury to Rodri which hit hard in October-December when Kovacic was also out,
b) KDB's age. He became ordinary,
c) Foden's form.
The problems were also compounded by a series of injuries to Ederson, Ake, Dias, Stones and Akanji. Our defending improved when Dias got fit and we stumbled on Nunes, and O'Reilly as full-backs. We recovered somewhat in February once we had been KO'd from the Champions League which gave us some time and energy, and we ended the season on a long unbeaten run in the Premier League winning 9 of our last 12 league games, and drawing 3.
IMO we will improve next season, how complete our recovery will be depends on:
d) the recovery of Rodri, Foden and Bobb,
e) finding a midfielder who can restore a supply line into Haaland and Marmoush, either in the transfer market or from the development of Echeverri.
A long term problem is developing which is whether Pep's liking for a small squad is compatible with increased demands from the fixture schedule.
surprisedbygrass
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 21 Sep 2024
- Messages
- 615
- Team supported
- Manchester City
You make a good point about Pep's liking for small squad and the gruelling fixture schedule .In my opinion the recruitment was not poor. The major problem has been a drop in the quality of our midfield due to:
a) Injury to Rodri which hit hard in October-December when Kovacic was also out,
b) KDB's age. He became ordinary,
c) Foden's form.
The problems were also compounded by a series of injuries to Ederson, Ake, Dias, Stones and Akanji. Our defending improved when Dias got fit and we stumbled on Nunes, and O'Reilly as full-backs. We recovered somewhat in February once we had been KO'd from the Champions League which gave us some time and energy, and we ended the season on a long unbeaten run in the Premier League winning 9 of our last 12 league games, and drawing 3.
IMO we will improve next season, how complete our recovery will be depends on:
d) the recovery of Rodri, Foden and Bobb,
e) finding a midfielder who can restore a supply line into Haaland and Marmoush, either in the transfer market or from the development of Echeverri.
A long term problem is developing which is whether Pep's liking for a small squad is compatible with increased demands from the fixture schedule.
Mos people focus on Pep's tactics but, for me , his real genius in the long term must lie in his people management skills .
He knows how difficult it is managing all those egos in the dressing room and also knows he can only do that with a small squad , close relationships and regular rotation . In effect he is like a father with twenty five children to keep onside . The way he reacted when he was asked if Grealish was on his bike, after not being in the squad at Fulham, tells us all we need to know about his relationship with the players . He gambles, correctly , that a small squad will be more effective as the players will identify more strongly as a team and work for each other . He takes as much notice of a players body language on the pitch as he does of their talents as he knows petulance and disinterest is toxic .
Chelsea and Brighton are the other extreme, where the ethos is more about young players showcasing their skills individually , in a step to stardom . Both clubs do this at different scales with a sort of trawler like approach to talent and purchases, which will inevitably pick up a gem . It's about throughput or talent hoarding and is a model for turning a profit . It's interesting and both clubs have made it clear they will sacrifice managers who may want a different policy . Certainly at Brighton this throughput model is sustainable , shareholder loans pump priming the system ..
It's a rare, rare manager who can do this job and deliver long term . In fact very , very, very rare as , just like in families , favourites will emerge and then the trouble starts in the dressing room . Klopp got too emotional and too close to his to favorites, the Govan Bedpan was an out and out despot , Wenger too cool and logical . Mourinho had Fortress Us but built on a foundation of persecution and hate.
Even Ancelotti came a cropper with his attempts at forging Us Against the World idea in a team with huge egos: his team went feral exemplified by that outrageous display at the Ballon D'or . The PL must be choking on their cornflakes as I'm sure Pep will have used the 115/130 to galvanise solidarity .
That said we have suffered for this season for Pep' s approach . But he's not going to change . It'd be like asking a CB to play CF , like that shower down the road.
Not the season we hoped for, but after the success of recent years, finishing 3rd in a “down year” is still a pretty solid return overall. But let’s be honest, this one felt like the hangover after a week-long bender. Injuries crippled us.
That October–December spell was a disaster, no Rodri (which unglued everything), Stones, Akanji and Ake constantly in and out, Haaland, Ederson, Dias a good chunk of the season injured, KDB struggling for rhythm, Foden looking like he he's had the stuffing knocked out of him, even Bobb injured and out for most of the season just as he hit form. You can't build consistency with half the squad out.
Add to that a few poor transfer windows finally catching up with us. We didn’t replace Mahrez or Gundogan properly, and Walker left in January. Lewis and McAtee don't look to be the answer either—maybe time to move them on? Some of the new signings like Doku and Savinho showed flashes but haven’t hit the level needed yet. And Alvarez leaving last summer left us short of goals and energy and aggression up front.
And then there’s the football. Dire at times—slow, lifeless sideways passing that made you wonder if we were trying to lull teams into a coma. The sort of tempo you’d expect at an over-80s bowls tournament, not from a side that won the treble a year ago. The spark just wasn’t there, and neither was the hunger in too many games.
We were also up against it with some absolutely shocking refereeing and VAR decisions. The FA Cup Final one was the worst of the lot, but there were plenty more that cost us key moments and points. Feels like every 50/50 went against us this season.
Speaking of the Cup Final—another disaster. That’s two in a row lost against sides we should be wiping the floor with. No energy, no quality, no excuses. Embarrassing.
Still, credit where it's due, we really battled hard late in the season, went top of the form table in the second half, and seeing Rodri and Bobb returning, and with the added 4 out of 5 games we won (the Southampton draw was a shocker though!) helped us claw back some control. Nico has shown promise and already looks like a fixture in the middle, Nunes seems to have found his best position at right wing back - he is almost good enough for us, but has had his critics - can Pep spend the time to develop him further? Marmoush was a shrewd January addition with his 8 goals, 3 assists and loads of energy, what an engine that guy has, and O’Reilly looks tidy. So it’s not all doom and gloom.
Grateful for third in the end, but that fact alone tells its own story. Standards have slipped, and with the dippers strolling it on 84 points ffs, we should be ashamed not to have been in the mix. That has to change.
Big summer ahead. We need 3–4 quality signings, and that will mean moving on the old guard that can’t hack it anymore, and reset mentally. Get the 115/130 shite cleared up, get the squad hungry again, and go back for what’s ours. Can’t be letting the dippers or arse anywhere near again.
Even in a "bad" season, Erling scored 31 goals! Imagine saying that out loud—31 goals and people still say he’s been off it and that Pep can't find a way to play him! That alone speaks to the ridiculous standards we’ve set.
In short: a promising start, a dreadful middle, and a good finish (Cup Final aside). Injuries, bad luck/dodgy refs-VAR with decisions, and squad changes made it a challenge, but there’s more than enough to be optimistic about going forward. Hopefully we get the business done early this summer, in terms of recruitment and come back stronger.
Overall? 5/10. Not just for results—but for the drop in standards, style, and intensity. Learn from it. Improve. Add players, let some go. Go again.
That October–December spell was a disaster, no Rodri (which unglued everything), Stones, Akanji and Ake constantly in and out, Haaland, Ederson, Dias a good chunk of the season injured, KDB struggling for rhythm, Foden looking like he he's had the stuffing knocked out of him, even Bobb injured and out for most of the season just as he hit form. You can't build consistency with half the squad out.
Add to that a few poor transfer windows finally catching up with us. We didn’t replace Mahrez or Gundogan properly, and Walker left in January. Lewis and McAtee don't look to be the answer either—maybe time to move them on? Some of the new signings like Doku and Savinho showed flashes but haven’t hit the level needed yet. And Alvarez leaving last summer left us short of goals and energy and aggression up front.
And then there’s the football. Dire at times—slow, lifeless sideways passing that made you wonder if we were trying to lull teams into a coma. The sort of tempo you’d expect at an over-80s bowls tournament, not from a side that won the treble a year ago. The spark just wasn’t there, and neither was the hunger in too many games.
We were also up against it with some absolutely shocking refereeing and VAR decisions. The FA Cup Final one was the worst of the lot, but there were plenty more that cost us key moments and points. Feels like every 50/50 went against us this season.
Speaking of the Cup Final—another disaster. That’s two in a row lost against sides we should be wiping the floor with. No energy, no quality, no excuses. Embarrassing.
Still, credit where it's due, we really battled hard late in the season, went top of the form table in the second half, and seeing Rodri and Bobb returning, and with the added 4 out of 5 games we won (the Southampton draw was a shocker though!) helped us claw back some control. Nico has shown promise and already looks like a fixture in the middle, Nunes seems to have found his best position at right wing back - he is almost good enough for us, but has had his critics - can Pep spend the time to develop him further? Marmoush was a shrewd January addition with his 8 goals, 3 assists and loads of energy, what an engine that guy has, and O’Reilly looks tidy. So it’s not all doom and gloom.
Grateful for third in the end, but that fact alone tells its own story. Standards have slipped, and with the dippers strolling it on 84 points ffs, we should be ashamed not to have been in the mix. That has to change.
Big summer ahead. We need 3–4 quality signings, and that will mean moving on the old guard that can’t hack it anymore, and reset mentally. Get the 115/130 shite cleared up, get the squad hungry again, and go back for what’s ours. Can’t be letting the dippers or arse anywhere near again.
Even in a "bad" season, Erling scored 31 goals! Imagine saying that out loud—31 goals and people still say he’s been off it and that Pep can't find a way to play him! That alone speaks to the ridiculous standards we’ve set.
In short: a promising start, a dreadful middle, and a good finish (Cup Final aside). Injuries, bad luck/dodgy refs-VAR with decisions, and squad changes made it a challenge, but there’s more than enough to be optimistic about going forward. Hopefully we get the business done early this summer, in terms of recruitment and come back stronger.
Overall? 5/10. Not just for results—but for the drop in standards, style, and intensity. Learn from it. Improve. Add players, let some go. Go again.
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Would have been a good season if we'd have won the FA Cup but just stumbled at the final hurdle. As it is, we've dropped off a lot but have the chance to reset with older players departing.
Viewing the league in general, Liverpool carried by Salah but even then they haven't look anything special as league winners go. 84 points isn't a mammoth total. Reflected in Europe too where they got easily poo'd on by PSG.
If Pep can restore us to 90% of our old selves then it's back on next season. Easier said than done but he's a unique manager so why not?
Viewing the league in general, Liverpool carried by Salah but even then they haven't look anything special as league winners go. 84 points isn't a mammoth total. Reflected in Europe too where they got easily poo'd on by PSG.
If Pep can restore us to 90% of our old selves then it's back on next season. Easier said than done but he's a unique manager so why not?
thegoatsthegoat
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 10 Jan 2025
- Messages
- 1,646
- Team supported
- City
Crap season.
4 points dropped to them, fucking how?
Cup final lost to a team that finished 12th
Top players form dropped off a cliff (Foden)
Top players aged a year too far (KDB)
Recruitment didn't cover us with quality or address areas needed
January window looks a bit naff (currently)
Players frozen out ( Grealish )
Many weird managerial decisions
115 still ongoing
Can probably count on one hand the amount of games we have been exciting and enjoyable to watch.
Getting in the CL can be our only saving grace. You cannot polish this turd though, we have gone from champions to battling on the last day with the likes of Villa and Forest and Newcastle. That is further down a little drop off.
Big changes needed, I didn't want Pep leading this rebuild but if he is, he has my full support and I hope we can learn from our mistakes but more than anything actually play some exciting footy.
4 points dropped to them, fucking how?
Cup final lost to a team that finished 12th
Top players form dropped off a cliff (Foden)
Top players aged a year too far (KDB)
Recruitment didn't cover us with quality or address areas needed
January window looks a bit naff (currently)
Players frozen out ( Grealish )
Many weird managerial decisions
115 still ongoing
Can probably count on one hand the amount of games we have been exciting and enjoyable to watch.
Getting in the CL can be our only saving grace. You cannot polish this turd though, we have gone from champions to battling on the last day with the likes of Villa and Forest and Newcastle. That is further down a little drop off.
Big changes needed, I didn't want Pep leading this rebuild but if he is, he has my full support and I hope we can learn from our mistakes but more than anything actually play some exciting footy.
Its a bit like the real World Cup where its not the best countries in it but the best from Asia, the best from Africa etc.We could still win the Club World Cup, but for some reason I cannot take the tournament serious when you look at some of the sides taking part.
To win the CWC we'd still have to be better than Chelsea, Madrid and the other top european teams.
Musselburgh Blue
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 15 Sep 2016
- Messages
- 129
I know mate, I didn't mind the previous version, but this one is overkill for me. Look, if we win it, I'll celebrate, but I reckon Pep and the lads could do without it.Its a bit like the real World Cup where its not the best countries in it but the best from Asia, the best from Africa etc.
To win the CWC we'd still have to be better than Chelsea, Madrid and the other top european teams.
the blue panther
Well-Known Member
Some of these posts seem longer than our season seemed it was going to be back in Oct/Nov when everything fell apart.
Thank fuck we had the scum to laugh at - apart from when we f'kin played 'em.
Thank fuck we had the scum to laugh at - apart from when we f'kin played 'em.
unicorn
Well-Known Member
Slightly different perspective from a STH who missed a few games due to family issues (lad went) and never watches TV football.
The disappointment was not seeing our best players at their best due to multiple issues. Players like Phil, Jack, Jeremy are why I go, all struggled. Disappointing to see John look brilliant one week then get crocked. One of those years.
BUT virtually every game was tense, more teams than ever look competitive, and occasionally we put it together; Newcastle and that second half v Palace were exhilarating.
Can't wait for next season.
The disappointment was not seeing our best players at their best due to multiple issues. Players like Phil, Jack, Jeremy are why I go, all struggled. Disappointing to see John look brilliant one week then get crocked. One of those years.
BUT virtually every game was tense, more teams than ever look competitive, and occasionally we put it together; Newcastle and that second half v Palace were exhilarating.
Can't wait for next season.
WesthoughtonJohn
Well-Known Member
Thank Christ for a balanced view.Considering the Rodri, Ake, Bobb, Stones, Ankanji and Haaland injuries, the departure of Alvarez without a chance to replace pre-season, plus Walker’s loss of speed and departure in January, we did well to finish 3rd. It was the October-December period that was so depressing, but lots of signs we are getting back to ourselves. A squad refresh started in January, Marmoush a big plus, O’Reilly too, and Gonzales is beginning to show his potential. A good start, terrible middle but promising end, except for the Cup Final.
Score wise - based on the injuries, and that period after we lost Rodders where we seemed totally lost - I'd say 6/10.
Not great, but we clawed our way back to 3rd and participated in a Cup final (note I didn't say played in ;)).
People are asking if Pep should be in charge of the rebuild - I doubt he would if Amorim hadn't decided to go to the dark side (thank fuck btw based on his form there).
The problem we have, imho, is Pep's gone in 2 years - there won't be another extension - so Viana has to careful with recruitment and keep an eye on what happens when Pep leaves.
Interesting times