transfer window cannot be underestimated. after a treble win I think we should have done much better, give a big push to the squad.
we had that with Haaland last season and the plan was to get Bellingham and do the same this summer. that plan failed and the alternative plans failed too.
imagine Bellingham in the middle now in this City team, probably would not have those crazy number like at Real, but still he would drive the team forward, create chances, score goals, and push everyone else being really hungry for trophies. Rice has the same, that drive to push the team, hunger etc.
also quite a few players form dropped a lot from last season. Walker, Dias, Grealish especially. Ake too but he has lost his place a bit due to Gvardiol. he built on the trust from Pep for starting lots of games last season now he shares game time with Gvardiol complete different situation. Grealish also trust starting our crucial CL-PL games now he has to share gametime with Doku.
KDb out for 6 months is a brutal hit too. really worried he comes back and will have a setback. he used to have some injuries always here and there, almost impossible he returns early January and he goes injury free til end of May.
Stones and his setbacks another bad story...
only real positive is Doku's form in his debut season, but then we have to mention Kovacic, Nunes, Gvardiol who are not really an upgrade (yet?) on whoever they replacing and that means we are worse off.
thank God we didnt lose Bernardo (3rd summer in a row), imagine even he wouldnt be here alongside Gundo.
wouldnt mind some January replenishment and not some plan D, plan E level signings. get Phillips out hopefully for a decent fee even if with must buy option after a loan. (loan to Juve with no option to buy us paying his salary, fuck that idea off lol)