The Title Race - 2023/24

[ChicagoBlue]

I do think the constant erosion of the squad is finally starting to cause major issues.

The squad year upon year has been getting smaller and whilst last season we were very fortunate with injuries, this year we haven't been.

I do think both Pep and Txiki needed to be a little more flexible and increase the level and quality in the squad. It's particularly weird that you run such a small squad when you don't actually trust certain players in it i.e Phillips and Gomez.

When you add to that your signings haven't really hit the ground running, your best midfielder is out and you opt for a midfield with ball carriers and a number nine playing in midfield then it's no surprise City don't look themselves.

I think the eye was taken off the ball this summer and it's understandable, but you can't ever afford to stand still and I think the quality of the squad has gone backwards as of now.

Exactly!

Both midfield additions have looked like relative panic buys and have not shown the quality needed. Doku has excited and delivered at times, but loses the ball a lot, while Grealish holds the ball well and yet has looked anything but exciting or delivered!

We look bang average for long stretches against lower level opposition, yet can still turn it on at times. Unfortunately, at the moment, those times are getting fewer and further in between!

Need to splurge some of those record revenues in January and make a statement!

 

[blueparrot]

Exactly!

Both midfield additions have looked like relative panic buys and have not shown the quality needed. Doku has excited and delivered at times, but loses the ball a lot, while Grealish holds the ball well and yet has looked anything but exciting or delivered!

We look bang average for long stretches against lower level opposition, yet can still turn it on at times. Unfortunately, at the moment, those times are getting fewer and further in between!

Need to splurge some of those record revenues in January and make a statement!

We won’t nor should we. Firstly it’s unlikely the players we want are available in January. Second we’d need to sell players to make room , unlikely anyone but Phillips would leave in January.
If we win nothing this season ,also unlikely, then we win nothing and reset in the summer.

 

[MadchesterCity]

We won’t nor should we. Firstly it’s unlikely the players we want are available in January. Second we’d need to sell players to make room , unlikely anyone but Phillips would leave in January.
If we win nothing this season ,also unlikely, then we win nothing and reset in the summer.

No we wouldn’t we’ve barely got any squad depth of players that spare good enough quality and can be trusted. We need to act now or we’ve lost this season. Surely we can drum up interest in Saudi for a few of our players aswell

On your second point, if you have the chance to react you do it in the window, let’s not accept second best and go get a proper central midfielder

 

[blueparrot]

No we wouldn’t we’ve barely got any squad depth of players that spare good enough quality and can be trusted. We need to act now or we’ve lost this season. Surely we can drum up interest in Saudi for a few of our players aswell

On your second point, if you have the chance to react you do it in the window, let’s not accept second best and go get a proper central midfielder

Yes we would, think we have one space, so which players that don’t want to leave are you forcing out. Whether you want it or not it won’t happen.
Our form isn’t quite right, nobodys is, last night aresenal conceded 3 at Luton, last game liverpool conceded 3 home to Fulham.
If we haven’t learned Pep usually turns these runs around by now then you never will.
Whatever anyone thinks we won’t splurge or panic in January, because you’re right we don’t want second best and the best won’t be available in January,and the season will be what it will be, and thats okay.

 

[Bluemoon has risen]

Exactly!

Both midfield additions have looked like relative panic buys and have not shown the quality needed. Doku has excited and delivered at times, but loses the ball a lot, while Grealish holds the ball well and yet has looked anything but exciting or delivered!

We look bang average for long stretches against lower level opposition, yet can still turn it on at times. Unfortunately, at the moment, those times are getting fewer and further in between!

Need to splurge some of those record revenues in January and make a statement!

All this, yet were 6pts behind with a game in hand having faced a really tough set of fixtures, which will come Arsenal and Liverpool's way.

We've been unlucky with injuries this season no doubt. Once we can get Stones and KDB back on the park consistently, things will start to tick over for us. We've been unlucky that both Nunes and Kovacic have had injuries too so they haven't really had time to settle. Give them a bit of time and Nunes especially in my opinion will improve and become a much better player for us.

This happens every season btw, but come the end were always there and outlast the others. We're never at our best early on as Pep tweaks the team and tries to find new and innovative ways to stay ahead of the opposition. It's frustrating at times, but it ultimately pays off. Just be patient and things will turn.

 

[Roachy]

All this, yet were 6pts behind with a game in hand having faced a really tough set of fixtures, which will come Arsenal and Liverpool's way.

We've been unlucky with injuries this season no doubt. Once we can get Stones and KDB back on the park consistently, things will start to tick over for us. We've been unlucky that both Nunes and Kovacic have had injuries too so they haven't really had time to settle. Give them a bit of time and Nunes especially in my opinion will improve and become a much better player for us.

This happens every season btw, but come the end were always there and outlast the others. We're never at our best early on as Pep tweaks the team and tries to find new and innovative ways to stay ahead of the opposition. It's frustrating at times, but it ultimately pays off. Just be patient and things will turn.

Some good snippets in there tbh. I think there's a bit of frustration that we're not at our best, but hopefully that will come 2nd half of the season. Get our injured players back and things could look totally different in a couple of months. Until then the other players really need to grasp the opportunity and give Pep something to think about.

 

[waspish]

All this, yet were 6pts behind with a game in hand having faced a really tough set of fixtures, which will come Arsenal and Liverpool's way.

We've been unlucky with injuries this season no doubt. Once we can get Stones and KDB back on the park consistently, things will start to tick over for us. We've been unlucky that both Nunes and Kovacic have had injuries too so they haven't really had time to settle. Give them a bit of time and Nunes especially in my opinion will improve and become a much better player for us.

This happens every season btw, but come the end were always there and outlast the others. We're never at our best early on as Pep tweaks the team and tries to find new and innovative ways to stay ahead of the opposition. It's frustrating at times, but it ultimately pays off. Just be patient and things will turn.

Agree it happens every season and we come good but maybe this season we don't because of injuries and quality of the other teams have improved!

We can't keep saying come the back end of the season we will come good! We going to say it every year for the next 10 years and win it for another 10 years on the bounce!? No...

We spoilt and am loving it but brings the entitlement into us the more you win the more you want the more you think oh we come good and win the league..

 

[OntarioBlue]

Is it wrong that I’d rather Liverpool win it than Arsenal?

Wash your mouth out !

 

[blueparrot]

Agree it happens every season and we come good but maybe this season we don't because of injuries and quality of the other teams have improved!

We can't keep saying come the back end of the season we will come good! We going to say it every year for the next 10 years and win it for another 10 years on the bounce!? No...

We spoilt and am loving it but brings the entitlement into us the more you win the more you want the more you think oh we come good and win the league..

I don’t think other teams have improved, at least not the challengers maybe some of tne teams like Villa have. That’s why we aren’t far behind them.We are talking liverpool and arsenal as challengers and they are conceding as much as us 3 against Luton and Fulham in their last games and nicking points in injury time, where we are dropping points late on in games.
When we sort out our games management and we will because It’s Pep then we’ll stop dropping these late points.

 

[OntarioBlue]

We'll come short this season in the traditional trophies but win the Super Cup and Club World Cup. We had a terrible transfer window and terrible luck with KDB injury. We’re not getting the rub of the green and our rivals are. The premier league have already made it clear we won’t win 4 in a row and Arsenal or Liverpool will take the title this season. Madrid or Bayern will win the champions league. If we were to win the title this season from here it would be Peps greatest achievement to date. We are already 6 points behind Arsenal and 8 behind Liverpool after they win tonight

8 behind Liverpool ??????