The Title Race - 2024/25

[supercity88]

Long way to go and we are close enough to come back from this. But we look miles off it at the moment with some very difficult games to come.

I will always trust Pep and the players after what they've delivered for us, but I do believe he has made some mistakes. The team was too strong against Spurs and that derailed us. His continued use of Rico miles up the pitch is leaving us too open and his use of Gundogan is understandable from an experience perspective but the guy shouldn't be near the starting 11 in the middle of the park. We have young players who would at least give us energy.

Bournemouth, Sporting and Brighton aren't as good man for man but the energy they have gives them balance. Without Rodri we are going to have to get legs in midfield.

 

[Fordyboy46]

We can't be 8 points behind Liverpool when we rock up there soon, we simply have to beat Spurs which will be easier said than done

 

[blue for life]

If we don’t pick up this could be a long boring one horse race. But the media won’t paint it as that. It will be how glorious it is as it’s the scousers and it will be the greatest Liverpool team of all time as nauseum. Just watch the narrative. I can’t see anyone but a rejuvenated City challenging them. Arse Chelsea will lose games. Villa gone.

 

[waspish]

Well we been unbelievable since pep been here so a season where we finish 4/5th or even drop into the Europa league is what happens when a cycle comes to and end with the players all coming to there end plus the injuries at our club!

Weird though we all know our so so high standards would end sometime and it's still hits hard! I still expect to compete for titles trophies but last 8 years will go down as the best any club have done in history!

 

[Paul1970]

Long way to go and we are close enough to come back from this. But we look miles off it at the moment with some very difficult games to come.

I will always trust Pep and the players after what they've delivered for us, but I do believe he has made some mistakes. The team was too strong against Spurs and that derailed us. His continued use of Rico miles up the pitch is leaving us too open and his use of Gundogan is understandable from an experience perspective but the guy shouldn't be near the starting 11 in the middle of the park. We have young players who would at least give us energy.

Bournemouth, Sporting and Brighton aren't as good man for man but the energy they have gives them balance. Without Rodri we are going to have to get legs in midfield.

Surely we are not a one man team and without Rodri we are average . How did we let this happen .

 

[SamBlue]

I think this is very fair analysis and both Nicol and Burley in particular are onto something here. I think we've already reached that point, where we cannot use Rodri and other injuries as an excuse for Pep self-emasculating both defense and attack. ESPN seems the only media covering our mini collapse without a gleeful eye.

 

[Semper aggressus]

Surely we are not a one man team and without Rodri we are average . How did we let this happen .

Lack of ambition in the transfer market.

Complacency and not strengthening when we were at the pinnacle of football and could have attracted virtually anyone if we’d gone balls out for them.

Not outbidding Arsenal for Rice no matter how high we had to go.

Letting Alvarez go and not signing a replacement striker.

Terrible luck with injuries not just Rodri.

 

[alexmcity]

Pep self-emasculating both defense and attack.

This is silly.

It's normal to have injuries, fatigue (including mental fatigue), and a bad season after winning 6 from 7 titles and breaking records in England and Europe. The self-emasculating here is of the brains who think Pep should win as many PL titles in a row as Bayern or Juventus did recently.

Fans want perfect replacements of legends with new stars and smooth transitions from old to new teams. It doesn't happen in real life, unless you are Bayern in the Bundesliga... But Pep and Txiki did more than just to find replacements of our legends, for Rodri and Haaland are better at what they are supposed to do than Ferna and Aguero.

Again, it's normal to have problems after hitting historic heights. We had problems in 19/20, some were impatient with Pep and wanted him gone, time showed they were stupid. Don't bet against Pep. When we overcome most injuries, we'll be good enough to make the top 4, maybe even to compete for the title.

 

[Shazza458]

I’m actually not that fussed about winning the league this season however it is absolutely essential we get top 4 for the anticipated refresh in the summer.

The squad is blatantly exhausted. Out of the league cup is a good thing, it pains me to say that I think an early FA Cup exit would probably be a good thing too. Baring in mind we have a Club World Cup to play in the summer too.

Get to January and make a midfield addition and go from there.

I’ve often thought not being in a title race would help our chances in Europe. Make a midfield addition or 2, hopefully the squad arrives fit and let’s give the Champions League a real good go this season. We’ve won four titles in a row, we’re bound to no do it one year. An unpopular opinion on here

Make the top 4 though as the minimum requirement domestically

 

[SamBlue]

This is silly.

It's normal to have injuries, fatigue (including mental fatigue), and a bad season after winning 6 from 7 titles and breaking records in England and Europe. The self-emasculating here is of the brains who think Pep should win as many PL titles in a row as Bayern or Juventus did recently.

Fans want perfect replacements of legends with new stars and smooth transitions from old to new teams. It doesn't happen in real life, unless you are Bayern in the Bundesliga... But Pep and Txiki did more than just to find replacements of our legends, for Rodri and Haaland are better at what they are supposed to do than Ferna and Aguero.

Again, it's normal to have problems after hitting historic heights. We had problems in 19/20, some were impatient with Pep and wanted him gone, time showed they were stupid. Don't bet against Pep. When we overcome most injuries, we'll be good enough to make the top 4, maybe even to compete for the title.

Mate, I read you and I can only see the incessant stream of excuses.