The Title Race - 2024/25

[M23 Citizen]

The reason why we won the treble was because everyone stayed fit and was available from Foden’s appendicitis in February onwards.

At the other end of the scale, we have this season where nobody can stay fit. Add to that a general negative trend on the transfer/squad management front, and you can see us winning nowt this season if players are so fragile and are all staggered in coming back to fitness and form being added to a team where most aren’t playing well.

And that’s okay, it can happen. It’s us being a more normal football team from the unprecedented side we’ve seen over the years with Pep.

But we are in a Top 4 race, not a title race.

Points achieved by the 4th place team over the last four years have been:
67, 71, 71 and 68 - average 69.25

We are currently in course for 68.4 points.

 

[Crooked_rain]

No title race this season for us.

I'm nor even sure we'll finish above the rags

 

[alexmcity]

Ill say it again if it turns you on

Why being 4th after the worst injury crisis in memory leaves us in a battle for top 8? It's like saying in November 2020 that we are in a battle for top 10 because we weren't even in top 6 at the time. Why should we expect Pep to have problems to make the top 4 ( or 5, which may be enough for a CL spot) when his worst league finish in his career was 3rd, in 16/17?

 

[Damanino]

there is just no consistency at all. we might beat the rags we might not. but then almost guaranteed we lose to Villa. Emery aint a fool, he knows how to hurt Pep tactically and has some players to do that. even a decent City team not this injury ravaged, tactically at a low point and also in form currently.
fucking hell even Amorim has much better chances against this City side than he would have had last few years.
the one that lost to rags in FA cup final about 6 months ago was levels above this City team now.

as the title race we just dont put together a winning series of 3-4 games anytime soon. cannot see it. huge tactical problems, even shit Palace can create chances and when they do and if they hit target its almost certainly a goal. we have GK coaches but bloody hell cannot imagine them practicing saving shots. if they do and this is the end result that almost any side can score 2-3 regularly from less than 4-5 on target shots, thats nonsense.

 

[ProofMCFC]

Why being 4th after the worst injury crisis in memory leaves us in a battle for top 8? It's like saying in November 2020 that we are in a battle for top 10 because we weren't even in top 6 at the time. Why should we expect Pep to have problems to make the top 4 ( or 5, which may be enough for a CL spot) when his worst league finish in his career was 3rd, in 16/17?

You’ve answered your own question, worst injury crisis in memory coupled with some of the poorest decision under the sheik era in terms of transfers in my opinion is going to lead to an unprecedented season for Pep. We’re half way the season nearly and I’ve seen nothing to suggest we’re any better than the other top 5 unlike other seasons. It’s not as if we’re just a tweak of a tactic away, the players just not good enough due to age or whatever.

 

[M23 Citizen]

Why being 4th after the worst injury crisis in memory leaves us in a battle for top 8? It's like saying in November 2020 that we are in a battle for top 10 because we weren't even in top 6 at the time. Why should we expect Pep to have problems to make the top 4 ( or 5, which may be enough for a CL spot) when his worst league finish in his career was 3rd, in 16/17?

I suppose you could say; what are the signs that this injury crisis is going to get any better?

Players come back into the team and then disappear again within a few games, if not by half time in their first game back.

 

[alexmcity]

You’ve answered your own question, worst injury crisis in memory coupled with some of the poorest decision under the sheik era in terms of transfers in my opinion is going to lead to an unprecedented season for Pep. We’re half way the season nearly and I’ve seen nothing to suggest we’re any better than the other top 5 unlike other seasons. It’s not as if we’re just a tweak of a tactic away, the players just not good enough due to age or whatever.

The injury crisis is likely to be over in several weeks, Rodri aside. Also, finishing 4th would be unprecedented for Pep, but still good enough. If you expect 7th or 8th, maybe you are being overly pessimistic. Even today, without 7-8 injured or half fit players we could have won.

 

[ProofMCFC]

The injury crisis is likely to be over in several weeks, Rodri aside. Also, finishing 4th would be unprecedented for Pep, but still good enough. If you expect 7th or 8th, maybe you are being overly pessimistic. Even today, without 7-8 injured or half fit players we could have won.

Thin kits just wishful thinking, the reason all these players are injured is according to most due to the small squad and the amount of games so that tell me it will continue. We could have won today, we could have also conceded easily 3 or 4 again. I’ve come to terms with a top 8 finish, it is what it is. Going to be tough to rebuild from there though.

 

[alexmcity]

I suppose you could say; what are the signs that this injury crisis is going to get any better?

Players come back into the team and then disappear again within a few games, if not by half time in their first game back.

I'm not optimistic about Stones and Ake, they have been like that for years, minus the final 4 months of the Treble season (but Ake was injured then too and missed the tie with Madrid). I hope Akanji, Dias, Foden, Grealish will be fit, though. And most other players. Bobb must be back in January, hopefully Rodri in April...

 

[alexmcity]

Thin kits just wishful thinking, the reason all these players are injured is according to most due to the small squad and the amount of games so that tell me it will continue. We could have won today, we could have also conceded easily 3 or 4 again. I’ve come to terms with a top 8 finish, it is what it is. Going to be tough to rebuild from there though.

You may come to terms with us finishing in the bottom half. You are entitled of being pessimistic. It's based on nothing more than a month of football as opposed to 8 seasons under Pep, and 16 years of management.