What This Season Means to True Blues - David Mooney (ESPN)

[SebastianBlue]

As Manchester City fans prepare to draw the curtain on what's been a record-breaking and extraordinary season, thoughts are beginning to turn toward a title defence. It is something the club has never done successfully before, having won the top flight five times and never having been crowned champions twice in a row.

Instead, City tend to specialise in not really getting close the next season. In each of Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini's defences, 2013 and 2015, respectively, they finished second. But both times, they were quite some way off the eventual champions' points total and it was a one-horse race from Christmas onwards. Supporters had thrown in the towel long before May.

Read on here...

http://www.espn.com/soccer/club/man...y-challenge-defend-title-create-history-again

 

[Toney’s bookie]

This is what fans of other clubs just don’t get

 

[middlewichblue]

Quality article and puts it all in perspective

 

[SebastianBlue]

Quality article and puts it all in perspective

I have found David Mooney to be an excellent proveyor of our experience, which hopefully helps the masses better understand our previous plight and current joy.

 

[Bluview]

This is our history in a snapshot and what makes us a truly unique club. The rest will never understand as they haven’t lived it like we have. Nice article.

 

[Paladin]

I remember reading this on Bluemoon last summer, and it caught my eye.

I think this will be the most successful season in our history.

 

[OB1]

I have found David Mooney to be an excellent proveyor of our experience, which hopefully helps the masses better understand our previous plight and current joy.

I think Mooney is one of the very few people that I have unfollowed on Twitter but that is a decent piece.

 

[SebastianBlue]

I think Mooney is one of the very few people that I have unfollowed on Twitter but that is a decent piece.

Really? I’ve only read his articles for ESPN and have never seen him on twitter.

Why did you unfollow him, if you don’t mind my prying?

 

[OB1]

I remember reading this on Bluemoon last summer, and it caught my eye.

I remember that. I thought there was a good chance he would be proved correct but I was not brave enough to say so. Maybe it is superstition but I am not one for tempting fate generally or, very specifically, making predictions about what City will do. Perhaps that comes from so many years of being a Blue. I did stick my neck out awhile back and predict WBA would stay up and Huddersfield wouldn't; that worked out well!

Next season has got to be the best time ever for us to make a successful title defence (probably not the first time that has been said). I think it will be a tougher season than this one and, as ever, a huge amount will depend on the mentality of the players. Also, at the third time of asking, the club actually needs to go out and truly strengthen a title winning squad, with a small number of high quality additions.

Whatever happens at St Mary's tomorrow, I can't see us beating this year's points total next year (quite probably ever) but I do believe Pep can deliver an even more glittering trophy haul than the League Cup and Premier League. He has a lot of talented young players who will be hungry for more success and still have lots of improvement left in them. What a time to be a City supporter.

 

[OB1]

Really? I’ve only read his articles for ESPN and have never seen him on twitter.

Why did you unfollow him, if you don’t mind my prying?

IIRC, he just became tediously self-important.

Maybe I'll take another look. Afterall, I still follow Stan Collymore!