Who and what’s to blame?

[meltonblue]

I’d add to point four that it was Bernardo and Sterling, who both went off form straight after the tweet and Gomez incidents. The issue was further compounded with having no Sane to call upon either.

 

[Bozzie]

After the disallowed winner against Spurs I think everyone felt that we weren't going to get any help retaining the title this season. After the Alexander-Arnold non penalty decision I think everyone knew who was. Whether that created a negativity inside the squad only they know. It can't be regarded as the reason for this season's 'failure' in the league but it certainly set the tone. The long term absence of Laporte was obviously crucial but, even taking that into consideration, we've contrived to be masters of our own downfall on too many occasions. One thing I'm sure of, is that Pep will know the reasons and, even if it means a bit of self criticism, work hard to put them right for next season.

 

[@BluePhil8]

Been a combination of things really;

Laporte and Sane being injured for the whole season.

Disgraceful implementation of VAR early doors to assist Liverpool in building an insurmountable lead - Sterling’s ‘offside’ against Chelsea where Zouma’s ass was playing him onside, Tottenham rugby tackle on Rodri in the box no pen, Jesus ‘handball’ vs Spurs, Arnold playing basketball against us at Anfield 20 seconds before they go on to score - it goes on and on and on and that’s not even factoring in the standard shite referring we receive on a weekly basis.

Individual catastrophic frequent errors by the ‘brain dead’ members of the squad at key times; Mendy, Gundogan, Stones all absolute clowns at times and giving away piss easy goals usually after we’ve dominated.

It’s hard to be mad at the injuries and VAR debacle when you watch defending like last night. If it’s out of our hands fine, but defending like bloody imbeciles is in our hands.

I’d be interested to see some shots faced to conceded ratios, sick of watching teams score their one venture in to our half yet the other day Everton players were queuing up to miss sitter after sitter. The general luck they seem to receive (goalkeepers throwing balls in to their own net) is mind boggling.

 

[citytill1die84]

Not replacing Kompany was huge.

Injuries to our best CB

VAR & bent officials

Missed fucking chances

Typical City.

We're still ahead of the rest and with a few additions we'll be back firing next season.

Sort the defence out plz Pep

 

[Keeper!]

Poor summer recruitment and player complacency.

Always recruit after a title, freshen things up and keep players on their toes.

Poor defence of the title, hopefully after the CAS case is won, we will hit the market hard, CB, LB, CM, LW all required.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

I have no problem being beaten to the title fairly but when its been handed on a plate it grates a little.

I agree with every word except one.

Lot!

 

[Ardwick Green Blue]

This thread isn't a blame game but it is perfectly reasonable to look at why we have dropped at least two levels in the league this season. VAR certainly didn't help early on but can that explain the 'performance' at Norwich, for example? That was one of the worst performances for many years and I find it difficult to understand how a squad of very good players could be so abject.

The big question is can we bounce back next season with essentially the same squad but with a couple of additions? My feeling is not as the defence is shambolic, David Silva is leaving but Bernardo's contribution has dropped off a cliff and we will be attempting to get even more of the last dregs out of Fernandinho.

 

[Craig]

VAR set the tempo with the referees using it to make some dodgy decisions. Just think about how Rodri was grappled to the ground against Spurs and how Pogba was tickled to the ground against Spurs a few days ago and which resulted in a penalty.
We all know the other many decisions that were far from fair and unbiased. And the Alexander-Arnold ‘I always hold my arm in this natural position’ is an embarrassment to the football world. They should be ashamed.
Not the only reason of course but that set the narrative.

We really shouldn’t be using VAR as an excuse for so many below average league performances. Getting turned over twice by a very average scum side and losing to Norwich were all shocking performances and the same basic mistakes were repeated again last night.

We need to start looking to build for next season now in the league and that should see Foden getting plenty of minutes in the centre alongside KDB not stuck out on the left where he’s wasted.

We obviously need a quick centre half and new left back but a left sided attacker is also crucial. The only one who consistently plays there now offers very little and if he gets injured we basically have nobody. Ideally someone who can beat a defender on the outside so that our left back can concentrate on defending rather than leaving us even more exposed to a counter attack.

 

[CrownPointBlue]

Now that it’s official, we’ve not lost our title, more failed to defend it. That’s the tragic part, we never turned up this season.

where did it go wrong?

1. Var. yes, it shafted is a lot in the early days...but...I think the club let it get to them a lot each and every time and would dwell on it and fail to pick themselves up quickly enough.

2. Defense. Fullbacks have been terrible all season IMO. Swapping Danilo was a terrible decision. Walker and Stones seem content to have won so much that they stepped backwards. Mendy just hasn’t worked out and the way Pep managed Angelino was disgraceful imo. Decent player left on the bench all season only to be given his debut at anfield vs salah. He set him up to fail imo and didn’t want him brought back from the start.

Laporte was a massive loss, unfortunate.

3. Fernandinho. This to me was Pep’s worst ever managerial move. He took a world class DM out of his position to play bang average at CB. So now we’re weak in two positions rather than CB. It was clear Rodri wasn’t ready for the amount of games he was given, Fernandinho could have taken so much pressure off the back line had he not been moved to CB and left there. I mean he wasn’t even rotated to DM when Stones and Otamendi were fit.

4. Bernardo. Failed to kick on this year for me, certainly not up to last years standards on a consistent basis. Hopefully that comes next season.


So...your thoughts? Where did it go wrong for us this year?

Rightly or wrongly,after the Spurs game in August, I sensed the players felt that irrespective of what they did a way would be found to ensure that we would not do a back to back treble and that The Asterisks * would get enough decisions at our expense.

Scudamore set the scene two years ago with his deplorable statement, VAR was manipulated to assist and eventually the inevitable happened.

We were not going to be allowed to win the league this season, the players sensed it, and they lost their motivation.

If you know the ultimate outcome is fixed against you, perhaps it’s understandable.

 

[City_Sean]

Poor recruitment. The decision to sign a backup RB for £60m was a massive waste of funds. The decision to sign Rodri, a midfielder with zero pace used to playing in a pivot as a singular pivot in a three man midfield was always foolish. The failure to replace Vincent Kompany and think that John Stones - a bloke who hasn't been trusted in any run in since he's joined the club to suddenly transform into a leader was again naive. The warning signs have been there for over a year now with him. Go back and watch him in the Nations League and our 1-0 over Spurs in the run in last season...his performances were diabolical.

I'd also add letting Leroy Sane piss us around for an entire summer and deciding to both play him and deal with Bayern on the last week of the window was again naive. Sane guarantees goals/assists and the briefing was we wouldn't replace him either way. Again naivety.

Pep also carries the can. His refusal to change the system at all, his insistence in playing David, Gundogan and Rodri as a three when it gives us zero legs is also a problem. There's been a lot written that the coaching staff have said Silva's lack of legs is a problem yet he's played a huge amount in a ridiculously high intensity position.

We've had to drop our best holding midfielder to CB, a place where his rash and lack of composure has cost the team. That isn't his fault, its something this structure has done for too long. Square pegs in round holes. The decision to continue with Mendy and Zinchenko at LB, when its been a problem for years is another oversight. The club keep trying to get away with things rather than fixing the issue properly.