Who and what’s to blame?

[Fordyboy46]

Pep pretty brutal in saying the players weren't hungry enough this season, just surprised he allowed this to happen. Doesn't look promising for his long term future at City imho, still got a bad feeling this will be his last season in charge. Liverpool have overtaken us big time this season, their squad is younger, fitter, more hungry, and that's a big problem , big rebuilding process these next couple of years, but will the funds be made available?

 

[Shirley]

Perhaps that is why it feels like a culmination season for this current cycle?

Winning an FA Cup and the Champions League would feel very much like the end of a journey rather than the start of a new one.

Chelsea had something similar when Drogba was coming to the end?

There has been a lack of intensity from the team and the fans this season. Pep is all about intensity, but you can only push the envelope on that so far.

Interesting you mention lack of intensity from the fans, do you think the early leaving and empty seats actually got to the team?
I mention this because Pep has been saying how much more passion liverpool showed this season.

 

[Bovril]

Lot of interesting points here.
This season a critical point was mid Nov when LiVARpool were 6 clear and we came from behind to beat Saints and they were losing 1-0 away to Villa. We then all know what happened a week later at Anfield despite us playing well. So instead of the gap being 3 orless points it was up to 9 andI think it was then we knew the writing was on the wall.

A surprising feature had been the loss of form of players we used to rely on. It’s for various reasons but a few weren’t as good as they were the season before
Bernardo
Ederson
David Silvawill
Gundog
Stones
Raheem lost form from Nov onwards

Add world class players out in Laporte and Sane

Next 2-3 years will have some rebuilding so that no we need to have realistic ambitions. We should be up there but will take s lot to knock Liverpool off where they are.

Can’t afford very many mistakes in transfers now

Don't care what you say, just love your name on here LOL

 

[blueparrot]

Why was it a surprise? They got 97 points last season and teams around them haven't really improved. As far as i can remember, we put very little pressure on them this season so it was plain sailing most of the time. Last season we managed to keep pressure on them when it was needed most, they fucked up and i am confident they would have this time as well, they have HISTORY with it. Alas, we dropped the ball on too many occasions.

Thought myself 97 was their peak, especially as they didn’t add to the squad. Was expecting them to get more injuries. It ‘s a surprise, to me at least, that with their squad they could well surpass our 100 point record. Hoping they don’t though.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

We've won 8 from the last 10 available trophies
Do people think we can every trophy forever?
It's not sustainable, we've had a good run but its someone else's turn now.
However I expect us to win it back next season

I agree but I’m not sure on the last bit. A lot will depend on the outcome of the case, transfers bedding in quickly and luck. Liverpool had all the luck this season, particularly with key players staying fit whilst we had very little. I can’t see their squad falling back too much. I think it will take another 90 plus point season to beat them to it.

 

[SamBlue]

Animosity to Gundogan on this board is beyond belief. It's like Edin all over again . I really hope he stays, after all he signed a new contract until 2023, and I can see him playing quite successfully further forward once Marlin is gone. Even yesterday he had a very good game and it is not his fault Benjamin decided to make him and Edie complete mugs.

 

[BLUEMATT23]

I agree but I’m not sure on the last bit. A lot will depend on the outcome of the case, transfers bedding in quickly and luck. Liverpool had all the luck this season, particularly with key players staying fit whilst we had very little. I can’t see their squad falling back too much. I think it will take another 90 plus point season to beat them to it.

We will get exonerated, I trust the club and the executives. We will get cleared.
Liverpool have had a lot of luck with decisions, late goals and most notably injuries. That wont last forever.
Its coming back to us next season.

 

[Pablo ZZZ Peroni]

The Spurs game officially sealed it, after the debacle at West Ham with Sterling's onside/offside bullshit decisions. We were masters at keeping patient and finding last minute winners in both title winning seasons, the decision to award handball when the footage was so inconclusive on Laporte was staggering. It was obvious the previous 4-5 years what was happening with double standards when it came to officiating our games, VAR just confirmed it. The additional way of manipulating results definitely impacted our confidence and belief in finding late winners, we as fans knew full well if we scored, VAR would try to find the smallest possible inconclusive shred of nothing to disallow it, the players and Pep must have known it too.

We had a few late/stoppage time winners in 17/18 but not one single one I can recall in 18/19. I think in all the 32 games we won in the league we had at least a 1 goal margin by the 70th minute.

 

[hilts]

 

[red 2 hats]

It's a collection of things which have been done to death, but ultimately and it pains me to say it, the dippers have been better than us.

In most other seasons we would be on point to win the league, we've already won the league cup and got a chance of the fa cup and the cl so it's not been a total failure.

I hope we get our transfers right this summer, coz the last couple of windows haven't worked out great. Just want some pace and energy back in the midfield and no more inverted wingers it slows us down way too much.