Last Season.

[gillie]

Do you think it took too much out of the players both mentally and physically?
The reason i ask is because we seem to have picked up a lot more injuries this term and a lot of times this season we have looked really jaded in games.I am really trying to understand the downward curve we seem to have hit this season both in style of play and lack of a cutting edge which has seen a big reduction in chances being converted. Please discuss

[Beefymcfc]

Do you think it took too much out of the players both mentally and physically?
The reason i ask is because we seem to have picked up a lot more injuries this term and a lot of times this season we have looked really jaded in games.I am really trying to understand the downward curve we seem to have hit this season both in style of play and lack of a cutting edge which has seen a big reduction in chances being converted. Please discuss

Not that I've mentioned this before but you've hit the nail on the proverbial. We started off with a hangover and the rest of the season has gone backwards since. Injuries started in the first game and the quality (and robustness) of individuals coming just hasn't cut it.

To be honest, I don't blame them, it really was a slog, emotionally and physically. I still remember being slumped in my seat acouple of months after we won it wondering what the fuck had happened to me, and I didn't even kick a ball. It's gott abe hard to come back, against all adversity and media hype, it would've took the best out of most of us.

Cheers mate, not just me who thinks this.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

I think we were extremely fortunate with injuries last term, this season a little the other way.

Other than Tevez buggering off and ACON we didn't really have any long term absences I can remember, this season kompany, Micah, Aguero, losing Balo and NDJ. Not to mention Rodders and yaya and kolo going again.

[Sister of fu]

Does anyone think that that game was the highest of all highs and probably something both players and fans will never ever have a repeat of again. I have found it hard to motivate myself towards City this season as nothing is ever going to be quite the same as that day. Do players think this way, that that was the pinnacle of their careers?? Are they finding motivation hard to come by?? There is a definate hangover.

[ross.mcfc]

Does anyone think that that game was the highest of all highs and probably something both players and fans will never ever have a repeat of again. I have found it hard to motivate myself towards City this season as nothing is ever going to be quite the same as that day. Do players think this way, that that was the pinnacle of their careers?? Are they finding motivation hard to come by?? There is a definate hangover.

I think this is very true. From a fans perspective I do not think that high can ever be topped. You always dream of success, then you want another but it will be near on impossible to top that league win in terms of emotion. Normally when a new season is about to kick off I am raring to go but come the first home game of the season I felt like I still had not got over the last day of last season.

From a players point of view I think it is fairly true as well. They were signed to be the players that delivered us our first title and they have done that. We are miles off winning the CL so what have they got to aim for now? The lack of new hungry signings hurt us as much as the lack of quality added. Not only did United sign a quality player that made them instantly better they added a player who had achieved bugger all at his previous club and time was running out.

The only players that have really stood out this season as still hungry and Milner, Tevez and Zaba. Aguero has never been fit so he is exempt. Yaya has had to do two African nations in a row which will take its toll and Silva did not have much of a break in the summer so those two can be excused as well.

The rest just look like they are going through the motions.

[AG7]

We are all looking for excuses ... that's all ... someone points to injuries, someone points to referees, someone talks conspiracies against us and some blame Mancini over-thinking tactics and doing himself over ... and now we have this new hangover excuse ...

It's probably a mix of all of the above ... but in the end they are all excuses ... call it reasoning and logic behind our performance this season but really bottom line is they are all excuses ... when you are an assembly of such class acts, world superstars, paid beyond anyone else, a manager with a fuck load of experience (challenge it whichever way, but nevertheless it's experience) ... then it's all fucking excuses in the end.

And please stop with where we could have been in League 1 or League 2 and its kind of lottery for us ... this is where we are ... we are fucking Barclays Premier League Champions ... and when we produce shite like Southampton and Everton ... I'm sorry but no excuses can or will justify such performances and a little too many of those have culminated into where we stand ... pathetically pissed on and kicked out of Europe and 15 points behind league leaders.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Do you think it took too much out of the players both mentally and physically?
The reason i ask is because we seem to have picked up a lot more injuries this term and a lot of times this season we have looked really jaded in games.I am really trying to understand the downward curve we seem to have hit this season both in style of play and lack of a cutting edge which has seen a big reduction in chances being converted. Please discuss

The hardest thing to do is to retain a title, that's the sign of a genuinely outstanding team. I really hoped we'd be able to push on and win the title by points this season, but feared we wouldn't. We haven't, which makes next season critical for the club. If the powers that be think it's just a hangover and stick (more or less) with what we've got (both/either on the pitch and off) and it turns out it's something more fundamental than just a hangover, then it'll set us back a good bit as we could end up writing off next season also (and perhaps the season after, in terms of the league). My guess is Mancini will be given the chance and that there won't be any fundamental changes to the squad as regards outgoing players. Incoming I'm hoping our Barcelona boys will do a better job than was done last summer and we add pace and guile to the squad. Fingers and everything else crossed.

[city9_4eva]

Where's the motivation when your getting a guarenteed 100 odd thousand a week every week for 3 or 4 years however long they've signed for. We support City but none of the players do, now I know that sounds strange but think about how it would feel playing against city when you've supported them as a child, does anyone honestly think bar a few, any of the players give a shit? I'll always remember one day as a kid waiting for autographs after a game we had lost and seeing our players laughing and joking around while us fans were upset and angry, we lost 2-0 to Everton at the weekend, Tevez will still get his 220k a week as to will players like kolarov nasri dzeko etc etc they don't care, they will move on and maybe win trophies elsewhere. They know that! A major shake up needs to happen this summer! I'm sick of watching half arsed performances and always thinking why can't our players put in a shit!?
We need to buy players with the correct blend of quality and graft!, skill and tenacity!
Rant over. Come on City!!

[carolina-blue]

We are all looking for excuses ... that's all ... someone points to injuries, someone points to referees, someone talks conspiracies against us and some blame Mancini over-thinking tactics and doing himself over ... and now we have this new hangover excuse ...

It's probably a mix of all of the above ... but in the end they are all excuses ... call it reasoning and logic behind our performance this season but really bottom line is they are all excuses ... when you are an assembly of such class acts, world superstars, paid beyond anyone else, a manager with a fuck load of experience (challenge it whichever way, but nevertheless it's experience) ... then it's all fucking excuses in the end. the

And please stop with where we could have been in League 1 or League 2 and its kind of lottery for us ... this is where we are ... we are fucking Barclays Premier League Champions ... and when we produce shite like Southampton and Everton ... I'm sorry but no excuses can or will justify such performances and a little too many of those have culminated into where we stand ... pathetically pissed on and kicked out of Europe and 15 points behind league leaders.

Allthe posters so far are posters I have a a lot of respect and time for , But I have to agree whole heartidly with Ag7 , to be Current Champions and 15 pts behind really is i Pathetic No offence to Scotish prem but thats where these gaps belong not here .

[DoomMerchant]

We are all looking for excuses ... that's all ... someone points to injuries, someone points to referees, someone talks conspiracies against us and some blame Mancini over-thinking tactics and doing himself over ... and now we have this new hangover excuse ...

It's probably a mix of all of the above ... but in the end they are all excuses ... call it reasoning and logic behind our performance this season but really bottom line is they are all excuses ... when you are an assembly of such class acts, world superstars, paid beyond anyone else, a manager with a fuck load of experience (challenge it whichever way, but nevertheless it's experience) ... then it's all fucking excuses in the end. the

And please stop with where we could have been in League 1 or League 2 and its kind of lottery for us ... this is where we are ... we are fucking Barclays Premier League Champions ... and when we produce shite like Southampton and Everton ... I'm sorry but no excuses can or will justify such performances and a little too many of those have culminated into where we stand ... pathetically pissed on and kicked out of Europe and 15 points behind league leaders.

Allthe posters so far are posters I have a a lot of respect and time for , But I have to agree whole heartidly with Ag7 , to be Current Champions and 15 pts behind really is i Pathetic No offence to Scotish prem but thats where these gaps belong not here .

you + ag7 == have it all figured out. Thank fuck for that. What can the rest of us do but trot out flimsy excuses?

[Beefymcfc]

We are all looking for excuses ... that's all ... someone points to injuries, someone points to referees, someone talks conspiracies against us and some blame Mancini over-thinking tactics and doing himself over ... and now we have this new hangover excuse ...

It's probably a mix of all of the above ... but in the end they are all excuses ... call it reasoning and logic behind our performance this season but really bottom line is they are all excuses ... when you are an assembly of such class acts, world superstars, paid beyond anyone else, a manager with a fuck load of experience (challenge it whichever way, but nevertheless it's experience) ... then it's all fucking excuses in the end.

And please stop with where we could have been in League 1 or League 2 and its kind of lottery for us ... this is where we are ... we are fucking Barclays Premier League Champions ... and when we produce shite like Southampton and Everton ... I'm sorry but no excuses can or will justify such performances and a little too many of those have culminated into where we stand ... pathetically pissed on and kicked out of Europe and 15 points behind league leaders.

These ain't excuses mate, these are reasoned opinions on what has gone on this season. Now, if you wanted you could look back at my posts from the start of the season, and even the closed season and you'll see that I said exactly the same thing.

What you've done there is give not one reasoned opinion as to why highly paid World Superstar squad of players haven't managed to hit the heights of last year. What you have done is the usual 'We were shite' that anybody can come out with. The questions being asked, over many threads, is 'Why have we not been as good'. It's much better than 'We were shite', that's not really a statement for debate, is it?

[Socrates]

We won the title ahead of schedule, it was a bonus to win it so quickly. When the Sheikh bought us there was talk of a ten year plan to get us to the top. When FFP came on the horizon they accelerated the plan to a five year plan. I have no doubt that the main aim for 2010/11 and 2011/12 was Champions League qualification and no more than that. Next season 2013/14 is the season that starts at the end of the five year plan and the point we were building towards. To have been champions so quickly was a fantastic achievement, only 3 years and 9 months after the takeover and only 2 years 6 months after Mancini was appointed. Whether people argue there are better options or not, or want to criticise some decisions or not, I believe he deserves a level of respect for delivering that success ahead of all reasonable expectations. It makes me mad when people go too far, that is all.

[Hazy2]

This season has a feel of after the show, wtf, The rags have had only us to worry about and with so many draws not so much of a worry. For me I am not buying the second season syndrome, this was a a season when we should have defended it better, the Derby win for them has worked for Ferguson in so much they have plodded on nothing more than game2game. We have fell short on almost every front, Injuries and a lack of back up have been an issue. I hope the F.A Cup is not going to be the same. All in all 2nd is great, but it should have been sitting on the rags untill they folded, which they would have as IMHO Blinkers off they are crap and any decent rag will tell you the same.

[I Just Blue Myself]

to be Current Champions and 15 pts behind really is i Pathetic No offence to Scotish prem but thats where these gaps belong not here.

The fact that the current champions in the Bundesliga are 20 points behind & the ones in La Liga 13 points seems to indicate these gaps seem to be pretty standard across the European top leagues this season.

[Manc bluey]

This season has a feel of after the show, wtf, The rags have had only us to worry about and with so many draws not so much of a worry. For me I am not buying the second season syndrome, this was a a season when we should have defended it better, the Derby win for them has worked for Ferguson in so much they have plodded on nothing more than game2game. We have fell short on almost every front, Injuries and a lack of back up have been an issue. I hope the F.A Cup is not going to be the same. All in all 2nd is great, but it should have been sitting on the rags untill they folded, which they would have as IMHO Blinkers off they are crap and any decent rag will tell you the same.

I don't think they are crap as the table will tell you and for them to be so far ahead is mental. They knew exactly what they had to do this season after last season and have been doing it and were desperate to claim back the league which shows in how much they paid for an ageing RVP! All we can do now is try win our games and hopefully pull some points back and maybe dick them 1-6 again at the swamp again!!

[sweenyuk]

This has been a poor season, we are way off the pace of top of table, never competed in Europe or Carling Cup and are only at Wembley because no one has taken a real shot on goal at us in that comp. Everton and Southampton games have looked like the Erikson games once he knew he was going.... I just don't understand why players at teams like City and Chelsea can't motivate themselves when they don't agree with the Manager

[Hazy2]

This season has a feel of after the show, wtf, The rags have had only us to worry about and with so many draws not so much of a worry. For me I am not buying the second season syndrome, this was a a season when we should have defended it better, the Derby win for them has worked for Ferguson in so much they have plodded on nothing more than game2game. We have fell short on almost every front, Injuries and a lack of back up have been an issue. I hope the F.A Cup is not going to be the same. All in all 2nd is great, but it should have been sitting on the rags untill they folded, which they would have as IMHO Blinkers off they are crap and any decent rag will tell you the same.

I don't think they are crap as the table will tell you and for them to be so far ahead is mental. They knew exactly what they had to do this season after last season and have been doing it and were desperate to claim back the league which shows in how much they paid for an ageing RVP! All we can do now is try win our games and hopefully pull some points back and maybe dick them 1-6 again at the swamp again!!

I would love a 6-1, Our big players need to turn up and for me like the rags treat each game with the respect it deserves, I disagree on them, we have not seen them doing anything but just enough.They are nothing more than average and ageing, with a lot of average kids running about, Rooney and RVP that should not be enough with the squad we have and the level we should have been at to defend it or at least breathing down there necks.

[Wooders]

we haven't played like champions this season - this is systemic from the players to the management team

[DoomMerchant]

The fact that the current champions in the Bundesliga are 20 points behind & the ones in La Liga 13 points seems to indicate these gaps seem to be pretty standard across the European top leagues this season.

Both of those clubs could soothe their league pains by winning the CL. City can win the FA cup. Slight difference.

[Nigels Tackle]

we haven't played like champions this season - this is systemic from the players to the management team

we only consistently played like champions in the 11 part of the 2011/12 campaign

we have been consistently inconsistent ever since