Manchester City have now lost five games in a row. Up to the point of that run beginning, such a scenario seemed nigh unthinkable. So, what’s gone so wrong at the club?
It may well simply be a blip. We’ve seen teams such as Liverpool and Real Madrid win the Champions League and finish fifth domestically, so bad runs can and do happen to the best of teams. Still, recent performances have dropped off a cliff and it must be a major concern for Pep Guardiola and co.
Major Missing Players
There’s no doubt Manchester City have been missing some big hitters in the last few weeks. Oscar Bobb, Rodri, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Jeremy Doku and Mateo Kovacic have all been missing. That means, frankly, they aren’t the same team we’re used to seeing.
We can confirm that Rodri has suffered a ligament injury to his right knee.
Everyone at the Club wishes him a speedy recovery 🩵
More information 👇
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 25, 2024
I for one have always defended Pep Guardiola as a coach, as have many others. The complaint levelled at him across social media has always been that, from the beginning, he has had the most talented players in the world to work with.
At Barcelona, he managed their golden era of players including Pique, Puyol, Alves, Alba, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Henry et al. At Bayern Munich, winning the league was a given and at Man City he has had a near unlimited budget. In fairness, he coached all of that top talent really well.
So, big players are missing, that’s true. The question is, would a better coach have got more out of their replacements? All of those coming into the Man City team are highly paid, expensive international players.
It’s hard to imagine Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger losing this many games in a row, regardless of injuries and suspensions. With similar levels of talent to pick from, you’d think a good result is always a game or two away.
Has the Aura Gone?
It was obvious to many of us that, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure, Man United’s aura left also. When the main man was in charge, teams were often beaten before they arrived at Old Trafford. That was no longer the case as soon as he retired.
Of course, it’s annoying to fans. Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski made the point after his team beat Man City 4-0 that if they don’t play that way every week, they’re stupid. I couldn’t agree more.
For football teams, even when it’s not Man City away, there are private jets, private chefs, luxury hotels, cameras, lights and fame. Stadiums are readied with food, drinks, music, TV crews and 60,000 people for a major event. How can those involved in the event not be motivated every single time?
Theatre actors go up on stage every night and nail it. Footballers, it seems, are allowed to train all week and then fluff their lines in front of the paying punters without reproach.
I make the point then, that I give Tottenham no major credit for that 4-0 win. The performance was that of any other flat track bully. Tottenham did not attack Man City like that when they were miles clear in the league and had no major injuries. They simply sensed an injured animal and finished it off.
The point now is, if the aura has gone, even when the big players return to this squad, will other Premier League teams still fear Man City the same as before?
Noticeable Change in Mentality
Before, the Man City squad was robotic. Great if you’re a fan, annoying for everyone else. The ball was retained, chances were created, and goals were scored. Man City was a machine.
The mentality has changed quickly, but why? Is it simply down to those missing players? Do the others not believe in themselves quite as much?
What about the famous 115 charges? If this club is to be punished, that’s a big deal. Man City are only 9/1 to be relegated as a points deduction looks to be a real possibility.
The worry then is that some players have given up on the club already, possibly expecting the worst. Take the Rangers demotion of 2012. While some stuck it out and are now heroes, others are reviled to this day as they could not wait to get out of there.
Rangers went from 12 points clear to losing the league as certain characters ran for the door after the demotion, despite the club still being the top division until the end of the season.
Such a scenario being true at Man City might not be the case, but it’s a fair point to bring up and an interesting thought. Their currently available squad could potentially win the league. That’s up for discussion, but what is not is that said group of players shouldn’t have an aggregate score of 4-14 in five games.
Their next league game is away to Liverpool. Wow.