I’M STILL not willing to write off Manchester City from winning the Premier League title this year.
And yet, on Tuesday night, Phil Foden claimed that top four is what they are aiming for this season.
What the f*** are you on about?
Where’s the confidence of reigning champions?
If City had beaten Brentford, they would have been six points off Arsenal, who are being tipped as Liverpool’s greatest threat.
And with 17 games left, there is only one team, one squad and one manager on the planet capable of putting together a near-perfect run worthy of winning a title and that’s Pep Guardiola and City.
Who in their right mind would bet against that when they’ve done it before?
But, and there is a big but, we’re also in a situation where it has become a taboo to question the great man that is Pep, which in itself is really scary.
He needs to be called out when he is in the wrong and he has got a lot of big decisions wrong this season — including on Tuesday in the 2-2 draw at the Gtech.
City were 2-0 up and cruising. Are you telling me taking off Foden and bringing on James McAtee was the best tactical situation to see out that game?
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That’s not a dig at McAtee but is he going to put his foot on the ball, run it into the corner or kick it into Row Z if needs be?
Pep left the far more experienced Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish on the bench.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Pep Guardiola ‘SPLITS from wife after 30 years and three children together’ according to reports in Spain” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6367052007112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]His decision-making generally has been bizarre – why is Ederson not starting regularly? Isn’t he your No 1?
Kevin De Bruyne wasn’t getting a kick and now he is starting most weeks.
Why does it feel like there are more disgruntled players in the squad than ever before?
Has Pep’s man-management changed with the underachievement so far this season?
Why is Kyle Walker still at the club if he wants to leave?
Normally, City get transfers done and dusted before you’ve even heard about it. Now, they’re dithering.
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D103293%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /]Why didn’t they go big in the summer with signings? Because of the 130 financial rule breaches they have been charged with?
Because the manager’s future was undecided before he signed a two-year deal in November?
I get the feeling Pep is overthinking it, almost double bluffing himself and the club are following suit.
As a result, City just aren’t as tough to beat or nick points off as they used to be and they no longer feel or look like an efficient machine away from the pitch.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal were dominant forces and then went off the boil – are we seeing this now with City and Pep?
Maybe it is as simple as losing the best player on the planet in Rodri to a long-term injury, but I don’t buy that.
But it’s not just Pep. When you look at City as an organisation this season, it’s been sloppy.
Signing up Erling Haaland until 2034 is great business but as a team and as a club, they have fallen asleep at the wheel.
And because of that, we have heard more excuses coming from their camp in the last three or four months than the past five years.
They have injuries but so does everybody. And look at that squad — world-class talent capable of beating most teams comfortably.
There’s a lot of moaning. Maybe some of the players are not used to the fight because they usually win everything with ease.
They’re not being accountable. They’re not stepping up.
Don’t try and suggest they have an ‘ageing squad’ either. Last season, no one mentioned their ages because they have a terrific squad. This ‘ageing’ stuff is the biggest cop out.
Yes, they have tough games coming up – Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool, Spurs and Nottingham Forest by March 8 – but they’re brilliant chances to get back on track.