Manchester City may have started the season with ambitions to be Premier League champions. But all of a sudden, Pep Guardiola has a very different fight on his hands.
When Pep Guardiola arrived at Manchester City, all the talk was of Premier League titles and finally capturing that elusive Champions League. In time, that may all come to fruition. But for this season, Guardiola should be very concerned about his side’s place in the top four.
City were shell-shocked by Everton last weekend when the Toffees run riot in the second half of their meeting at Goodison Park. Everton ended up 4-0 winners and in the process made the City defense look like complete amateurs.
The final result was shocking. City haven’t exactly had a great record against Everton over the years, but to be dissected so ruthlessly was shocking. But was it avoidable? Or are Manchester City just not as good as Guardiola and others expected this season?
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It was widely anticipated after Manuel Pellegrini left last summer that Guardiola would have a clearout of the City squad. That never happened for some reason. In most games this season, Guardiola is effectively playing with Pellegrini’s team.
Which was a good team but, at this stage, is now ageing. After not having the clearout expected, the team isn’t getting any younger six months on. Injuries have not helped, too. But still, the realization is surely dawning on Guardiola now that with this group of players, top four is the best he can hope for.
The title is gone. Guardiola said it himself after the Everton debacle. Maybe he meant it. Maybe he was just saying it. But it is true. This Manchester City squad needed younger, fresher, more dynamic players in multiple positions.
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Some good young players did arrive like John Stones, Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus, but those players are for tomorrow more than today. They’re a work in progress. Guardiola is relying on his veterans to see him through this season and they just don’t have the legs any more.
You can always carry one or two veteran players physically. But when Yaya Toure, David Silva, Bacary Sagna, Aleksandar Kolarov and Pablo Zabaleta are all the wrong side of 30, you’re carrying too many older legs.
And especially in a league that is known for its physical challenges. City are failing those physical challenges as much as anything else. Counter attacks against City are almost foolproof now. By the time Guardiola’s men finally get back to defend, the ball is back on the center spot ready for kick off.
Guardiola should have cleared out the spine of City’s starting XI in the summer and replaced it with a younger version. He didn’t. And now he’s relying on a faulty older version to see him through the campaign. In Germany or Spain, Guardiola would likely of finished second anyway.
In England, though, you might end up finishing sixth or seventh. You just can’t take any chances. Much like an older fighter in the twilight of their career, City can still take out anyone on their day and when they’re feeling good.
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But those days are becoming less and less frequent. You really don’t know which City you’re going to get on any given day. And those hot and cold displays are only going to continue now for the rest of the season.
Guardiola just needs to hope there’s enough hot showings to keep the club out of the Champions League cold.