When Great teams suddenly 'go off the boil'

[PalazioVecchio]

We have seen this very many times in football history. The latest incarnation is Man City. It often seems to follow great trophy success. And often it is difficult to blame one player's hunger or one injury. A malign rot seems to creep in. Formerly witnessed with unbeatable squads at Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Arsenal. Among others.
Very often the rot creeps in over the summer months. A squad returns to the League looking only a shadow of its former self. Its intriguing, especially when they did NOT sell off any excellent players.

There is an argument that all their opposition figures them out. Cottons on. And changes tactics accordingly. But that is normally not enough to explain how you can be like a squad of Messi's in April and then become like a team of overweight fools arguing with each other on the pitch.

Normally the manager gets the blame. But it is difficult to understand how a brilliant manager turns into an Alan Pardew overnight. Personally, i blame the players.

what does it all mean ?

 

[BromleyMonkey]

After we beat Liverpool in the FA Cup semi in 1990, they won the league that season but then didn’t win it again for 30 years

Amazing what the shock of losing to palace can do to a club 😀

 

[Badger11]

After we beat Liverpool in the FA Cup semi in 1990, they won the league that season but then didn’t win it again for 30 years

You always say the nicest things 😀

 

[cryrst]

The bin dippers and arse are entering theirs now. Chelsea chasing them down. Wouldn’t be shocked if the trophy went to the bridge. Although once a team comes out of its slump it rockets. Man City still my pick.

 

[Lanzo-Ad]

When is it our time to lose our dip, i would like to have one before we lose it.

 

[PalazioVecchio]

as a measure of how shyte Man City are , they just lost to ManUre. Two shyte has-beens that used to be imperious & invincible.

 

[Dogburger]

City have just lost too many key players to either age or injury . Recent replacements are maybe not as good and as we saw today they have added mistakes to their game . I wouldn't write them off just yet though .

 

[Eaglehamster]

Maybe coaches have realised that the tippy-tappy possession game can be beaten with pace and passes longer than 3 yards. If it’s the death of that style I’m all for it.
No tears for Citeh from me.

 

[Teddy Eagle]

Maybe coaches have realised that the tippy-tappy possession game can be beaten with pace and passes longer than 3 yards. If it’s the death of that style I’m all for it.
No tears for Citeh from me.

Couldn't agree more. It's one thing to play this "keep ball" game with Xavi, Iniesta & co, particularly with Messi up front waiting to pounce but it's just boring when other teams try and Barcelona were usually progressive not just repeatedly tapping the ball along the backline. It doesn't have to be route one lump it upfield all the time but surely there's a compromise somewhere, particularly against a high press (or whatever it's called).

 

[MrRobbo]

Eaglehamster, Teddy - v interesting point. With Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Messi the style is perfect.

I wonder if in this instant, as well as the rot, Pep has strayed from the philosophy a little too much. e.g. Haarland, Doku aren't really tika taka players. For this to work you need to be all in.