Manchester City: The ups and downs of a dismal campaign

Away to Ajax, City’s defensive problems were brought to light as a young Ajax side took City to pieces and won 3-1. Coming out of that game was the players’ rift with manager Roberto Mancini. Mancini had changed tactics to 3-5-2, but the players did not seem to want to implement it, and it caused confusion amongst the side. They were again almost humiliated by Ajax at home. Two early strikes gave Ajax a 2-0 lead, until City brought it back to 2-2.

These were both games City should have won, and Ajax did not pick up another point throughout the rest of their Champions League campaign. A combative draw against Real Madrid followed before an utterly disgraceful performance away to Dortmund’s “B” side knocked City out of Europe’s top competition in the Group Stage for the second season running.

After City’s Champions League exit, their main focus was the Premier League. Top at the start of December, a deject draw at home to Everton gave Manchester United the top spot heading into the Manchester Derby at the Etihad. A late Robin Van Persie winner gave City’s arch-rivals victory, but if the commitment and desire to the cause had been the level of Pablo Zabaleta’s throughout the City side, then the result may have been different. Nevertheless, United created a 5 point margin at the top of the Premier League, a margin that escalated to 11 points by the end of the season.

In the second half of the season, City did not learn from their mistakes. Once the departure of Mario Balotelli was confirmed, it was expected that City would become a better side, one that was without the distraction of the Italian maverick.

However, in the three consequent games after Balotelli’s departure, City did not win once. A humiliating defeat away to Southampton, brought with it extremely odd howlers from Joe Hart and Gareth Barry. This would be the last straw for the owners of the club. After the defeat to Southampton, Mansour reportedly told his City boardroom to look for a replacement for the next campaign. From February onwards, Mancini was a dead man walking.

Pablo Zabaleta was sent off in the FA Cup final

Despite their failings in the league, City had forged an impressive cup run. Wins over Watford, Stoke, Leeds, and Barnsley brought City back to Wembley. They were to face Chelsea in the semi-final of the FA Cup and for probably just the fifth time that season, City turned on the style. City impressively swept away Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley, only six days after a committed and hard earned performance at Old Trafford earned City the same result.

What was to happen six weeks later was a disaster.

City were undeservedly being given the chance to win some silverware after their pathetic showings in the Premier League and the Champions League.

City fans were filled with hope, that despite all the troubles of the season, they could win something.

They believed they weren’t typical City any more.

How wrong they were!

City turned up to Wembley in a poor run of form after their victory over Chelsea six weeks earlier. Wins at home to Wigan and West Brom were awful performances, whilst the draw away to Swansea was even worse. City also lost to Tottenham during this period, when a 10 minute lapse of concentration gave Welsh wizard Gareth Bale license to play, and he inspired a goal-fest from Spurs to win 3-1 over the champions at White Hart Lane. Manchester United sealed their title win a day later, and City had failed to keep their trophy away from the red half of Manchester.

Despite their poor run of form, the football world still expected City to beat Wigan Athletic at Wembley. Wigan were struggling and featured in the Premier League’s relegation zone. They were unable to forge the late yearly run of form to get themselves out of trouble, a trademark of Wigan since Roberto Martinez became their manager in 2009. Football fans around the world expected it to be a walk in the park for expensively assembled Manchester City. Yet what happened was City’s season in a nutshell.

No commitment, no drive, no passion.

As Wigan players fought for every ball, City players did not. Wigan were on top of City for the majority of the game. Even City’s player of the year, Pablo Zabaleta, the winner purely because he showed the qualities that his team-mates had not, did not seem up for the game and eventually was given his marching orders.

Inevitably, Wigan scored a late winner through substitute Ben Watson, and City’s dreams for silverware were over.

City were humiliated, embarrassed, and a mess, three words that could have described City many times throughout the 2012/13 campaign.

Not content with the level of embarrassment, City sacked Roberto Mancini in an undesirable fashion. They then lost 3-2 at home to Norwich on the final day.

City have been a laughing stock at many times throughout their history. The first side to be champions and then get relegated, the very next season. The first side to score the most goals in one season AND concede the most. A side who lost 8-1 to a mediocre Middlesbrough side, managed by Gareth Southgate. And a side, when drawing 2-2 with Liverpool at home on the final day of the 1995/96 season, told the team to try and maintain the result despite needing a win to stay up.

City will come back stronger next year and will always come out fighting. Despite their mess-ups, City have always found a way to fight back. Look to the 1998/99 play-off final, or Aguero’s last minute winner to seal the title.

There’s no doubt about it, City will be back.