Yeah it is, they were always going to come good.
I've argued this before, that the main things they've had to overcome are the injuries and then retirement to Kompany, the unpredictable availability of Aguero and the eventual ageing and loss of David Silva.
- They look like they have a settled defense now but it's taken them over a year to get here, which is why it's so laughable that certain quarters are refusing acknowledge that losing three of our centre backs is an acceptable "excuse" to not be challenging.
- While the injuries to Aguero have eventually been cushioned by the likes of Sterling, Foden and others chipping in with more goals and creativity.
- Mahrez has gradually got going and softened the loss of Silva and the injuries to De Bruyne, then you have the likes of Gundogan, Zinchenko and co starting to reshape the midfield again for them.
It's been a gradual process which hasn't happened overnight, but I'm sure they can live with slipping off the gas for a year or so to bed everyone in, now they are back to near where they were, their squad is once again staggering in it's quality and depth. But that's why they are where they are. It'll take us time to get back to where we were. Injured players need to come back the same players, ageing players have to go or make way/be supported by new blood. Like with Jota up top, he will push the others for a place now, we need the same sort of depth at fullback, while I'm not convinced that the defense doesn't need an overhaul:
- I remain unconvinced by Trent as a defender, we at least need a more solid natural defender as an option on the right. Robbo needs support too, it remains to be seen what the Greek lad has to offer.
- I'm not convinced that our fringe centre halves have that much to offer - Kabak, Phillips and Davies still have a lot to prove, while Gomez is hit and miss and Matip surely has to go.
That says defensive overhaul to me, which as I said, will take time to implement and settle. The midfield is largely fine, we could do with a bit of attacking depth, but a midfield from Fabinho, Henderson, Gini, Thiago, Milner and Jones has good depth, I still think we need a playmaker though, City at one point had De Bruyne, Silva and Mahrez! That right there demonstrates the difference in depth.
