Manchester City: Pellegrini to blame

Manchester City slumped to yet another loss, this time in the derby. With their top four place at serious risk, Manuel Pellegrini must take responsibility.

“Free fall”, noun, a rapid and continuing drop or decline, example – Manchester City have slipped into a massive free fall that shows little signs of abating. Obviously you guys know what the order for the day is, and, I confess right now probably isn’t the best time to be writing about such things. You see, City just lost 1-0 at home to rivals Manchester United, their 4^th loss in their last 6 games, and we’re all pretty mad here.

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We’re mad City lost of course, it’s a derby game, that’s to be expected. Beyond that though is the sheer, undiluted rage at letting that United side take away the three points. I mean really, United were so distinctly unimpressive, nay, predictably unimpressive, that I can’t imagine any other manager in the country failing to either plan or, failing that, react, to it. Except Manuel Pellegrini of course.

Ah now you see the heart of it. Yes, I’ve defended Pellegrini in the past. The ill-conceived announcement of his successor, Pep Guardiola, mid-way through the campaign was a death knell for Manchester City’s form up until that point and it single-handedly turned Pellegrini into the lame duck he has remained since. It shouldn’t have happened, Pellegrini certainly did deserve better after delivering the title to City and ownership at the Etihad must take some responsibility. But only so much.

Ownership weren’t to blame for the dispirited performance today against a United that were quite content to park the bus in front of goal after grabbing just one themselves. Those kinds of tactics have been Louis Van Gaal’s forte, strength and solidity over flash and bang. Today it worked, but that’s only because City never really brought any of the latter to counter the former.

Pellegrini’s tactics changed no more than the players he still continues to put too much faith into. Martin Demichelis was in full-on self-destruct mode, cut to pieces for the goal, giving away what should have been a penalty, looking outclassed and outmatched by a kid half his age. Yet Demichelis is only partly to blame, what was Pellegrini thinking having a pacey, creative player like Marcus Rashford marked by the lumbering Argentinian? Finally, after nearly gifting United’s second and causing Joe Hart to be injured, Pellegrini woke up from his slumber and pulled Demichelis out of there. It was too late, the damage was done.

And who was to replace him? City needed a goal, nes pas? Ah so you’d think then Pellegrini would turn to goal scoring wunderkind Kelechi Iheanacho, someone who has found the back of the net for the sky blues 10 times despite only starting 9 games this season, right? Wrong. Instead Pellegrini made the completely predictable decision to bring on Wilfried “white flag” Bony, who has managed only 8 goals for City in 16 starts. The definition of insanity.

Honestly, Bony looked like a deer caught in the headlights, like he’d never scored a goal in his career. I’m not sure another 90 minutes would have changed that. City looked so tired, so done, so out of it all that the root of the problem goes far beyond a tactically sound game from Van Gaal. Pellegrini failed to motivate his players, get them up for what really was a must-win game.

You will point to the fact we remain, in spite of losing more league games at home this year than the last four combined, in 4^th place. But it’s only by a single point now. 1 point separates City from the Champions League next year and the abyss, a slot in the Europa that will tie Guardiola’s hands as he seeks to attract new talent to replace the Demichelises and Bonys dragging the whole thing down.

Let’s face facts here, Pellegrini is responsible for this at least to some degree. Doubtless, given his charm and candour, he will take the full whack. I don’t expect for a second that Manchester City will give him the sack, even should PSG run riot in the Champions League quarter finals. With Pep coming already in the summer, it would be too much hassle to arrange for a caretaker and it’s questionable if the will is there regardless.

Even so, something has to give. The dynamic needs to change or City’s free fall will only end with the final game of the season at which point they could sit embarrassingly so very far away from where they should be. Unthinkable at the start of the year, it’s all too real for Citizens now and this is sadly the aftertaste from Pellegrini’s reign that could remain.

Next: Manchester City draw PSG in the Champions League

Next up, it’s away to Bournemouth in which you’d imagine Manchester City should manage to take the full three points. Also, even without Pellegrini changing much, things could well improve of their own accord with Kevin De Bruyne, Samir Nasri and Fabian Delph set for return from injury. Perhaps this really isn’t the best time to be writing this, because after today I’m not even sure it will be enough.