Manchester City likely to end up empty-handed again

Following a defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League midweek and a draw with West Ham over the weekend, Manchester City is slowly slipping away from contention for the season's key honors.

1. This is not a team capable of overpowering Arsenal in the League Cup final, and it is also very difficult for them to secure the FA Cup, as their form and quality of play have severely deteriorated.

The Citizens possess all the characteristics of a squad that will end up empty-handed for the second consecutive season due to their inability to protect a lead, failure to correct mistakes they make, and inability to accelerate at the decisive stage of the season.

All these troubles were exposed before London's representative when Pep's team controlled 73% of possession, dominated so thoroughly that they allowed only one shot from the opponent throughout the match, yet their lead lasted only 3 minutes and 44 seconds.

West Ham equalized with that single accurate shot when Konstantinos Mavropanos headed in from a corner, also due to goalkeeper Donnarumma's error, who was burdened by psychological pressure after his disastrous performance against Real 72 hours earlier.

That was also the 13th goal conceded by Manchester City in Premier League matches this season, the highest number ever for the team in a single season. If we disregard their previous relegation, this is an alarming statistic for a team hoping to chase Arsenal at the top of the table.

2. Looking beyond the match result, this was The Citizens' fifth draw of the season, and if we include comeback losses (2 matches), Pep's team has disappointingly dropped 16 points. At the same time, their main rival Arsenal has only dropped 7 points from leading positions.

Another notable detail: Manchester City has dropped 11 points from matches where they led after the first half, the highest for them in many years under Pep Guardiola. And the timing of goals conceded by Pep's team shows how frequently concentration, quality of play, and mistakes have occurred.

Around 40% of The Citizens' conceded goals occur after the 75th minute, about 35% after the 80th minute, such as Arsenal's equalizer in the 93rd minute, Chelsea piercing Donnarumma's net in the 4th minute of added time, and losing to Brighton in the 89th minute.

Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta's team tends to be the opposite, rarely conceding in the final 15 minutes and scoring decisive goals late in matches, like the victory over Everton (2-0) last weekend. This is a truly serious issue and reveals the extent of Manchester City's weakness.

One key factor for a championship-winning team is the ability to overcome weaknesses in gameplay as quickly as possible. Manchester City of the past did not lose more than two consecutive matches or repeat mistakes from one match to another. But currently, anyone can become the cause of failure on the pitch.

3. Since arriving in England, except for last season, Pep Guardiola has established a familiar pattern in the Premier League: if Manchester City is still in the title race by March, they usually emerge as winners at the end of the season.

The Citizens are renowned for accelerating in the final stages with long winning streaks, absolute control, and the ability to stifle opponents' chances, repeatedly helping the team turn the tide in title races. But this season has changed because it is essentially a prolonged consequence of last season's crisis.

After maintaining a top-level competitive squad for seven years, Manchester City and Pep Guardiola himself have reached a point of exhaustion. Despite revolutionizing personnel by replacing half of the main lineup, this team has not achieved systemic perfection and operates inconsistently. More importantly, the team lacks strength and clarity at the highest leadership position: Pep Guardiola!