There is no denying that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and the fans have been through the wringer so far in the 2024/25 campaign, and whilst a lot of our problems can be laid at the feet of the injuries that we have suffered and that particular situation, we have also had problems with player form, consistency and focus.
Obviously the off pitch situation will have cast its own shadow on first team affairs, despite efforts to avoid that, because they are human and it would only be natural for players to wonder. But one thing that has become pretty evident with Pep's decision to stay, is that with an aging team and some key players now being more susceptible to knocks and niggles, we do now need a bit of a rebuild - particularly if some of our form in the Premier League and Champions League is down to complacency because players have peaked and are now too comfortable and need a different voice and challenge.
For those online gaming fans that are looking for a new challenge themselves, they may want to Play blackjack online for a new experience as much like rebuilding a matchday squad, you need a strategy and a bit of lady luck to go your way, but that is part of the enjoyment if you like that kind of mental game play.
With the January transfer window now behind us, the club will already be putting plans in place for the end of the season and the summer window and it is now being reported that following the defeat to Real Madrid, that it has now firmed up Guardiola's belief that we need to move on at least eight players in order to reinvigorate ourselves.
Naturally the press are mostly guessing at who would be in that eight player group, but fans themselves will have their own ideas with a plethora of reasons to justify a particular departure, so they will probably concur with the list(s) being suggested.
Come the summer our current crop will feature ten players over the age of 30, and Jack Grealish will add to that the following September and despite playing their part, some have just not lived up to a legendary billing, and the legends are past their prime.
Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan and Ederson are a few of the bigger names that come instantly to mind, but they are far from alone when we talk about a rebuild or reboot, and there are younger names out there that we should be interested in - but it should be a very busy summer of incomings and outgoings.
Each of them have more than played their part in our successes over the last few years, and there is no denying their role in helping to make up some legendary, and heroic squads - but football does not live in the past or on memories, and the professional game means everyone has a shelf life and then the cycle starts again.