The shambles of rivals Manchester United has deflected attention from City’s failure to progress.
With 10 points, Manchester City should feel unfortunate that they did not qualify for the Champions League knockout stages
City did not disgrace themselves in this campaign, but questions hover over why Roberto Mancini was not able to help them qualify.
If Manchester United had qualified, City would find themselves under further scrutiny, as the only English club not to make the last 16.
It is easy to say that as this is City’s first time in the Champions League that they should just ‘put this one down to experience’.
Sure they had a tough group, but every game is tough at this stage, unless you are facing Otelul Galati.
For City were not the only newboys in their group. Napoli were also taking part in the Champions League for the very first time.
Napoli, who did not have the luxury of an oil-rich sheikh to build their team, took four points off City and knocked them out.
So City should ask themselves questions today.
Is their squad as good as they thought?
Was the Carlos Tevez saga too much of a distraction?
Should they have lowered their asking price for Tevez and sold him in the summer?
Was Mancini’s decision to drop Micah Richards for the more conservative Zabaleta in both games against the Italians the right choice?
And importantly, do City need to sign more players this January to aid their Europa League campaign, a trophy they say they are determined to win?
image: © Mark Freeman
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