Team Focus: Manchester City Epitomise Inconsistency of this Premier League

After a big win, Pablo Zabaleta was back in bullish mood. “We have a big period coming up,” the Manchester City full-back said after his side’s 4-0 demolition of Crystal Palace. “Four months, and we are in four competitions… we need to perform well week in, week out, and we have the big players to do that.”

That was certainly evident by the time Sergio Aguero rolled home City’s sumptuous third against Palace. It was a moment when it all came together, because all of their main attackers combined so gloriously. Aguero exchanged passes with David Silva, before feeding Yaya Toure, who moved it wide to Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian then slid the ball across the box for Aguero to score.

Part of the glory was that they made a move of relative complexity look so simple. It was an illustration of what City are capable. It was for that precise reason, though, that it was also slightly jarring. Why haven’t we seen this kind of thing more often this season?

Well, one big reason for that is because - up until now, at least - Zabaleta has been wrong: City have not had their big players to do that. Aguero, De Bruyne and Silva have only started together seven times this season, and just five times in the league. That’s bad enough and removes so much of the side’s verve. It’s all the worse when you consider that those three have not played together with Vincent Kompany even once this season.

All of this probably goes some way to explaining the stat that tells the main story of City’s season: they haven’t won two league games in a row since October. They haven’t found anything like consistency.

In that, while clubs like West Ham United and Stoke City might sum up how strong the Premier League’s new middle-tier is, City probably sum up the openness of the top end - and reflect one big factor as to why the season as a whole has been so open.

Because, while Chelsea - and, to a lesser extent, Manchester United - have had freakish seasons even by the standards of this campaign, and ones that are genuine outliers, City’s case feels more relevant in that regard. It looks like it could be more repeatable, because they just can’t seem to hit the run of relentless form that characterised so many Premier League champions between 2003 and 2013.

A further quirk to that curiosity is that this was supposed to be the season they kicked on. This was supposed to be the season they returned to the rampant football of 2013/14. In the summer, City seem to have finally filled out the gaps in the squad and bolstered it while also beginning the process of moving on from the 2011-14 core.

It initially looked like they would recover some of their best football, as they started the season so well… only to eventually succumb to the usual drastic drops that this squad has been so susceptible to. The 4-1 defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, as well as the 2-0 loss away to Stoke City, were particular nadirs given the nature of the displays.

It was difficult not to get away from the idea that they lack a mental baseline; that they are capable of collapse when the core aren’t around. It also points to a stark prospect about this side. It is remarkable that, for all the money they’ve spent, they are still reliant on a core - arguably more than other sides who have won titles in the past.

As such, City also look like a slightly shallower version of the 2013/14 side - which is reflected in the stats. They pass less, with just 492 per game compared to 502, and they also do less with it. Frequency of through balls is often a sign of the imagination of a side, and City only play two a match this season, compared to three in 2013/14. That has also led to fewer goals from open play - 1.36 per game rather than 1.74.

As it is, City almost look like a new Arsenal in that regard - a team capable of being good when the mood takes, but softer than they should be. The irony is that could allow Arsenal to finally win the league - unless City can finally get that core together for a consistent run. Then, it might really come together.

Should City be considered title favourites this season despite their inconsistency? Let us know in the comments below