I'm far from convinced that we've 'recovered' or that our cataclysmic form was mostly because we were disappointed that we didn't win the league or CL, I credit our players with more professionalism and drive than that. I suspect it's more we're learning to manage what we now are. A little bit like in 20/21 where we eventually worked out how to manage not having any CBs. Not that much changed in terms of available personnel between the awful run of home defeats and our recovery to finish 3rd. But we managed to adjust.
I do see what you're saying and why you say it but I've definitely seen signs in these recent games of the "recovery" as you put it. Obviously we are all aware that there have been several false dawns, not least the City game. What makes me so sure right now that it is the real deal and not simply my red tinted cockeyed optimism is the fact that it's as clear as day the players are once again enjoying their football - such an important ingredient of any successful team. Whether the various statistics back up what I seem to be seeing I've no idea but it would surprise me if they didn't, albeit clearly the United massacre will likely skew statistics somewhat.
In contrast, throughout the season it's largely looked as if the games were a chore for the players individually and collectively. Unsurprisingly when that is the case confidence is low, concentration and focus suffer and the cohesion any team with ambition at this level needs is missing.
But of late - and most especially against United, Everton and Wolves and the opening half against Madrid - the players looked as if they were relishing playing again with a spring in their step. Confidence seemed to return and those other crucial aspects I just mentioned were clearly back. Whereas for a while Thiago, Bajcetic and Mo seemed to be the only ones reaching the sort of level we crave, it's quickly transpired that Hendo, Fab, Robbo, Trent, Virgil etc have also got back in the saddles they'd seemed to have fallen off. When you throw in the boost of the injury returns and the seeming emergence of a real player in GakpoI think it's hard to see this as anything other than a dramatic rediscovering of what made the team so successful and so fucking amazing over this past 4/5 years.
We shall, of course, have a further insight into whether this is indeed the real McCoy or just another false dawn come Saturday at Bournemouth. My money is firmly on the former.
Now as to whether my own view as to why we've fallen so far from grace is true or not we shall never know for sure I guess. I take what you say about these guys being highly trained, motivated and rewarded professionals who should cope with any circumstances they encounter.
To this I'd simply reiterate what I've been saying for sometime which is that no matter how professional they may be they are still human. As such, what happened to them at the season's end was so uniquely crushing. If the likes of us felt it so badly then just imagine the damage it inflicted upon them , no matter how they might feel it is perhaps not the done thing to air it.
When they have come so close to footballing immortality - and let's not forget that such an achievement would have been totally unique - only to be denied by such wretched ill fortune. On the one hand by three of the - shall we say to avoid being too controversial - worst VAR decisions I've ever seen all of which flopped in in City's favour gifting them four points and depriving us of two points whilst on the other hand being denied in a final by a goalkeeping freak show, then it comes as no surprise to me that such atrocious ill fortune may well have been responsible for the parcity and poverty of performance we have so regularly been witnessing throught the season. To the extent that so many on this board had basically written off certain players and the team as a whole.
As I say only time will tell but for now let's pray I'm right and we now go on to win the league and Champions League double as every other team falls to pieces in our midst.
