Triumph in the midst of chaos.

Manchester City have won it all, and here's a sleepy man's scrambled thoughts to cap it off.

February 6th, 2023, Manchester City were charged with multiple financial allegations. These accusations appeared to be the turning point of the season in the middle of poor form, awful off-field misbehaviour, and a lack of desire. Using this as a tool, Pep Guardiola delivered a fiery speech immediately before a game against Aston Villa, kicking off a two-month undefeated streak.

City's start to the season had been rocky. They had lost their first match two months into the season, but there was a general consensus that this wasn't the City that fans had come to love under Pep Guardiola- a lack of wide threats, a loss of dynamism and spark, dull football in which City were incapable of controlling games regardless of possession.

When City had lost to Brentford at home in December, all I could see was a team devoid of any emotion and hunger- unable to control, incapable of creating.

And then, there were the intangibles- the lack of happy faces and motivation, the surprising end of Joao Cancelo’s Manchester City career. After a win v Spurs at home, Guardiola made a speech that would be remembered for months- declaring that there was no hunger or desire, Pep stated he could no longer recognise his team.

This was clear throughout the game when Rico Lewis was mobbed and fouled by Spurs players, with no one rushing to his aid. This was a dramatic contrast to the prior seasons, where a spirit of camaraderie had been developed.

Then came the charges, and Pep’s speech of hope and truth. With all the controversy and tension surrounding the club, a fire in the team was somehow lit again, a spark. The players had something to fight for, trophies were on the line, and suddenly began a quest to reclaim what was theirs.

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What followed next was a revolutionary tactical change that fixed the issues that plagued the team- the wide areas now gave City a newfound source of chance creation, whilst the likes of Ruben Dias inspired the team with his in-built confidence and mentality. Aggressive as a defender, Dias’ ability to organise the defence and hold the team together, is invaluable.

While Lewis laid the foundation for Pep’s blueprint, John Stones was the final piece of the puzzle- a man who allowed City to attack with 5, and defend with 5. His value in possession, coupled with his ability to sense danger at the back, added an extra layer of protection against transitions.

The ‘happy faces’ of the team were the driving forces. Jack Grealish, Nathan Ake, Rico Lewis- players with a point to prove, players whose previous seasons were either derailed with injuries or filled with setbacks and poor form.

Now, the City we all loved had returned--players hugging after every duel or save, backing each other up against all odds, sticking up for one another when it mattered--the spirit of belonging that had defined this era under Pep for many years was now back, better than ever.

And so, City went on the ruthless streak everyone had come to fear- a bit late, no doubt, but it was the business end. Arsenal, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, all tried, but none could beat the team that is City. A beast had finally awoken from its slumber, and now it would stop at nothing to get what it wanted.

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As the season approached, supporters and players recognised that a dream might become a reality, as City had the opportunity to seal themselves as treble winners- a title only the greatest were worthy of.

It’s poetic that City’s final game of the season was against their Achilles’s heel- Inter Milan’s back 5, a shape that City have never found convincing solutions against. Their losses and draws came against Brentford, Spurs and Everton- teams that used a back 5 to suffocate attacks and neutralise superiorities.

But like champions do, Manchester City came alive- while De Bruyne ended his season in the unluckiest manner possible, the others did their job- Gundogan’s retention, Foden’s spark, John Stones’ impression of a midfielder, Dias’ brave defending.

It is fitting that City’s opener was reminiscent of the 17/18 template- split the defence and cutback the ball- representative of an era of free-flowing football.

In the end, City did what they did best, and it was not just down to the tactics- what had been missing early on in the season, had now been resurrected thanks to the charges, Pep’s management, and the likes of Dias, Grealish, Gundogan and Ake all instilling hope, hunger and desire in the team.

It’s poetic that Ilkay Gundogan, Pep’s first ever signing at City, lifted the club’s first ever CL. And it’s poetic that this is how Guardiola solidifies his status as the greatest, akin to Messi’s World-Cup win earlier.

It’s poetic that this group of players helped win it- a team of box threats, players who have a love for the art of defending, and City fans (Haaland, Foden) who had displayed an undying love for their team in the past.

Perhaps it was just meant to be.