If you include Community Shields, Man City have won ten trophies since Pep Guardiola was appointed as their head coach.
That’s an average of two trophies per season, which is impressive by any measure.
Champions League glory may have eluded the decorated tactician since he took charge at the Etihad but there can be no doubt he has overseen one of the very best teams of the modern era.
Man City’s brilliance may be undeniable but not every neutral is enamoured with Guardiola’s side.
The financial might of Sheikh Mansour and the cloudy morality surrounding state-owned football clubs have repelled some but even those who would rather we all ‘stick to football’ are not overly forthcoming with praise for the reigning Premier League champions.
There is a significant portion of the football-watching public who are left cold by City. It’s increasingly common for tweets labelling them ‘boring’ to be widely retweeted and liked.
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Nobody denies the effectiveness of Guardiola’s City but many find their routine wins repetitive and lacking in artistic expression.
To get to the heart of why this might be, let’s take a closer look at Raheem Sterling’s goal against Norwich on Saturday.
Kyle Walker plays a pass in behind the full-back for Gabriel Jesus who plays a first-time ball across the face of goal for the England international to tap home.
It’s hard to think of a more obvious example of a system goal – one that is a direct product of a coach’s teachings.
In isolation, it’s a brilliant goal. Walker’s pass is perfect and Jesus’ movement is equal parts economic and devastating, and the same goes for Sterling.
However, when we remove the goal from isolation and consider it in the context of everything we know about Guardiola and his side, it’s easy to see why some might muster only a shrug as a reaction.
The beauty of football is that, for all the thought that goes into tactics, it’s an instinctive game that is hugely dependent on individual skill.
As fans, we tend to love goals that come from nowhere. From the most recent weekend, Danny Ings’ athletic effort and Raphinha’s pinpoint strike are good examples.
Sterling’s goal is almost the exact opposite – you can see it coming from miles away and it’s instantly recognisable.
Guardiola wants his team to score this exact goal 25 times a season. It’s almost a set-piece from open play. In fact, the commentator for the highlights on Man City’s YouTube channel even describes it as a ‘Pep Guardiola goal’.
Everything Jesus and Sterling did in those few seconds would have been second nature because it’s something they’ve done hundreds of times before. The latter has scored so many goals like it since Guardiola’s appointment he probably dreams of tap-ins.
It’s easy to empathise with those who aren’t thrilled by goals that look like glorified training exercises because they lack that magical sense of spontaneity.
This isn’t a criticism of the players in the slightest – they are paid to score goals and win games and they are one of the best sides in the world at doing just that.
And it’s certainly not a criticism of Guardiola, who must take immense satisfaction whenever his team score a goal so clearly influenced by his tactical blueprint.
While it’s true City have an eye-wateringly expensive squad made up of players with prodigious individual talent, they are absolutely a product of their coach’s vision.
This simultaneously makes them brilliant and, in the eyes of some, predictable. It’s difficult to watch Sterling’s goal and not get the sense it was rehearsed.
It should go without saying that plenty of neutrals find City’s style, and their signature goal, very appealing indeed.
And perhaps those who find City’s brilliance boring should focus on the slick inner workings of a highly successful club.
There are so many examples of teams stacked with talented players underperforming because they lack sufficient tactical direction – you can probably name a few high-profile Premier League clubs who fit that description currently.
If your biggest problem is that you’re scoring the same goal so often that fans of other clubs are calling you boring on social media then you know you’re doing very well.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the Jack Grealish transfer is how he will fit in to one of the most structured attacks in European football.
Alongside Wilfried Zaha, the 25-year-old was perhaps the most individual player in the league for Aston Villa – providing inspiration through solo endeavour.
At City, he will have to learn the patterns and set plays that have been the cornerstones of Guardiola’s reign.
Against Norwich, he scored almost by accident as the ball bounced in off his knee after a move down the right that was very similar to the one leading to Sterling’s goal, with Walker and Jesus playing the same roles.
Dream Team bosses will be keeping an eye on how quickly Grealish settles in Manchester.
He’s provided ten points so far, making him the eighth-best midfielder in the game, but there are signs he may need some time to learn Guardiola’s ways.