Season review: Winning Mentality

The last months of a season are always going to be those that are remembered, whether they define a side's success or not - strong early season form will often be eclipsed by a woeful end, for example, as Sunderland may testify this season - but with City, the blistering run from the semi-final to the end of the season was not only a welcome surprise but also marked the arrival of the team as a force to be reckoned with.  

Trained for years in the complexities of Cityitis, we had to juggle the hope that was being offered with all the 'typical city' feelings.  Sure, we'll beat United in the semis, but wouldn't it just be typical City to then lose to Stoke - especially Stoke.  Tottenham are on a woeful run, but they always do well at Eastlands and it would be typical of City to be the ones to end their misfortune.  Can we be trusted with it all in our hands on the last day away to Bolton? The workings of the paranoid mind, but even amongst the fans that is beginning to change.  I feel it is our duty to feel like that almost - it has been ingrained over the last couple of decades - but there is less reason for those feelings.  Could the fabled winning mentality be making its way into the terraces too?

The 'winning mentality' has become one of football's clichés.  After the Champions' League final, Barcelona legend Hristo Stoichkov was reported to have said the difference between Barca and United was the Catalan's winning mentality.  Which, although I am sure he didn't mean to make it sound that way, somewhat detracts from the fact that Barcelona are by far the superior team.  Pitting some of the best midfielders of my lifetime against an ageing philanderer and Michael Carrick was never going to be much of a contest.  A crack team of psychologists and brainwashers may be able to convince my Sunday league side that they can beat anybody, but it is more likely to end in fights and breakdowns than a dizzying ascent into the football league.  

Part of it then must be a realisation of the worth of your team.  City's squad, player for player, is up there with the best in the league - if this is used in the right way, without complacency, with the correct desire, with the 'winning mentality', then there is no reason not to feel invincible.  Team ethic and discipline are important here, especially as it is something sceptics maintained wouldn't be possible at City and under Mancini, but the final months of the season showed a team coming together and playing for each other at the right time.  

Of course the unquestionable success Mancini has brought this season should strengthen his position amongst the more rebellious members of the squad, of which there will always be some, and if City can take this unity into next season, without too great an upheaval in the transfer market, then the side are in a very strong position to continue to grow next season.