Pearce: Too Late to Save Season
STUART Pearce will still regard this season as a major disappointment even
if Manchester City win their final four games.
The Blues head to Aston Villa tonight looking to end a run of six successive Barclays
Premiership defeats which has seen them plummet into the bottom half of the table.
A setback at Villa Park and another against Fulham on Saturday will leave City ahead
of only the relegation stragglers in the Premiership table, a depressing situation
reminiscent of Kevin Keegan's final full season in charge.
Pearce is still confident his side can restore a semblance of pride over the
final fortnight. But, after so much heady pre-season optimism, the former England
skipper admits he will not be happy, no matter what the final outcome.
"This season has been a major disappointment for me, there is no doubt about
that," said Pearce.
"We gave ourselves a great platform to build off but, since the FA Cup defeat
to West Ham, we have not managed to do that.
"All I can do is see what lessons can be picked up from our current run of
form, which really has cost us dearly."
When Pearce picks through the bones of the campaign, he will be left to reflect
on a three-day spell when City suffered home defeats to Wigan in the Premiership
and eventual finalists West Ham in the FA Cup as the period when it began to
turn sour.
The injuries sustained around that time only emphasised the need for Pearce to
expand his squad this summer, although the City boss admits he will not have
mega-money to splash around during the close season.
