There has probably never been a more exciting time to watch Manchester City than now. Even through what's often regarded as the club's best era, under the stewardship of the greats Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison in the 1960s and 70s, the fans can't have been as giddy about going to matches as they are at the moment.
Anybody who might have been sceptical about what Pep Guardiola could achieve at the Etihad has already been won over, just seven games into the season. Even during the winning streaks under some of his predecessors, the football wasn't this much fun. Supporters are finding joy in going to matches again -- something that started to feel more like a chore last season under Manuel Pellegrini.
There's the sense that an opponent is going to take a real hammering from City, and that it's coming very soon. On Wednesday evening, the stands emptied at full time following the 4-0 Champions League win over Borussia Monchengladbach with two distinct thoughts lingering in peoples' minds.
The first was just how much of a good performance it was, sweeping a side a competent Champions League team and making it look like the German outfit were from England's League One. The second was that, had City taken more of their chances, the final score could have hit double figures. That's already been a constant of the Guardiola era -- that same thought was present after the 4-1 victory over Stoke, the 6-0 aggregate success against Steaua Bucharest, the 3-1 win against West Ham and the Manchester derby, which somehow finished only 2-1.
It's getting to the stage where it's almost disappointing when the Catalan's side aren't leading comfortably by half time. The improvements that have been made to individuals are outshone only by how well the players are working together as a team. It may only be early in the new manager's reign and he's yet to fully implement his ideas, but his squad is certainly taking on board a lot of what's being said. Neutrals and commentators are frequently remarking at how often players seem to pop up in random positions, yet it's clearly no fluke because, on closer inspection, the same patterns are emerging time and again. The full-backs are drifting inside to support the attack by joining the centre of midfield, the centre-backs often find themselves in possession on the edge of the opposition box and the central midfielders end breakaways with a crucial tackle just inside their own area.
Players that appeared to be finished are enjoying a new lease of life. Aleksandar Kolarov is perhaps the biggest example -- many fans would have paid his airfare personally to get him out of the club, but now he's impressing as both a left-back and a centre-half, looking nothing like the defensive liability he's been known to be in the past.
The stars have improved too, when it seemed impossible for them to get better. David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne are excelling beyond what they were already idolised for at the club. Both have proved to be effective in winning the ball back to set their side off on the attack, while their understanding of each other as they both try to occupy the No. 10 position is remarkable. Even Sergio Aguero appears to be deadlier than in the past. He's already netted two hat tricks this season, both in the Champions League, and is currently averaging a goal every 49 minutes he's on the field. Nine goals in five matches is a phenomenal record -- and throw in plenty of missed chances and two fluffed penalties as well. It's baffling that he's not regarded in the same breath as the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, given what he's shown so far this season.
One of the biggest turnarounds is how the club have so far performed in the Champions League. True, they're yet to face any of the elite sides under Guardiola -- though that double-header with Barcelona is on the horizon and is now looking tasty -- but they are looking formidable in the competition.
Having spent the previous five years struggling for clean sheets in Europe, City have managed three from three so far this campaign. The even stranger aspect of that improvement is that the team has done it while taking more risks in possession at the back than previous "safety first" styles. In little under three months, Guardiola has changed the club from top to bottom. It's almost hard to believe that it's the same Manchester City that limped into fourth place last season.
