Whatever has gone wrong this season, we cannot expect Pep to just hit the ground running with an ageing squad that needs rebuilding and rectify things instantly. Maybe a year out of the CL will be required to give him time to develope the team in line with his idea of how City progress into his style of play.
There is no doubt that our Arab owners have a long term plan to be at the top of world football (and why!). Pep has long been part of this plan and there is every chance that they will succeed. Manchester City 'Supporters' will not be the priority in these ambitions we may have to patient for the success that will no doubt come

Pep only stays anywhere for three years maximum so if he doesn't hit the ground running we're in trouble.

It's been a poor season by our own previous high standards. We haven't really played well since October. I wonder if that's when the players found out that Pep had been signed and Pellegrini was a dead man walking? The 'official' announcement wasn't till much later, but it's possible the players and staff already knew. After all, it was football's worst kept secret for a long while. And we know how these things can have an effect on players if you think back to the season that Kevin Keegan announced he was leaving and the subsequent slump in form that came afterwards.
Injuries have played a part of course. We've had awful luck losing key players. But since the first five games we've looked a shadow of our previous selves this season.
Pellegrini came in and stabilised the dressing room after the unrest of the volatile Mancini reign, and things looked rosy for a while, but his severe limitations have been exposed this season. As Clev has pointed out, he never seems to have a plan B when things go wrong.
I personally lost all my respect and faith in him after he threw the FA Cup.
I don't think we've a realistic chance of winning the UCL, but a semi final appearance would be nice and would represent progress.
However, most of us have real concerns about our top four place and that is our priority now. No point making progress in a competition we won't be competing in next season. Four points from a possible eighteen is a terrible run and we don't seem to have a clue how to turn it around. We are playing under a cloud.
After being in the top two for the last four seasons anything less now is hugely disappointing. And with Pep coming next season finishing outside the top four would be catastrophic!
We need some big performances from some big players between now and the end of the season.
Hopefully the break will have done some of them good.

yes, our offense and defense
have been way off the mark,
weve lost more home matches already
than in the past two seasons combined

it seems bony hasnt worked out,
how we needed dzeko

and our defensive rebuilding
has been a failure, though,
i do think otamendi has been
adapting and definitely improving

also, things went worst with
debruynes injury, probably costs us 9 points.
seriously, look how many goalless matches
after he went out

of course, its nit the end of the season
and yes, we have one piece of silverware
and we are further in europe than weve been
in my life span....

however, doesnt the title challenge seem
just a little bit sad?
where has it gone wrong?

team sheet up
and it looks like it is up to silva
to put the pieces together,

2 assists for merlin and a navas goal?
i think this will have 6 or 7 goals