DAVID Davutovic and Matt Windley run the rule over Melbourne City’s 2016-17 season and it’s not pretty reading.

Finishing position: 5th (11 wins, 11 losses, 6 draws, 49 goals for and 46 against)

FFA Cup: Champions

Season summation: Wildly inconsistent, frustrating. A season that promised so much and started off with fire and brimstone ended with a whimper. The FFA Cup final delivered City’s senior men’s team its first piece of silverware, but once John van ’t Schip left they failed to rediscover that attacking swagger.

High point: A toss up between the Round 2 derby demolition of Melbourne Victory, headlined by the Tim Cahill super-striker, and that FFA Cup win in late November. The FFA Cup win over Sydney FC wasn’t pretty but it showed that City can scrap when needed and they overcame a Sky Blues team that conquered all before them thereafter.

Low point: At the opposite end of the scale, the insipid elimination final loss at home to Perth Glory left fans jeering at the final whistle as they barely threw a punch. There was a hint of what was the come the week before in the chaotic 5-4 loss at Glory but that last performance at home with the season on the line was inexcusable.

GLOBAL: City’s hunt for overseas coach

Going? Anthony Caceres, Thomas Sorensen.

Gone: Nicolas Colazo, Josh Rose, Corey Gameiro, Steve Kuzmanovski (Released)

What went right: Round 2 was what they aspired to replicate, as City bullied Victory physically and tactically, producing a masterful performance of passing and rotation with their new 3-4-3 formation working a treat. They produced patches of that brilliance, but mainly in 2016.

What they need to improve: Considering Paulo Retre is their longest serving player and no other player has been there longer than two seasons, City must find continuity because the constant turnover is affecting them on and off field. They need to strike more of a squad balance and add players with natural aggression.

VERDICT/MARK

C+

Players of the year: Michael Jakobsen

The Dane only played 17 games but when he did he was superb, marshalling the defence with a poise and effectiveness rarely seen at Melbourne City and playing a huge role in their FFA Cup win.

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MELBOURNE CITY HAS TO GET IT RIGHT

DAVID DAVUTOVIC: On November 30 we thought anything was possible with Melbourne City when they won the FFA Cup. Thereafter it was a gradual decline.

MATT WINDLEY: It’s been a couple of weeks now where we haven’t needed to talk about City, but it only takes a couple of minutes for the frustrations to come flooding back.

DD: Quiz question. Who were City’s two left-back options a year ago?

MW: Michael Zullo and Ben Garuccio, who had top seasons with Sydney FC and Adelaide United respectively.

DD: Correct. I still don’t understand the point of releasing those two to bring in 34-year-old Josh Rose, who has now been released. So they’re back to square one. Yet Garuccio, who they invested four years into, could’ve been a 10-year player for City, and Zullo, who was coming off a knee reconstruction and was only going to get better this season.

MW: And don’t forget Alex Wilkinson was there too and has gone on to be a crucial cog of Sydney’s championship run - albeit it was unlikely he was ever going to stay.

DD: They need continuity on the field and they need to get their head coaching appointment right.

MW: Enough is enough now with City. It’s not even a fan base thing anymore. In a generation’s time, if this gradual upward trend continues, they’ll be fine. But it’s the constant on-field disappointment. And this dates back to the Heart days too. Every off-season is Groundhog Day. An off-season where change and soul searching is required. To be a City fan must be so frustrating.

DD: They voiced their displeasure at the end of that woeful elimination final at home to Perth Glory. They need to get it right next season or I get the sense there could be an overhaul with CFG flexing their considerable muscle.

MW: For once we’ve agreed.