It is Yaya Toure’s fault, it always is, or so you could be forgiven for thinking.
So much of the analysis of Manchester City’s stuttering season has been focused on their Ivorian midfielder that it can appear he is largely responsible for their position at the foot of their Champions League group, the eight-point gap between them and Premier League leaders Chelsea and their League Cup elimination.
The reality is a little more complicated.
It is undeniable that Toure has failed to replicate his form from last season and September’s defeat to Bayern Munich was a particular nadir.
Yet after “cakegate”, the strange saga created by his agent’s ludicrous comments that City failed to celebrate his birthday, he has become their answer to Mario Balotelli, the easiest of scapegoats.
His past three games have included a poor piece of marking that allowed CSKA Moscow’s Seydou Doumbia to score and a silly sending off for which he apologised.
But they also include a delightful free kick against the Russians, a barnstorming performance in the Manchester derby and a defence-splitting pass for Sergio Aguero’s second equaliser at Queens Park Rangers.
So, like City’s troubles, it is complicated.
Others have benefited from Toure’s turbulent season: they have been camouflaged, their own underachievement obscured.
Take Edin Dzeko, for instance, who scored four goals in a two-game burst, but that was sandwiched by seven and eight-game droughts.
Now injured, the striker has been nothing like as potent as he was last season.
Then there is Fernandinho, Toure’s midfield sidekick, who was magnificent for much of his debut campaign in England.
He has denied he is still being affected by Brazil’s 7-1 World Cup hammering by Germany, but he has lost both his place and his form.
Fernando, who began well, has been sporadically influential but has not made the anticipated impact.
Another summer signing, Eliaquim Mangala, made a wonderful debut against Chelsea, but it remains very much the highlight of his City career.
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce said his side targeted the beleaguered Frenchman.
Martin Demichelis is being shielded by memories of the superb way he finished last season, but he has erred too often.
Gael Clichy’s failings have been apparent, too. The full-back performed well against Manchester United but has otherwise endured a wretched season.
Aleksandar Kolarov, often at his best in Europe, has been culpable for two crucial Champions League goals, Bacary Sagna looks a shadow of his Arsenal self, and even the ultra-consistent Pablo Zabaleta has experienced mixed fortunes.
Look across the squad and too few have excelled.
Goalkeeper Willy Caballero has been an unconvincing deputy to Joe Hart, while Jesus Navas is another who flourished in the Manchester derby, but rarely otherwise.
Samir Nasri’s injury-interrupted campaign is nothing like his stellar 2013/14 and Stevan Jovetic, who had an excellent August, is yet to repeat that effort since returning from injury.
In short, it is simpler to name the five who have excelled: the goal machine Aguero, the revitalised goalkeeper Hart, the classy creator David Silva, the evergreen Frank Lampard and the unsung hero James Milner.
Even then, City have rarely benefited from their excellence at the same time.
Lampard’s season started late and he then missed five games with a thigh injury. Silva is sidelined now.
It is unrealistic to expect any club to have its 22 premier players in optimum form and fitness for nine months.
Last season Aguero only scored twice after the end of January, which was two more than Alvaro Negredo managed in the same time, and City still won the League Cup and the Premier League.
Yet if City’s season is starting to bear similarities with their underwhelming title defence of 2012/13, it is partly because too few players are performing to the peak of their ability.
Toure is among them, but City’s troubles do not start and end with him.
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