Yes, City lost against Arsenal, but let's be positive. In little more than 72 hours, Stuart Pearce's side stood toe to toe with two of Europe's finest sides and refused to be second best to either of them.
At times, the Emirates was more like the Alamo, with Richard Dunne and Sylvain Distin cast as Davy Crockett and James Bowie.
But there is no doubting that City have become a terrifically difficult side to conquer, and they lost nothing in defeat.
Brave, committed, full of defiance and steadfast in what they are trying to achieve, City deserved credit for sheer obduracy before two late goals ended their five-match unbeaten run.
Efforts
But despite City's efforts against Liverpool on Saturday and at the Emirates, one question has come out of those two games which hangs over the English top flight as a whole.
Just how much longer can the Premiership carry on being so popular when 80 per cent of its teams are apparently making up the numbers?
It is no wonder that top flight clubs up and down the country are being forced to hold or slash admission prices to attract supporters.
And it is no wonder that every decent-sized club, including City, are looking for a sugar daddy; be he Russian, American or Nordic.
No matter how unpalatable the truth may be, the undisputable fact is this: over a 38-game campaign, all the blood, sweat, tears and tactical acumen in the world cannot overcome a fat wallet and a willingness to spend its contents. Little surprise, then, that Pearce - having presided over a Blues revival over the last month - has gone on the offensive, publicly arguing the case to spend more cash.
His words are not the cry of a greedy coach hoping to paper over the inadequacies of the team he has put together.
They are the argument of a realist who knows only too well that if you do not spend big in the Premiership, then you get left behind.
Spending
The Liverpool side that took the field against City on Saturday was put together for around £47million - with another £25m worth of spending on the bench or not needed at all - while City's more home-stitched outfit cost around £13m.
Those sums are significant enough in themselves. But consider that the Champions League semi-finalists' new owners have already pledged to spend a minimum of £40m more in the summer. What chance have the rest of the Premiership of closing the gap on the four clubs that habitually dominate?
United posted losses of approaching £137m last week, yet they will happily spend £20m on Owen Hargreaves this summer, and probably the same amount again on a striker. In the same vein, Arsenal stars didn't come in a car boot sale.
How are clubs such the Blues supposed to compete with that buying power? It is little wonder that Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has been calling for some kind of spending restriction or salary cap.
The tortoise can beat the hare in a one-off race and David did once catch Goliath unawares. But those tales are far too rare to offer much solace for the majority.
All the more reason, then, for City to take additional pride in their wonderful youth system.
Even without England international Micah Richards, currently sidelined by an ankle injury, a quarter of the City 16 picked to face Liverpool and Arsenal came via the Platt Lane production line.
It is the continued emergence of these homebred tyros - particularly Michael Johnson - that has sustained Blues followers during a thin season.
What do you think? Have your say.
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ablueneville, Somewhere in yorkshire (18/04/2007 at 12:00)
PhilB65, Sheffield (18/04/2007 at 12:14)
OB1, Transmancunia (18/04/2007 at 12:45)
OxfordBlue, Oxford (18/04/2007 at 12:52)
DJ, Chorlton (18/04/2007 at 12:52)
humps, hampshire (18/04/2007 at 13:37)
PhilB65, Sheffield (18/04/2007 at 13:41)
Blue-suede-dude, behind enemy lines (18/04/2007 at 13:47)
This has been an issue for a long time and if something needed doing about it, it was 10/12 years ago. It's simply too late now.
PhilB65, Sheffield (18/04/2007 at 13:56)
Bertie Blue Nose, Eastlands, Stockport (18/04/2007 at 14:39)
OB1, Transmancunia (18/04/2007 at 14:41)
I agree absolutely with you.
I would add that I hate to see City fans accepting that we have to make do with life outside the top 4. I don't expect City to be in the top 4 regularly but I do expect them to die trying to get there.
Phil,
You frogot to mention that in the 70's City almost, and probably should have, won the league on at least two occassions.
PhilB65, Sheffield (18/04/2007 at 14:54)
David (18/04/2007 at 16:08)
that doesn't get you anything
ablueneville, Somewhere in yorkshire (18/04/2007 at 16:24)
Shaun, At My Desk (18/04/2007 at 16:29)
all kinds of European union laws to prevent wage capping,
and levelling the playing field in general.Sadly,we the fans are part of the problem too because not going to
overpriced,overhyped games, or subscribing to/watching sky in the boozer etc,etc simply isn't an option.Only if/when
attendances do drop drastically will the pigs in the Premiership trough stop counting their money long enough to listen.
Until then expect more of the same ie a league that only three teams can win,cup comps that only four teams can win.Calling it sport is a joke.
ted knott, droylsden (18/04/2007 at 18:45)
ted knott, droylsden (18/04/2007 at 20:05)
Magic Mike, Middleton (18/04/2007 at 20:15)
Jesper, Copenhagen (18/04/2007 at 20:28)
DJ, Chorlton (18/04/2007 at 20:49)
maddogblue, Cheadle (18/04/2007 at 20:52)
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
Sure it helps, but what it does in the main, is prising ready-made players away from other Clubs, (plus in the case of MUFC after you've tapped them up first), it's short-cutting, instant results.
I'm totally convinced Manchester United have been wetting themselves laughing for years, as I believe the've pulled of one of the biggest con tricks ever, they chucked it about, and yes, it's brought success, but they now have everyone believing it's the only way to that end, what garbage!!!, and I honestly believe they've played on and peddled that illusion, to the point where everyone, but everyone has swallowed it, and that the power of sensible lateral thinking has gone out of the window. It's the old communist way of thinking: tell enough lies, for long enough, then people believe it, simple. And the longer that stupid, yes, stupid mindset, lingers, then yes, the Rags, more than anyone are going to do as they like in their own backyard, because they have everyone where they want them, in a mental straightjacket, and what it then produces is good old fashioned fear, we can't compete with them, so we'll be frightened of them too, spot the pattern???
Good Managers make good football teams, along with top quality backroom staff, always have, always will, give an idiot £100M to spend, and you'll win nowt, simple. Now, (far from being an idiot), Raneri spent an awful lot of Roman's money and won bugger-all didn't he?, on the other hand Murhinio walks in, gets rid of Raneri's rubbish, (in his judgement), brings in his own choices, and bingo, it works, because he can pick 'em,......... AND THEN HE CAN FORGE THEM INTO A FORMIDABLE TEAM, .......it's called talent by the way
Money in building football teams is a tool, that's all, not a cure-all panacea, and my really honest view is there are so few GOOD Managers about these days, they are blaming their tools, (or lack of it............money).
What has happend to those who can "spot" players, bring thm in for comparative peanuts, and make them into stars? MCFC did that with Bell, Lee, Summerbee, Book, Heslop, Coleman, and built a teriffic side, whist the powers of darkness, were still throwing comparitively vast amaounts of money around, on thier slow downward spiral to the old Second division.What about Shankly, and Paisley, my God, raise up thine eyes and think.
Now I'm not suggesting that City don't need a substantial injection to kick start this process, but i would suggest being absoultely sure the right person is there to oversee it. And your not telling me that there aren't some real stunning players out there for not a lot of brass, and no more than 25 years old,..........Ask Arsene Wenger ???
NORTH STAND BLUE RUSHOLME (18/04/2007 at 21:45)
Cheadleblue (18/04/2007 at 22:01)
Well now I wish the so called big 4 would just upsticks and sod off leaving us with a much more balanced premier division where maybe several different sets of fans and cities/towns could see their team win a cup and generally get more out of, what is afterall, a superb sport.
Kiwiblue, Wellington, New Zealand (19/04/2007 at 00:54)
No at this time I can't see see us challenging any of the top ten teams, would guess we'll finish 12th at best.
Davo (19/04/2007 at 03:04)