Dig even deeper for victory, City

Well, Blues, yet another reality check. The team's recent non performance against Blackburn Rovers underlined our playing status in the top flight. Now our inability to attract a handful of proven quality signings in an important transfer window confirms once again where we stand financially.

I almost bought the 'search for a star and the purse strings are opening' mantra that we were drip fed by the club throughout January. I only wish someone at the club would have held their hands up at the turn of the year and said we would be very lucky to have brought in any top players this month, then we could have got on with the distraction of the England Under 21 nonsense sideshow, but that's another story...

If anything, this is a case of 'as you were' and the continued lack of strength in depth and over reliance on the MCFC Academy points to a tough second half of the season.

Miracles can happen. We were all hoping we'd bring in some attacking options to push us into the top half of the table with a real chance of a UEFA Cup qualification when you look at the standard across the Premiership. The battle we face in the last 16 of the FA Cup would also have been boosted by some fresh legs. Now we know we have to face these challenges with pretty much the same squad that we went into the season with.

I am holding out now for a siege mentality to grip our relatively small squad and our long suffering support in the hope that we can continue to grind out results here and there and pull off the real miracle of a sustained cup run. Just maybe the band of players we have will pull together consistently and we can firstly ensure realistic Premiership safety and then anything beyond that will be a bonus.

Looking at the squad this morning, it's a terrible blow to lose Nedum Onuoha again. Indeed any injury or suspension will hurt us from here until May. But we must dig deeper for each game now starting with the
visit of Reading on Saturday. I'll be in town for the first of 14 league games that the management team and squad need to approach as cup finals if we are to make anything of this 2006-2007 season. That level of commitment is the very least that Manchester City supporters deserve.

The England U21's shouldn't even be considered, SP.

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