MAN CITY 1 – 0 Tottenham – MY THOUGHTS
11 May
I never thought I would be able to type this: Manchester City are in the Champions League. Just stop for a moment and say that out loud to yourself and try not to smile. We are there. The mission has been accomplished.
Twelve years and three days ago, we faced York in what is now League One. To think that we will now be competing in Europe’s most prestigious competition is a humbling thought. I remember, aged six, when we were struggling to defeat the likes of Grimsby and Stockport, stating that we would never reach the Premier League. How wrong was I!!
We are now there. Champions League football awaits and although some may scoff at us, it is a fantastic achievement. Yes, we have spent vast amounts of money, but that is a necessity for any side who have aspirations to consistently challenge. Yes, we haven’t played the most exciting brand of football, but hey, look where it’s got Blackpool and Spurs. So sit back and take in how well the players and staff have done. We, the loyal fans, deserve this.
The fact that it was a Peter Crouch own goal makes it all the more sweeter, and although we weren’t at our best, we got the job done. Spurs dominated possession but crucially didn’t do a great deal with it. Luke Modric squandered a superb chance, Joe Hart made a flying stop to turn away Steven Pienaar’s header, but other than that, our defence was resolute.
Micah Richards looked every inch an England right-back; Vincent Kompany, a model of consistency, and Patrick Vieira, so often criticised this season, repayed Mancini’s unstinting faith with a substitute appearance that wrestled back the initiative. It was a back to the walls performance, a real team display and a sign of how together this squad is becoming.
I just want to give credit to Mancini at this point. The pressure he was, and still is, under is immense. He is the man charged with delivering us Champions League football and hopefully a trophy, and despite setbacks at times, he has remained focused, disciplined and is deserving of all the praise that comes his way.
Many City fans doubted him and wanted him gone at various stages this season, but thankfully he has remained put. There has been talk of in-fighting, a lack of harmony, the loss of the dressing-room, but he has vindicated the faith that has been put in him. He has had a tough time, but come out of it brilliantly.
So it just leaves me to say, let’s bask in the glory of Champions League qualification and let’s go on and clinch a trophy against Stoke on Saturday. Keep the faith, the Blue Moon is Rising.
LOL! You were completely outplayed at home by a spurs side lacking their best players.
You really need to strengthen or you’re bang in trouble.
You’ll need to spend another £180 mill in the window otherwise you wont make it to the group stage.
Dont embarrass England and the PL.
Are you for real? What exactly do you mean by outplayed? I seem to remember Dzecko, Viera and Tevez had clear chances. I thought Spurs were very good last night especially considering their recent injuries but to come on here and spout nonsense like that is simply startling. Take a look at the possesion rate for the second leg champions league game between Barcalona and Inter who had the most of it? But who won the game?
Football is not just about attacking intent. It is about strategy, Defending , creativity with the ball and incisive passing. As for embarrasing England and the Premier league, I’m not English and i could not give a toss about this team embarrassing anyone cause it was not so long ago that our IMMIGRANT CLUB was considered a joke by most fickle Utd, Pool, Gunners and oh yes, Spurs fans!
take my hat off to you, yep it took 2-300 million quid but mancici is too negative, yes spurs play exciting football & that’s probably why they went as far as they did in europe(& if they had an on form striker, the way they dominated yesterdays game they would’ve crushed city). if city was in that position in the euros, would they have been able to progress that far with the style preferred by mancini?
but this is your time so enjoy it whilst you can as when the new fifa rules on club finances come into play there may be one or two premiership clubs (especially those who play in a blue home shirt) who might have a few problems sorting that out.
anyway good on yer ..now push on & get ahead of the gooners.
Sad that you feel the need to have a dig at Spurs and the football we play but good luck next season, you will find the Champions League tough on the squad as we did. Some might argue that you SHOULD qualify for the CL with the amount of money you have spent although you still do not have one player in your team in the league of Bale or Modric.
In answer to your first point, I don’t think it’s a dig at Spurs. It’s just a comment that I’d rather play what many perceive as negative football and get into the Champions League than play so called attacking football and not.
And in answer to your second point, David Silva.
David Silva was made to look exactly what he is last night – a 2nd rate Modric. Modric ran the game. As for the type of football you play, nobody perceives it as negative, it IS negative. 2 holding midfielders plus Toure is pretty much playing 3 holding midfielders, even Liverpool don’t do that.
Fraid I disagree. Silva has been outstanding this season, and no way you can compare him to Bale. The latter has played well a handful of times, mostly in Europe, whereas Silva has done it week in week out all season. Different class.
And as for saying we’re negative, please explain then how we have scored more goals than you this season? And to call Yaya Touré a holding midfielder is, no offence, ignorance personified.
We gave away so many chances to retain forth spot but didnt take them, we paid the price for not buying new strikers last summer, dont think you will make the same mistake, good luck in the Champions League hope your fans enjoy it as much as we have this season.
In professional soccer “getting the right result” and “investment” are key to success regardless of the fact how positive or negative your playing style is.
To sulky Spur fans here, you can have your team play such great and attacking football that would cause viewers to have orgasm. However if you do not get the right result, it means no squat. You may not even get a chance to play in second rated competitions even with your so called world class stars.
You had your opportunity last season and your board and owners blew it. So you can either man up and take it to chin and do something about it or try to have dig at City and their players to justify your shortcomings. In either case, City fans give a darn as much as you do when it comes to the City.
So nice to read a comment from a genuine football fan.I thought Modric was man of the match.I am sorry to see you have so many injured players I would have enjoyed the jousting of Gareth Bale and Micah Richards.As a fully fit player Ledley King should have been world class.It is sad that Injury has so affected his career.City were not at their best with one eye on Wembley(Usually your gaff when the year ends in 1)and the other on the pressure of expectation.
Just to add my reply was to Catcher.
Now a big congratulations to faithful City fans. Champions League means a much stronger City next season and an omen to City rivals. No wonder they have dig a us at every turn but the Blue moon is already rising and there ain’t a thing that can stop it.
We could not have had a Champions League sweeter that one presented to us on a silver plate by our last-year villain and this year hero Peter Crouch.
Also many thanks to the moderator of this forum for his excellent and professional job.
still don’t think you’ll get as far as spurs in the champions league!!!!
The question is not how far we can go in one season. This is Spurs mentality. There is a differetiation between “success” and “sustained sucess”. It is based on sustained sucess that you can project how well you do in future. We have improved season after season and plan to stay up there for a long, sustained period of time, be it we make as far as Spurs did in Champions League next season or not.
It is no wonder that Spurs makes is in Champions league every now and then once in a blue moon [much like snow flakes, one moment there and then gone forever] becuase it has short-sighed think-tanks like you that fail to see the big picture
City have never been out of the top 4 all season and despite spurs so called ‘attractive’ football they have been unable to match our consistency in the PL….yes spurs have some great players, but to infer no-one at city is their equal despite evidence to the contrary suggests your are either naive or dare I say, bitter.
Anyway, best of luck next season spurs.
Think it lacks class to have a dig at City. We were celebrating last year and it was very sweet, but City have deserved it this year. The league table doesn’t lie and I couldn’t give a toss how much they’ve spent. If we’re honest, we’d all like that sort of bread. Good luck to you in the CL and I hope we’ll be coming back hard at you guys next season.
Spurs never spent any money lol
They are the modern day Corinthians pmsl
Last year, the morning after Spurs win at Eastlands that took us into the CL. A lot of City fans were on internet msg boards (very sportingly) congratulating Spurs & wishing us luck for the following season. I thought at the time that in 12 months time it would be decent if a few of us Spurs fans took the time to do the same thing.
I do genuinely wish you all the best. Like Spurs fans, you guys have had to suffer some crap down the years. The disappointment (again, like us) made all the worse by having a more successful near neighbour.
There is no doubt you have some cracking players and it’s not difficult to imagine that you should become a real force in the coming seasons. I’m not convinced by Mancini’s courage tactically, but as I say, you have some fantastic footballers in your side.
I hope that we are both up at the top of the table battling away again next season.
Good luck on Saturday against Stoke too. What an boring team they are.
Thank you to the decent Spurs fans who have offered City congratulations.
I have to make a comment in reply to Spursman. To say that City don’t have anyone in their side as good as Gareth Bale makes you look like a complete fool! Gareth Bale is a good player but if you can’t appreciate that City also have evry good players then you are clearly not much of a football fan.
See you all at Wembley tomorrow!