The blog is back... but where is the Blues' backbone?

• Posted by The Kippax Kid at 9:48 AM | add or read comments (0)

A LOT has changed while the Kippax Kid's been on his midwinter break.
Last night City's fading top-four ambitions were stamped on by Everton, our new nemesis, while in the month preceding that we won at Old Trafford for the first time in 24 years but also saw our invincible home record shot down by the Gunners and our Wembley dream burst by the Blades.
We wouldn't be City fans if we didn't have to endure such a rollercoaster of unpredictable results, but after last night's defeat we can pretty much forget about that faint hope of Champions League football next season.
Make no mistake about it, the six points which now separates City from fourth place is the six points we've now given Everton this season. While we could have won a tight game at Goodison Park, last night we gave away two soft goals against a team who were never going to surrender that lead.
While City have dazzled at times this season and baffled at others, Everton have consistently maintained an impressive performanace level that makes them now the favourite for fourth place - even though their under-achieving neighbours Liverpool are three points behind with a game in hand - and a good tip for the Uefa Cup.
Their manager David Moyes said before both games against City that, while it has taken him five and a half years to assemble the fearsome side he now has, Sven Goran-Eriksson has tried to buy his way to instant success.
Star players like Elano and Martin Petrov have amazed this season, but both were poor last night and it's going to take City a lot longer to attain the consistency needed to join Everton in truly challenging the top teams.
One advantage we currently have over Everton, however, is our academy. While Everton's academy have had their fairshare of success stories - Wayne Rooney has been followed by Victor Anichebe and James Vaughan - no club is developing as many British Premier League players through its youth ranks as City.
Our target for the rest of the campaign must be to ensure we qualify for next season's Uefa Cup, but as long as we hold on to the likes of Micah Richards, Joe Hart, Nedum Onouha, Daniel Sturridge and Michael Johnson - who we desperately need back when Wigan visit on Saturday - there's no reason why in a couple of years' time we can't be challenging for the Champions League.