Back by very popular demand is the return of Ask The Opposition. Our segment where we ask fans of opposing teams forums some questions and post a selection of the responses back on here.
In our next domestic game, we'll be hosting Aston Villa and asking them some questions. If you've got anything to contribute, feel free to PM me or tweet the RedCafe account.
I've asked questions to City fans on /r/MCFC and here are their responses. I can't speak highly enough of them, and for me have provided the best responses so far. Thanks to some newbie users for providing some of the questions (they have been credited):
Q1: What have you made of how Moyes has done for United this season?
Qixoni: On paper he has done particularly poorly, but I believe that Ferguson had managerial abilities that he does not possess, and he simply cannot make an aging, average squad perform miracles. Big signings to come in the summer.
bradleykurt33: As for Moyes' performance in his debut season, I don't think too many football fans expected him to live up to Fergie's standards straight off the mark but I think he has been bullied a wee bit too much, though. That's not to say I haven't enjoyed seeing United's major decline, however. What this whole fiasco has done though is inspired an essay subject for my uni course of how much of an effect, as British football fans, we think a manager has on a team.
GlassesAndMoustaches: He's not had the best season has he? If he was at any other top 4 club I think they would have flung him by now, but recently he's started doing a little bit better for himself
Homonavn: Actually... I don't think another manager could have done anything different (Except ferguson ofc) When you look at the players United have, they just dont have the world class players. I think 6-7 place is actually a realistic for a team with players like United have.
devineman: I think he's done as well as could be expected. Replacing a man who has been in charge of a Club like United for several decades is an insurmountable task. Every single player at United knows the "Ferguson way" of doing things and most have had it drilled into them. It will take time for Moyes to get his feet under the table and the players to trust him instead of falling back on their old "Ferguson ways". A bit like putting together a jigsaw there are several methods. of doing it. If the boss asks you to start on the corners and the old boss asks you to start with a noticable bit, it's not going to work properly. Everybody has to be on the same wavelength and Ferguson was such a force of nature that it will take time (and money to bring in new guys) to replace him in the players minds.
Q2: Where do you think United will finish in the league come the end of the season, and how do you think we’ll do in what is left of the Champions League?
Qixoni: I think a late push for 5th isn't entirely out of the question. Bayern Munich will eliminate Utd from the competition.
bradleykurt33: I think United will be plopped in a gloomy 6th placed position after the end of gameweek 38. As for the Champions League, drawing Bayern Munich was not ideal. If any team can know they have the ability to beat anyone on their day, it's probably Manchester United. But without van Persie I wouldn't be a confident red devil going into the 2 fixtures as Bayern have already proven they can comfortably win in Manchester this season. I say Bayern will go through to the semi finals.
GlassesAndMoustaches: 6th but definitely not higher. Maybe 7th if both Everton and Spurs have a good finish to the season. As for the Champions League, I suspect Bayern will hand you your arses on a plate
Homonavn: I think United will end up in 7th place and go out of champions league now. Bayern will be to strong, and i think even the united supporters know that.
devineman: I think this season is one that you mark off as a transitional period but it goes to show how high expectations are that they'll probably finish 5th and get the Europa League place still. Everton will have their traditional collapse and Spurs goal difference compared to United's is worth another point in United's favour. To be honest it might not be such a bad thing. I don't think United have ever won the Europa League and lots of fans I knew when you were knocked out of the CL groups were hoping you could complete the collection. I fancy you to do well at Old Trafford against Bayern as the crowd is generally good for this type of game but overall to lose the tie.
Q3: We have played against each other many times over the years. What is your favourite derby memory?
Qixoni: Although a City fan, I cannot deny that the Rooney overhead kick was something to behold.
Rudas_Iskariot: Why Always me? sorry but that game happen on my birthday.
bradleykurt33: "And Silva volleys it forward brilliantly and put it on a plate for Dzeko again, it IS six!"
GlassesAndMoustaches: Favourite derby memory? Oh it has to be 6-1. Nothing was sweeter than Fergie's, the players and 60,000 fans' faces at the end of that match. Sheer brilliance.
Homonavn: As a city fan, i have to say when dzeko scored the 6-1 goal...
devineman: Well, the 6-1 wasn't bad! I enjoyed the Munich anniversary derby as a spectacle especially as I went there expecting us to get absolutely twatted. The 5-1 is probably my favourite in 1989 as it felt like City were on the verge of something then as many of that team were Youth Cup winners a couple of years earlier and the future felt bright. Obviously the "5 past Tracey" was by far the worst. In fact that was the worst result in my life I think.
jimmenycricket: Goaters 99th and 100th goal for City.
notbeforelong: Sinclair scoring. His emotions echoed those of any city fan watching.
Q4: How well do you think Pellegrini has done for you this season, and do you think you will win the league this season? Although you have a few games in hand, you also have three tough away fixtures coming up in the next four games. If you don’t win the league, which club would you like to see win it?
Qixoni: Pellegrini has been absolutely fantastic, kept the egos happy and the goals flowing. Shored up the defense somewhat too.
bradleykurt33: Just off the mark, as much as I want City to win the league and believe they deserve to above any other team by a mile, the trophy is going to Stamford Bridge. Apart from City I'd love for West Ham win it. Realistically, though I'd have to go for Liverpool as their awesome retaking of dominance from Everton and United means they deserve this icing on that cake in my eyes.
GlassesAndMoustaches: I think Pellegrini has done well but still needs to adapt. It took him a while to realise clubs like Cardiff etc will give us a fight and at times his starting 11 has been questionable, but I don't think that can be helped with the amount of games we've had combined with the injury list.
Homonavn: I think Pellegrini has been great! I love his attacking style and as Toure said. He allows Toure to play more attacking and we can already see how that goes. 16 goals this season. I dont even want to think of winning the league. We a few hard games as you said, but i hope we do. Of not, i hope Liverpool wins it.
devineman: I'm not really one of those who has a second choice Club to win it. If we don't win it I couldn't give a toss who does. Apart from you guys obviously but that's mainly because I know a bunch of United fans and next to no Chelsea fans in my day to day life. I think Pelle is getting there as a manager. He has made some strange decisions in his rotation policy and he has this habit of taking off our major threats in those games against smaller teams that he think he's beaten which has given them momentum and cost us points. He plays good football though and certain players such as Nasri and Yaya have come on leaps and bounds under him. I'm confident that we'll win the league. Well, that sort of confidence where it's more out of hope than expectation. One of those "ask me next month" questions.
jimmenycricket: I think pelle has done great, our style of play is far better. I really couldn't care less out of who wins from the other teams if City dont.
notbeforelong: Pellegrini has changed the way we played. Mancini was all about building from the back and attacking from the middle whereas Pellegrini focuses more on the wings. I frankly think but am not hoping that we will screw up somehow and hand the league to Chelsea.
Q5: Yaya Toure or Vincent Kompany. Who is the most important player to the team, as you have pushed over the edge into a top team regularly competing for the League? (Question suggested by MiltonRed)
Qixoni: Kompany is the more important of the two for the mentality of the side. Yaya is the anchor of the team in midfield, but Ferna or Javi have shown they are capable of doing that. The skipper gives the defence confidence and he grabs a few important goals too.
bradleykurt33: Kompany for sure. He's the best CB in the world without any shadow of a doubt and a monumentally rare true, true leader. As we all know City love to play neat, 1 touch passing football and Vinnie starts this all off from the back more times than I can remember, best ball playing centre half since Beckenbauer and Moore roamed the world's football pitches I say.
GlassesAndMoustaches: Oh geez. That's like choosing one child or the other. I'm gonna go with Yaya being the in-disposable one, after all he's been scoring goals and that's how you win games. When we've replaced Kompany we've not done too bad but when Yaya isn't playing there's a gap. Imagine trying to cook for your missus' birthday but you've got one finger less.
Homonavn: I would say Toure actually. We have done great without Kompany for the last 2 games, but Toure has been absoloutely fantastic. Such a monster.
devineman: Good question without an easy answer. Straight away my head said Kompany. Kompany is the leader of Manchester City in the same way that Keane or Robson were for Manchester United. On the tunnel cams that we put out you can constantly see him geeing up the boys in the tunnel and he is constantly communicating when he's on the pitch and the ball is up front. He leads by example many, many times. The only thing that stops me from giving that as a definitive answer is that our Chairman gave an interview not long ago who stated that he thought Yaya was one of our most important players sicne the takeover. The reasoning being that whilst Robinho came in and wanked us off, Yaya believed in the project and was constantly working to help the Club. He's obviously also another of our big game players who scored the FA Cup winning goal and the goal against Newcastle in the title winning run up. I'll go for Kompany by a bulbous head.
Q6: Do you think Jovetic can become a permanent fixture in the starting lineup or will he be behind Aguero, Negredo & Dzeko in the pecking order? (Question suggested by SoCross)
Qixoni: Jovetic isn't necessarily paired with the strikers in my mind. I consider him to be competing directly with Aguero and Nasri, as he plays the CF role, can distribute as well as finish off moves. If my dreams come true and Dzeko doesn't leave, I still think he'll be waiting.
bradleykurt33: We love those small, wriggly, skillful players with great movement and powerful desire. Tevez, Aguero being some of the bet recent examples and I think Jovetic will fulfill his role and become a club hero.
GlassesAndMoustaches: Yes, I can see him starting frequently if he sorts his injuries out.
Homonavn: Hmm, difficult. I havent followed Serie A at all, so i dont know much about Jovetic. And we saw the amazing partnership Negredo and Aguero had, so im not sure. I have heard amazing thingd about Jovetic so we'll see. He wont start over Aguero tho, but maybe negredo.
zzonked7: I have a feeling he will never get over his injury problems at City. Maybe he has the ability to become a starter, but I get the impression that we might never find out.
devineman: The idea seems to be have Negredo and Dzeko rotate for one spot and Aguero and Jovetic rotate for the other spot. Jovetic's problem isn't down to not being picked but that his legs are made of Rice Krispies. He has been injured about 5 times since he got here and he hasn't even been here a season yet!
Q7: Nastasic had a great first season for your club, but this season has been blighted by injuries. What have you made of how he has done this season when fit, and why do you think he’s had so many injuries this season?
Qixoni: In time Matija will be considered to be a world-class centre-half, just needs the game-time. Pellegrini appears to be too fond of Demichelis although I understand his decision. Nastasic is one of my favourite footballers at the moment and will be for a long time. Hopefully his mystery injury will be sorted soon.
bradleykurt33: There's something seriously fishy going on within the realm of our medical staff and practises. I don't understand how we've seen so many leg muscle injuries in just 1 season. A season that's not even over yet, in fact. As for his performances, solid as an iceberg. Consistently excellent. I've heard a lot from fans of various teams about him being the next Nemanja Vidic, but I don't believe this to be so - he'll be the first Matija Nastasic. He had a wonderful partnership with Kompany last season and I hope Pellegrini knows this as he'll be ital in everything we do next campaign.
Homonavn: I think Nastasic has been OK this season. His young, not much experience, and injuries as you said. He sure had that mistake against chelsea, but that was as much Joe harts mistake for not shouting.
zzonked7: He should be in the starting team when fit. I don't agree that his injury problems are anything more than physical though. Saying he has mental issues is pure speculation from people who have no idea what his mental state is like.
devineman: Nastasic had a great first season after making his debut against Real Madrid. I think he's one of the ones who hasn't really improved under Pellegrini and needed a Mancini type to drive him. You get the feeling that Pellegrini indulges people's insecurities at times and people are starting to wonder whether Nastastic's and Jovetic's injuries are in some part mental rather than physical. He was a good player for us though and City fans have big hopes for him when he does get fit.
Q8: What do you think you need to make a bigger impact on the Champions League? (Question suggested by MiltonRed)
Qixoni: Experience combined with a consistent lack of injuries.
GlassesAndMoustaches: I think experience. It's not like we don't have the team, we do, but there's a doubt in the backs of our minds I think and it's holding us back. A fully fit Aguero could have helped in previous games
Homonavn: A manager that know math... JK :P Seriously tho, Time. This is the first time we have come out of the group stages, so i didnt expect us to win it this year. Next year maybe we will reach the quarters or maybe even semi's
zzonked7: Honestly I think just qualifying every year is a big step. If a team consistently qualifies and has a pretty good team, eventually they'll win the whole thing. There is a big element of luck and it's rare that the best team actually wins the whole competition. Look at when Chelsea won it, they finished 6th in the league.
devineman: Just time really. All of our Champions League groups have been extremely hard due to our low coefficient putting us in Pot 3. The one time we get a semi-decent group, we get Barca in the first knockout stage. It will come in time.
Q9: What do City fans think about the investment in the academy? Will that become a long-term benefit or will City continue to buy top class talent to the point youth can't break in (like Chelsea)? (Question suggested by Distracted Steward)
Qixoni: As long as the academy graduates and prodigies aren't sold off to the highest bidder like Denis Suarez was (to Barcelona B) then I think players like Marcos Lopes certainly have a huge opportunity to break in through cup games and establish themselves as senior footballers for the first team.
bradleykurt33: I think it's a great idea. There's no reason it can't rival Barcelona's calibre of youth development system. A lot of money has been put into this project and with Patrick Vieira spearheading the footballing aspect of it, I don't know about you but I'm excited.
GlassesAndMoustaches: I couldn't be more excited for the academy. It's a fantastic opportunity for us to draw in players of the future and once teenagers want to come to us instead of us fighting for signatures we'll be raising (hopefully) the best players of future decades
Homonavn: I think we will continue buying top class players, because that is the easiest and best way. But dont say young players cant get a break trhough. Look at Marcos Lopes and dedryck Boyata. They have both player several first team matches this season, and they have done great
zzonked7: I don't agree that buying talent prevents youth players from reaching their potential. If they were good enough, they would play. Bringing in quality players actually gives them people to learn from and increases the competitive element. If youth players got an easy ride into the first team, there would be less incentive to improve. I think it's really shallow thinking when people say the England team suffers because of foreign imports. There are fundamental reasons why English players have fallen behind and it has nothing to do with foreign players being better.
devineman: I think it's great. It's revitalised the dilapidated area around the stadium and it providing jobs to local residents. Can't really argue with that.
City are very much attempting the Barcelona model which is why we've hired some of their administrators in Soriano and Begiristan. Even in the first communication with City, Sheikh Mansour stressed that he wants to build a strong Academy to put players into the first team and the financial realities of it mean that it's an area where I think we'll do well in. This season we've already had Lopes get some minutes, Huws has made his debut and is doing well on loan at Birmingham (with one of your lads there) and we've got Rekik coming back from PSV to potentially take Lescott's place. I think it's too early to ask and in a couiple of seasons we'll see how much of our commitment to youth development is all talk. It's worth noting that our U18s are top of the league, our U16s are, out U14s and U13s both won their national championship so we hagve the talent coming through.
jimmenycricket: We will soon have the top academy in the country, this is made evident by how well they are doing at all age groups at the moment. Pelle should be the right man to implement it.
notbeforelong: I think we will look to bring in players from the youth academy, as much as we've done pre-Mansour. Most of our players are in their prime and the development and promotion of players in the academy should coincide with the first team players exiting their prime years.
Q10: Are there any youth prospects you have that you’re excited about/looking forward to perhaps see breakthrough in the future?
Qixoni: Marcos Lopes, Emyr Huws, Albert Rusnak.
bradleykurt33: Marcos Lopes, Jordi Hiwula, Devante Cole, Emyr Huws and a few others from the EDS side look class. I was most excited about Denis Suarez until he was foolishly allowed to join Barcelona last year.
GlassesAndMoustaches: Marcos Lopez is my top one. He's gonna be brilliant from what we've seen from him already. His pace, dribbling, vision, passing and finishing is all top class. He's gonna be an incredible player
devineman: I think Lopes, Rekik and maybe Huws are the big ones at the minute. In the longer term future we have Thierry Ambrose, Jack Byrne, Jason Denayer and maybe Devante Cole in our U21s and U18 teams who look promising. Quite a few in our U16s put these are too far away to really know which well they will end up.
notbeforelong: Apart from the obvious, I've always kept my eye out for Fofana but I'm unsure of his technical development. Bytyqi is another who looks an interesting prospect.
Q11: Who do you feel has been your best and worst signing this season?
Qixoni: Best: Jesus Navas - the injection of speed he brings really makes the difference in the final 30 minutes. Worst: Jovetic - purely for his injury troubles.
Rudas_Iskariot: Fernandinho is the best. Navas... he should be getting more games than he is. its really hard to choose. a worse cause non have been bad.
bradleykurt33: Best signing is a toughie. Fernandinho and Negredo have been outstanding and Jesus Navas has also put in some very good performances, scored several goals and gave us that pace on the wing that we'd been so desperately in need of for a few years before his arrival. Also, Navas has overcome his homesickness that allegedly blocked his transfer to Chelsea 5 or so years ago which I admire a great deal indeed. As for best signing though, Negredo I was confident in as a signing, I'd been preaching for 2 seasons that City desperately needed a true number 9 player which he is, probably why he wears the number upon his back and he hasn't let my amateur pundit's ego down. The partnership he's constructed with Kun, before his string of injuries this season has been undoubtedly stronger and more lethal than that of Suarez & Sturridge or van Persie & Rooney. As for Fernandinho, I was gobsmacked that we signed him when it first happened. Never played in England, had just, count 'em, 5 caps for Brazil and was the 'ripe' age of 28. His first 6 or 7 performances in friendlies and the league were woeful but since then he's evolved into a machine of a footballer. Interceptions, short and long passing, goals, strength, he's had it all. More importantly though, he's done it all season long apart from the aforementioned early stutters. Fernandinho is our best summer signing.
GlassesAndMoustaches: Best signing, probably Ferna. Him and Yaya have really nailed our spine this season. Worst signing? Well I'm gonna say Demichellis although I would've liked to see more from Jovetic based on his price tag
devineman: Fernandinho has been the best signing this season by a long way. He has completely changed the way that we play football and the amount to which Yaya can press forward. Worst is a tough one but I'm going with Jovetic simply because we paid a ton of money for a guy made out of marshmallows.
Q12: As well as the academy, your owners have invested lots of money in the City, plan to expand the stadium, and have established a women’s team along with establishing New York City FC and investing in Melbourne Heart FC. What have you made of it all, and in particular, how do you think the investment in Melbourne Heart FC along with the creation of New York City FC will impact on you as a club?
Qixoni: Very little impact at club level, but if these ventures overseas keep the owners interested in football and in the club then the money won't be disappearing any time soon. Good sign. Excited to see what NYCFC bring to the table.
bradleykurt33: This is why I'm so proud to be a Citizen. We are undoubtedly the people's club in England in my opinion. Off the top of my head (genuinely) here's a list of positive things City have spent their money on, apart from what you've already mentioned above:
- Free scarf with every purchase of a replica shirt at the start of the 2012/13 season
- Free sports bag with every purchase of a replica shirt at the start of the 2013/14 season
- Countless hospital and hospice visits
- Heavy and ongoing investment into The James Milner Foundation
- Funding CityTV, one of the best football club documentary series' around
- Inviting children in for training sessions with players including Clichy and Richards
- Relentless free competitions to win tickets to games, worn match shirts/boots, stadium tours, etc
As for the investment into Melbourne Heart FC and the creation of New York City FC, who knows really. Probably just going to be used as a version of academy systems, replacing Arsenal in the role.
theanonymousthing: I’m not too sure, I don’t like the fact we’re becoming a 'brand' though
GlassesAndMoustaches: I'm game for it all. The Melbourne thing was a bit of a shock and I'm still trying to get my head around it but as for NYCFC - whether that's political or not - I'm excited for the future partnership of the two clubs. Of course I hope we remain the primary focus, afterall, when I was back in school we were just little ol' Manchester City and I have quite a bit of attachment to that
devineman: I like it, as the Barca boys (the executives at City) would say it is a "holistic approach" to development. I'm extremely pleased in particularly with our purchase of City Women and the professionalism which we are bringing into the Women's game. I have high hopes that we can really make an impact for the good of the English grassroots game in general in this area. As far as NYCFC and MHFC go I see no issues with it. The idea here is to share resources between all of the Clubs which opens doors in two major commercial markets like Melbourne and New York for City to bring in deals from, and we could help each other by loaning our youngsters to teams that share our vision of how to play football. Loaning players to the Championship where a team could play kick and rush is less favourable than loaning to a team in the MLS or A-League who use our training methods and our philosophy on how to play the game. By their view, NYCFC and MHFC get extreme investment and get to share our entire scouting databases, our performance analysis ideas and share coaches including coach education. It's win-win all round as far as I can see.
notbeforelong: I think these two clubs will act as bases to source and acquire players from their respective regions.
Q13: What are your goals for the club next season?
Qixoni: The club has been engineered to be a trophy-machine, so the goal should be just that. Trophies.
bradleykurt33: Get further in the Champions League than we did this season.
GlassesAndMoustaches: Domestic treble & a couple of youth players making it into the EPL
devineman: I think we should realistically be looking at challenging for the league and again reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League. I'm not one of those who demands X amounts of trophies every year otherwise it's a failure, it's more important to me to be consistently challenging for every trophy available rather than demanding instant success and sacking everybody if we don't. We're attempting to build something pretty special at City and sacking all the coaching staff every year isn't going to help us achieve it. I'd like to see Lopes, Rekik and Huws get into the first team squad proper and get some more minutes on the board to continue their development. I think we have some issues with squad balance that I'd like to see ironed out in terms of moving on some players that gives us the chance to bring in the young guys or bring in new players if they aren't good enough
notbeforelong: Involve more players from the youth teams.
Q14: Which XI would you like to see your team field against us?
Qixoni: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, Yaya, Fernandinho, Milner, Silva, Navas, Dzeko.
bradleykurt33: Fully fit squad would be:
Hart
Zabaleta Kompany Nastasic Kolarov
Yaya Fernandinho
Nasri Silva Aguero
Negredo
Zabaleta Kompany Nastasic Kolarov
Yaya Fernandinho
Nasri Silva Aguero
Negredo
...but taking injuries into consideration, my line-up would read like this:
Hart
Zaba Vinnie Lescott Kolarov
Navas Yaya Fernandinho Silva
Nasri
Negredo
Zaba Vinnie Lescott Kolarov
Navas Yaya Fernandinho Silva
Nasri
Negredo
...the reasons I've gone for this being I think United's defence has been their weakest section of the team this season, been exploited so many teams by the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham even. Nasri is very direct and will constantly run the defenders and I don't think the lack of partnership in the United back line will be confident enough to deal with this. Nasri's ability to play a killer ball and his movement in the box isn't going to help their cause either. I would have liked to push Yaya Toure up into a more advanced position but I think against the big players like Fellaini, Carrick and Jones who may play in the centre of the park on Tuesday, Yaya's presence will be imperative. Navas and Zabaleta down the right hand side will expose either Buttner or Evra to the extreme, we'll get a lot of joy in that area. Aguero is out. As we all know, United just cannot deal with him. With the next best thing in terms of playing/attacking style, Stevan Jovetic, also being out, then I think Negredo's sheer physical, brute-like presence will be a pain for United's centre halfs with so much delivery coming for him from Navas and Zabaleta as I've previously alluded to. This will be 3 years in a row that City have won inside The Theatre of Dreams if the blues have their way which means extremely high stakes for both teams.
GlassesAndMoustaches: Hart, Zabba, Komps, Lescott, Kolarov, Silva, Yaya, Ferna, Nasri, Navas and Dzeko
devineman: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov; Nasri, Fernandinho, Yaya, Silva; Negredo, Jovetic
I think outside of Aguero that's probably our strongest XI.
Q15: Finally, your predictions for the match?
Qixoni: A very rough match as always, either plenty of goals or barely any. Rooting for a 0-3 City win but these games are unpredictable.
bradleykurt33: Man United 2-2 Man City.
TheXbox: City 3-2 United
zzonked7: Football is always unpredictable, derbys are even worse. United have been pretty poor defensively in the games I've watched lately, but equally a moment from a player like Rooney or Mata could cause City some problems. I'm going to say 1-3 tentatively.
notbeforelong: 6-1
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If any of you have any suggestions on what we should do as part of this, or any questions for future games, reply to the thread, PM me or tweet @red_cafe, thank you. @Big-Red, James McCarthy's back! Imagine him wearing a Spurs shirt...
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