Check this out. A piece I referred to earlier, by a fully turded in, 100% City hating, twisted, rag, actually comparing us favourably, then getting stuck into Moyes/Utd. Never thought I would read anything like this from him & of course I wouldn't if Ferguson was still there, as this character wouldn't have had the balls to write it.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/blo ... ons-leagueManchester City may have replaced United as Champions League bogeymen
Despite all United's experience in Europe, the clever money must be on Manuel Pellegrini's City to go furthest in the Champions League this season
Let's not pretend Manchester City have finally come to terms with the Champions League just because they have managed to escape their group for a change. The mauling they were given by Bayern Munich a few weeks ago is still fresh in the memory at the Etihad, and even the most one-eyed City fan will concede that qualifying for the knockout stage with two games to spare has had more to do with the forgiving nature of Group D – specifically the weakness of CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen – than any revolution ushered in by Manuel Pellegrini.
Yet City are undoubtedly enjoying a good spell, exploring uncharted waters, scoring goals, playing with confidence and looking forward to more adventures after Christmas. "Whoever we draw, they will not be very happy to play against us," Pellegrini said. "I think we can beat any side now."
Not everyone would go quite that far, but now City have booked their place in the knockout stage ahead of Manchester United, an interesting question can be posed. Assuming United join them in the last 16, which at the moment looks probable though not yet certain, which of the Manchester sides would be considered the more daunting proposition by continental opponents? For as long as the Champions League has been in existence the answer would always have been United. Even in the past few seasons, since City have started to win domestic honours and run up convincing scores against their rivals in derby matches, the answer would still have been United. Because United have been in and around the competition a long time, usually going to the later stages and occasionally winning the thing. It is hard to buy experience like that, and United have all the Champions League experience in the world.
City do not, yet, although were the two sides to meet in Europe right now (don't worry, it can't happen) you would fancy Pellegrini's men to prevail.
So here is the question. Which of the two Manchester sides would you back to go furthest in this season's Champions League? The clever money might be on City, and not only because they boast a manager with a Champions League pedigree. They also have a better midfield and attack, and their defence no longer falls apart when Vincent Kompany is forced to miss a game. It is true that City currently have a goalkeeping problem, or at least a question mark over the goalkeeping position, and United are at present the stronger of the two in that area. But it is only one area, albeit quite an important one. David Moyes must see question marks in just about every outfield area of the pitch. He does not appear to have decided on his best two centre-halves, for example, or even his best two strikers.
It is fair to point out that United were only the width of a post away from a good result in Spain on Tuesday, but equally valid to note that both Robin van Persie's chances came after Wayne Rooney had been substituted and Shinji Kagawa moved inside.
Rooney and Van Persie in tandem still represent most people's idea of the most potent United attack, even if United have been grateful for the bonus of Adnan Januzaj's flair at times this season, though that set-up reduces Kagawa to either a place on the left wing or the bench. Kagawa is too good for the bench, and though he does play on the left for Japan, Ferguson bought him for the inside role he performed so well for Dortmund. Both Kagawa and United improved when he came off the wing against Real Sociedad, though ultimately Moyes had to settle for another goalless performance. It is worth remembering that but for the bizarre own goal the Spanish side conceded early in the game at Old Trafford, United would have gone 180 minutes against Sociedad without scoring.
Perhaps that consideration was what prompted Moyes to send on Ashley Young. You know, to make something happen in the box. One would hesitate before accusing the United manager of deliberately deploying a player with a known penchant for going down too easily in search of a penalty but, really, based on his form this season how else was Young going to make a game-changing contribution? Moyes might even consider himself lucky that Van Persie missed the spot-kick, because justice was seen to be done and only Young was left looking ridiculous.
Had United won the game through that penalty Moyes would have faced a much tougher line of questioning. It might have been concluded that he, and not only his player, had been seeking to gain an unfair advantage. As it is Moyes and Young will have to sort out the matter between themselves. Sir Alex Ferguson was forced to speak to Young about his diving, even suggesting he might have cured him of the tendency, and in his short time at United Moyes has raised the subject too. So either Young simply cannot help himself, or he was willing to listen to the old United manager but not the new one.
But at least it was Ferguson who bought Young; Moyes has merely inherited that problem. The one he bought for himself, at considerable expense, was Marouane Fellaini, who was sent off in the closing stages in Spain after an uncomfortable evening attempting to play alongside Ryan Giggs in midfield.
Why, with all the options at his disposal, Moyes decided on that pairing is a mystery. Perhaps he too believes Giggs can go on for ever. Both players lost the ball too often, and neither provided invention or drive from midfield, but it was Fellaini, who can hardly fail to look conspicuous, who seemed to sum up United's limitations on the night. Moyes said his second booking was harsh, but it wasn't really. Fellaini had been treading a tightrope since his first booking, and not treading it all that gracefully.
The Belgian always looked quite neat and composed for a big man when at Everton in the Premier League. For United, in the Champions League, he looked clumsy and awkward, an accident waiting to happen. And if Real Sociedad can make you look clumsy, goodness knows how you will fare against Bayern Munich or Barcelona.
On the bright side, for United, there is Januzaj. But the bright side for City includes Sergio Agüero at the top of his game, Samir Nasri back to form, Yaya Touré in midfield and Alvaro Negredo making a name for himself up front. That's without mentioning the potential of Fernandinho, Jesús Navas and Stevan Jovetic. City are getting some stick for playing an all-foreign, non-English side, but with goals raining in and progress on every front there will be few complaints at the Etihad.
Well, perhaps with the exception of Joe Hart. And even he might raise a smile should City, at only their third attempt, stay in the Champions League longer than the neighbours.
