View from T'other Side-Manchester City

We asked Vital Manchester City a number of questions about our game with them at Eastlands this Saturday. We are grateful to Severedgein for providing the following response:

1. Have you been impressed by the Clarets start or do you think we are just a bunch of naive upstarts who are about to be found out?

I think you guys are doing fantastic, though from recent experience a great start isn't all that will be necessary to prove yourselves in the PL. Hull have shown exactly how NOT to attempt to crack the top half of the table and overestimate your readiness.

2. Do you think we can survive our first season in the top flight for 33 years? What do you see as our strengths and weaknesses?

Definitely, the only teams giving you real trouble seems to be the Sky-4 and the teams trying desperately this year to crack them. I think if you guys can start scoring more goals (and stop letting them in so drastically against the top-6 teams) and not overspend next window in an attempt to maintain your league position, you're gonna be fine.

3. Which Burnley player has impressed you the most and why?

Robbie Blake, what's not to love about a guy who steals 3 points from ManUre? :)

4. What was the general feeling about Stephen Jordan when he played for you?

He had a rough time at City, that's a tough thing for any Academy lad, especially since we weren't even at the height of our existence while he was with us. I think the managers didn't give him enough opportunity because they were all terrified to take chances after all the up's and down's during the early part of the decade, and the screwing around with his contracts and loans certainly didn't help his growth. But he seems to be doing well for Burnley, so I'm glad he's hit his stride after moving on, sometimes its just better that way.

5. Do you think yourself that Man City can finish in the top four this season? What areas will they need to improve upon to be absolutely certain?

I fully believe we can, yes. We're still shaky in defense, and we appear to have a gap between midfield and attack because we're basically playing two defensive mids. If we can remedy those, I think the wins will come.

6. Guess its linked to 5, but what are your weaknesses at the moment. What if anything could the Clarets exploit to be given any chance of getting a point?

We're not looking great off long balls. Birmingham played that method of attack all game on Sunday and we just didn't know what to do with it. Basically, balls in the air are really scaring our defence.

7. City could be be anxious to win after some indifferent performances. In a way could that be to our advantage? The longer we can keep you at bay without scoring, the longer the frustrations might set in and we could nick something.

That actually is what I think has been our issue the last couple matches that we've drawn. When we get right off the starting blocks and get one early, we hit cruise control and wait for counter attacks and the 5-1 Carling Cup result last week was a prime example of that.

8. Be kind, your match forecast!!?

Ade should be back, so 3-0 to City, but my last 2 predictions have been wrong, so we could be in for another nail biting draw... :-)

Severedgein

Vital Manchester City

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Many thanks again to Severedgein for his time in responding and providing some excellent insights. Vital Burnley have also answered some questions about the game from Vital Manchester City and you can read the article by clicking this link to the VMC site:

Vital MC Seven Deadly Sins Fans Q+A: Burnley

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.