Saturday 11 January 2014

Pressure on Moyes is laughable

READING some of the headlines this week, you would think Manchester United were 18th in the Premier League, out of the Champions League and playing the dullest football ever seen.

The reality of course is they are five points off the top four, through to the last 16 of the Champions League with a very winnable tie and one goal down in the Capital One Cup semi final.

Yes they are not pulling up any trees in the Premier League, yes Old Trafford is not a fortress at the moment and yes they are out of the FA Cup already.

But really, what did we expect?, Moyes to walk in and lead United to ten points clear in the PL, dominate every competition they were in and for everyone to say Fergie should have knocked off sooner?

Give me a break! May saw the end of an era for everyone associated with Manchester United when Sir Alex rode off into the sunset. The biggest effect? His players have relaxed, no longer in fear of Fergie's hairdryer or being made pariahs by the best manager this country has seen.

And Moyes is reaping that, quite simply some of the players at Old Trafford have taken their foot off the gas because Moyes is not Fergie.

Don't get me wrong, I think Moyes has made two massive mistakes since taking over. Signing Fellani was a blunder, he should have done everything he could for a year or two to distance himself from Everton.

Buying Fellani was an attempt to help bring some of the Everton methods into the dressing room, fine David but you won nothing at Everton while the dressing room you inherited has won PL and Champions League titles in recent years.

Secondly, Moyes is seemingly on a one man mission to blame Premier League referees for everything that's happened this season. Which again is great David, except for the fact Ashley Young is the biggest diver in England.....

And finally, Fergie's prescence at games is an 'unsettling influence'......errrr so pensioner attends football match regularly and makes team play badly.

'Thanks Sir Alex for everything but if you wouldn't mind never watching Manchester United again that would be just lovely'....give me a break! Who told the Old Trafford crowd to 'get behind the team and support OUR new manager'???? Oh that's right, Sir Alex himself!

You can level plenty of criticism at Fergie, you can never call him a hypocrite.

Whatever happens this season, Moyes needs time to build his vision. He can't do that in five months...

2 comments:

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  2. My Man Utd-supporting friends (yes, I have some!) also say he made a mistake getting rid of the existing coaching staff (Phelan, Meulensteen etc) and bringing in his own men, although to be fair most managers tend to do the same. You're right - last year's Man Utd team wasn't great but the failures of others and Van Persie's goals papered over the cracks. Fergie knew the squad needed rebuilding and didn't want to commit to another three or four years so it was the right time to go, but as a result another triumph was unlikely. They're probably a bit further down the table than many suspected but I still wouldn't bet against them sneaking 4th in the end.

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