David Moyes, for example, might not be entirely responsible for the troubles at Manchester United, but at this point in the season there is absolutely no evidence that he should be allowed more time or money to put it right.
First, the reasons it isn’t his fault.
In the summer, he was promised more than Marouane Fellaini. It certainly appears that Manchester United had lined up a few signings - Ander Herrera, Cesc Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara, Leighton Baines, Fabio Coentrao, Sami Khedira and possibly others - and it was a mixture of incompetence, dithering and misfortune that meant that not a single one of them made their way to Old Trafford. The blame for this can largely be directed at executive vice-chairman Edward Woodward.
As well as that, the make-up of the squad presented serious problems, exacerbated by transfer failings. Nemanja Vidic. Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra were a mixture of finished with United, or just plain finished. Paul Scholes was gone, and Ryan Giggs is more of a ghost than footballer. The wingers are so dreadful that they don’t deserve to be named. There wasn’t a midfield to speak of.
It was the team that won the Premier League, but it wasn’t a team to win the next one, by any means. It had not impressed in terms of performance - it had over-performed as City crumbled, making the absolute most of resources available and taking advantage of Robin Van Persie’s run of form.
That, then, is what isn’t Moyes’ fault. But there are mistakes that he’s made that definitely are.
First, there are rumours that Alcantara was ready to join United, but Moyes couldn’t decide whether he wanted him, allowing Bayern to buy him. You can see how he has played in Munich to recognise this as a clear error.
Not that there’s any reason to believe Moyes would know how to use a player of his quality and sophistication. The Scot is receiving praise for overhauling the scouting system, but you would have thought he’d have identified players that he does actually want in time for winter. Obviously not.
Now that he has Juan Mata, he doesn’t know what to do with him, at times positioning him too far from his strikers, and forcing him to hit crosses. The same goes for Adnan Januzaj, often dropped for key matches in place of Ashley Young. If he doesn’t realise how important these players are, then he shouldn't be given money to buy players of similar quality.
Rafael is often kicked in and out of the side, replaced by Chris Smalling. Smalling is a man who cannot run with the ball, so having him at full-back damages the attacking possibilities of United, and makes them vulnerable to players who can move - i.e. all players - on that wing.
Despite his intermittent focus, Rafael is clearly one of the few United players who still seems to care - both of those points are demonstrated by his largely excellent performance in the 3-0 loss to Liverpool on Sunday, and also in his fortune at not being sent off in the same game. Still, it is certainly Moyes’ fault that he is doing all he can to alienate one of the few players liked by every United fan.
It’s not just Rafael who he is alienating, though.
Ferdinand, despite acting like a spoilt child at times, is obviously a senior figure in the squad, so to have upset him so swiftly is foolish. Van Persie clearly doesn’t much fancy playing football at the moment, despite his protestations to the contrary. Vidic is so enthralled by Project Moyes that he’s leaving for Inter Milan as soon as he can. Javier Hernandez posts emo photos on Instagram. Nani is apparently injured, always just a wee while from fitness, recalling Jack Wilshere’s absence for Arsenal a couple of years back. Fanzines like Red Issue are carrying stories that the circumstances regarding morale are far worse, too.
Yet Moyes either doesn’t learn how to accommodate their happiness, or just as badly, doesn’t know what to do in response.
Tom Cleverley is indulged, Van Persie is rarely substituted after offering nothing, with Danny Welbeck probably a far more effective option. Wayne Rooney, Moyes’ best friend it seems, offers nice soundbites to the fans and media in exchange for £300,000 a week, but he doesn’t seem to have rediscovered the invigorating talent he used to possess. Michael Carrick is playing his worst football for Manchester United in several years, possibly ever, and Moyes is unable to change that, for any of the players out of form, either by using them incorrectly or by not improving their attitude.
A better manager would have shown he was worth backing by identifying a plan and working towards it, whatever the limitations. That would encourage the club to back him with resources, and for the players to entrust him with their careers. Neither of these things seem wise.
That’s because Moyes doesn’t appear to have a plan beyond direct, slow, predictable football. He has brought in his new coaches who at Everton appeared to coach direct, turgid football. They got the best out of what they had at Everton, and they’re doing the opposite now. Moyes could have retained backroom staff but elected for a clean break. And that is the problem.
For other managers taking on a job they don’t have the ability for, you could probably suspect hubris, that it was arrogance leading them into a job they couldn’t do. For Moyes, he actually just seems lost.
Nobody hates him for his lack of ability, they pity him. Managers can be hated - it means they believe in something, however wrong that is, and maybe the right players can eventually be found for them. Pity, though, means that there is no right player, just the wrong manager. The meek might inherit the earth, but they shouldn’t get a crack at managing Manchester United.
His last mistake, though, are his public utterances.
Moyes told the press that Liverpool were favourites for the match at the weekend. When Mourinho says Chelsea aren’t favourites for the league, that’s him taking the pressure off his side. When Moyes says United aren’t favourites for a match, that’s because he honestly believes it. What a thrill for his players to know their leader has no confidence.
To do that against United’s most bitter rivals in the world verges on criminal. It isn’t just against Liverpool, though. Moyes often says he ‘doesn’t know what is wrong’ with the club. He says he will ‘work hard’ to put things right. He says he will ‘try’ and ‘make things difficult’ for the opposition.
In the summer, Manchester United will spend one hundred million pounds, possibly more. In what circumstance does it make sense for the Glazers, or the players Moyes buys or retains, to trust a man who doesn’t know what is going wrong, and whose main aim is to make things hard for the opposition?
Comments
Post a Comment