Pages

bet365

Friday 6 December 2013

Manchester United's David Moyes saw their title-race struggles coming in the summer



Manchester United's David Moyes saw their title-race struggles coming in the summer

New boss quickly realised the squad Fergie left him wasn't as strong as their 11-point title-winning margin suggested, writes David McDonnell
Red alert: Moyes knew he needed to buy in the summer but only landed Fellaini
Red alert: Moyes knew he needed to buy in the summer but only landed Fellaini
Matthew Peters
David Moyes saw Manchester United's current plight coming as far back as the summer.
New manager Moyes probably did not envisage champions United being so far adrift - they are 12 points off leaders Arsenal - before the Christmas fixture programme has even begun.
But it is understood the Scot quickly realised the squad he inherited from Sir Alex Ferguson was not as complete and formidable as last season's 11-point title-winning margin - to clinch a 20th league crown - suggested.
Moyes has acknowledged that the Old Trafford giants endured a poor summer transfer widow.
Marouane Fellaini, at an inflated price of £27million, was the only arrival, with moves for Cesc Fabregas, Gareth Bale, Ander Herrera, Sami Khedira, Leighton Baines and Fabio Coentrao all failing to come off.
Wednesday's galling 1-0 defeat to his former club Everton -United's fourth in the Premier League this term - exposed the deficiencies within the squad that have sent the champions spinning out of the title race with only a third of the season gone.
Midfield duo of Ryan Giggs and Fellaini had no answer to the energy, enterprise and dynamism of young talents James McCarthy and Ross Barkley, which was underpinned by the diligence of Gareth Barry.
Giggs is now 40 and cannot be relied on regularly, despite his enduring class.
Of Moyes' other midfield options, Anderson is not considered good enough or fit enough and Tom Cleverley has not progressed at the rate expected.
Fellaini is perhaps the biggest indictment of Moyes' reign thus far.
The Belgium international having failed to live up to his transfer fee, despite the United boss repeatedly insisting the 26-year-old will eventually prove his worth.
With United now languishing in mid-table, of more concern to the club's hierarchy is not whether they can elbow their way back into the title race, but whether they can achieve a top-four finish and ensure they do not miss out on the Champions League for the first time in 19 years.
Those in charge at United are confident they can absorb the financial cost of missing out on Champions League qualification, but are acutely aware that scenario would have a major impact on their ability to attract - and keep - the best players.

 With United currently five points off fourth, and with increased competition for the coveted Champions League places, their poor start to the season has raised the very real prospect of them failing to grace European football's elite competition.
Everton captain Phil Jagielka claimed Moyes had not been given sufficient backing in the summer transfer market.
"I do feel sorry for him," said Jagielka. "The transfers in the summer, the people who were making those decisions, didn't help him out one bit."
With Giggs coming to the end of his career and Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, United's former first-choice central defensive partnership, facing a similar fate, Moyes has a significant rebuilding job on his hands.
Ferguson always said he would bequeath to his successor a healthy squad capable of challenging on all fronts, yet the group of players Moyes has inherited has failed to live up to the standards demanded by their previous boss.
Although efforts will be made to strengthen the squad in January, there is an acceptance that the winter window is not the ideal time to land leading targets, as clubs are reluctant to sell their best players mid-season.
Despite that fact, United will revive their attempts to prise Leighton Baines from Everton, while Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan and Bilbao's Herrera remain on their radar.

 Without injured duo Michael Carrick and Robin van Persie, United's weaknesses have been exposed - particularly with regard to the latter.
Wayne Rooney has carried the team in recent weeks, but the striker cannot continue to shoulder that burden alone.
Rooney will miss Saturday's visit of Newcastle after picking up his fifth booking this season on Wednesday - and if Van Persie misses a fifth straight game with a groin injury, Moyes faces the prospect of the current crisis at United deepening.
The challenge facing the 50-year-old Scot is to steady his creaking ship and haul United back up the table, into the security of the top four.
There is no disgrace in finishing third - something Ferguson experienced amid his 13 titles - but finishing outside of the top four would be unthinkable for a club of United's stature and ambition.

Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/manchester-uniteds-david-moyes-saw-2894315#ixzz2mftJfpf1

No comments:

Post a Comment