Manchester United In Crisis?

Manchester United and its fans have enjoyed some pretty amazing seasons over the course of the last 20 years or so but right now the 2013/14 season doesn’t look like it will be one of them. They have lost their last 3 games 2-1 getting knocked out of the F.A Cup in the process. United are 7^th in the league with 34 points after 20 games. That’s 5 points behind Liverpool in 4^th and 11 behind Arsenal who currently sit at the top of the pile. Needless to say things aren’t really going very well.

Like I said it has been a difficult season for everyone involved thus far but there has been one man feeling the pressure more than anyone else and that man is the manager David Moyes. This is probably the toughest spell of his managerial career. At some point this season United have been without Rooney, Van Persie, Rafael, Young, Nani, Ferdinand, Vidic and Carrick for extended periods, and let’s face it most probably every team in the league would struggle when seemingly always missing a key player. But there are also times when Moyes has frankly made a rod for his own back.

He has made one signing which hasn’t yet worked out and along with new Chief Executive Ed Woodward made a real mess of the summer transfer window. There have been numerous poor team selections with Valencia on the right seemingly having a bulletproof existence in the team; Young has been poor for most of the season yet is still in the team meaning there have been limited opportunities for Zaha. This is not to say that Zaha would make all the difference if he was put in the side but it would be interesting to see if he was up to the job of playing for a team expected to be at the top end of the league. It could also be argued that his constant tinkering of the back 4 has hardly helped in creating defensive stability. And for crying out loud it is obvious to everyone who has seen him play that Chris Smalling isn’t a right back but in fact a centre back so if you are going to play him at least put him in his correct position.

There have been a small number of positives but they have been few and far between. Adnan Januzaj has come in and performed well and at times looks the only United player with any kind of spark. Phil Jones has played well and so has Welbeck now that he is being used more in his best role as a striker. But let’s be honest the team needs work. It looks like Evra and Vidic will be off at the end of the season. Although both are past their best they would be a big loss for their influence in the dressing room. It is looking more and more likely that Rio Ferdinand is moving closer to retirement with every passing week. On top of this there are the players who will probably be sold like Anderson, Kagawa and Young. And from a personal point of view Wayne Rooney should be let go if he and his agent continue to use the club as a bargaining chip. He has been given enough chances, yes he is a brilliant player but if he doesn’t want to be there let him go.

I suppose this is the bit where you are expecting me to provide some answers; well I’m sorry to say that I haven’t really got any. Big investment is needed but will the Glazers provide it? Will the players want to join? Are the players that are needed available? What is for certain is that the club could probably absorb 1 season without the Champions League both financially and from a football point of view, they are a big enough name to do that. But this slide needs to be addressed. Once you fall it is very hard to get back up to the top of the mountain, just ask Liverpool. Good luck David. I think you’re going to need it.