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Tough Road Ahead for Manchester United, David Moyes
Manchester United has struggled mightily this season under new manager David Moyes, but the Scotsman isn't solely to blame.
David Moyes
Photo by Getty Images
By Evan La Ruffa (@EvanLaRuffa)
You always knew it would be a dubious proposition to take over for Sir Alex Ferguson.
That being said, it’s fair to say that few expected this difficult of a debut campaign for new Manchester United manager David Moyes.
Following bad defeats in the Premier League and dropping to mid-table, this past week's loss to Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League has brought with it even more intense criticism of the Red Devils' new boss. With speculation circling that Moyes might be sacked, one can’t forget that there’s a lot more at stake here than a spot in Europe.
The expectation that would be placed on any manager at Manchester United is understood. After the exit of an esteemed figurehead like Fergie, any bad result could be predictably met with frustration, even pure angst.
The thing is, Moyes isn’t entirely to blame.
Did he look helpless against Olympiacos? Sure did. But take into account what the team was giving him on the field. Nothing.
United played slowly and left huge gaps in the midfield that the Greek side dominated through an aging Chori Dominguez. United showed no passion, no verve, no change of pace to unlock a settled Greek squad that looked completely unfazed by its competition.
The hard truth is, the "wow" factor is gone. Welcoming the Red Devils to your home stadium for a Champions League fixture isn't nearly as daunting as it once was, even to sides from lower-level European competitions like the Greek Superleague. Not to undercut Olympiacos—they deserved the result, but they played with utter confidence. They played the leading role, stayed organized defensively and kept United at bay.
And the reality is, it’s time to get real about the product on the field. Manchester United’s defense is old, immobile and predictable. Rio Ferdinand looks like a statue back there, and Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Chris Smalling did little to help solidify play.
But what’s stood out to me over the past few seasons is the glaring lack of creativity in the United midfield. Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley get dominated by anyone they go against, pulling Wayne Rooney out of position and inherently making any efforts going forward feeble. Robin van Persie ends up going 1v3 with the hopes of a miracle, and he hasn’t been at his usual best.
Did David Moyes look like he lied down in Athens? He did. But the truth is that many of these players just aren’t as good as their counterparts on other top sides around Europe.
If Moyes doesn’t have the respect of his players, he should be sacked. But it can’t be overlooked that despite a huge contract extension for Wayne Rooney, United have many gaps to fill if they want to rebuild and challenge for titles next season.
Even if they avoid crashing out of the Champions League, you have to take into account the bigger picture with this club. It’s time to rebuild the squad quickly, and it’s going to take some serious investment. Whether or not Moyes is the man of the future, the talent on the field must get better.
Sorry, United fans. The next few years might be rough.
Manchester United has struggled mightily this season under new manager David Moyes, but the Scotsman isn't solely to blame.
David Moyes
Photo by Getty Images
By Evan La Ruffa (@EvanLaRuffa)
You always knew it would be a dubious proposition to take over for Sir Alex Ferguson.
That being said, it’s fair to say that few expected this difficult of a debut campaign for new Manchester United manager David Moyes.
Following bad defeats in the Premier League and dropping to mid-table, this past week's loss to Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League has brought with it even more intense criticism of the Red Devils' new boss. With speculation circling that Moyes might be sacked, one can’t forget that there’s a lot more at stake here than a spot in Europe.
The expectation that would be placed on any manager at Manchester United is understood. After the exit of an esteemed figurehead like Fergie, any bad result could be predictably met with frustration, even pure angst.
The thing is, Moyes isn’t entirely to blame.
Did he look helpless against Olympiacos? Sure did. But take into account what the team was giving him on the field. Nothing.
United played slowly and left huge gaps in the midfield that the Greek side dominated through an aging Chori Dominguez. United showed no passion, no verve, no change of pace to unlock a settled Greek squad that looked completely unfazed by its competition.
The hard truth is, the "wow" factor is gone. Welcoming the Red Devils to your home stadium for a Champions League fixture isn't nearly as daunting as it once was, even to sides from lower-level European competitions like the Greek Superleague. Not to undercut Olympiacos—they deserved the result, but they played with utter confidence. They played the leading role, stayed organized defensively and kept United at bay.
And the reality is, it’s time to get real about the product on the field. Manchester United’s defense is old, immobile and predictable. Rio Ferdinand looks like a statue back there, and Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Chris Smalling did little to help solidify play.
But what’s stood out to me over the past few seasons is the glaring lack of creativity in the United midfield. Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley get dominated by anyone they go against, pulling Wayne Rooney out of position and inherently making any efforts going forward feeble. Robin van Persie ends up going 1v3 with the hopes of a miracle, and he hasn’t been at his usual best.
Did David Moyes look like he lied down in Athens? He did. But the truth is that many of these players just aren’t as good as their counterparts on other top sides around Europe.
If Moyes doesn’t have the respect of his players, he should be sacked. But it can’t be overlooked that despite a huge contract extension for Wayne Rooney, United have many gaps to fill if they want to rebuild and challenge for titles next season.
Even if they avoid crashing out of the Champions League, you have to take into account the bigger picture with this club. It’s time to rebuild the squad quickly, and it’s going to take some serious investment. Whether or not Moyes is the man of the future, the talent on the field must get better.
Sorry, United fans. The next few years might be rough.