I tripped and injured my right hand badly while coming back from the badminton court on Sunday night and then watched the 20 times champions Manchester United draw a match against the bottom placed Fulham 2-2 and I still don't know what hurt more - the injury or the match.
A team, which were champions last season, are playing worse than mid-table teams played last year. Top class defenders like Vidic and Evra are making amateurish mistakes, wingers like Valencia and Nani have lost their mojo, and even the super sub Chicharito has lost his killer instinct. Half the fans have called for the manager's head while the rest of the lot are divided between abusing (yet giving him a chance) and standing by the new manager (as Sir Alex had asked the fans).
But what hurt the most was the tactical blunder by Moyes in replacing Rafael (RB) with Valencia on the wings and then after getting the lead, deciding to park the bus with a 3-man defense out of which Vidic and Smalling were so off their game all night. And this was not the first time this type of blunder had been committed. Even in the match against Stoke, he had got on Hernandez instead of RVP instead of getting the in-form Januzaj for the out of form Young (who starts match after match despite doing little or nothing at all).
So what do I think? I'm still skeptical of the choice of Moyes as a manager (since he has never won anything ever in his career) but I believe in SAF and we have all seen the work Moyes did with Everton without funds/great players. You can always contradict by pointing at Everton's style of play this season under Martinez but then if United had managed to retain the lead against Cardiff, Southampton, and Fulham, they would have been at 47 points, same as Spurs and just 3 points off the 4th place. Anyways, let's not talk about ifs and buts; the fact is more than the midfield, we have lacked depth in defense and Moyes should have invested in a CB and a LB during the January window but still he got that marquee signing of Juan Mata who should be a key player in the years to come considering he is just 25.
So, let bygones be bygones and lets hope that Mata, RVP, Rooney, De Gea and Januzaj can help us finish top 6 because frankly 4th seems distant now especially with the way Liverpool have been playing. And when the summer comes, I expect Moyes to build 'his' squad by replacing the likes of Evra, Vidic, Rio, Cleverley, Nani, Young, Anderson and promoting Zaha, Powell, Lingard, Keane to the 1st team like he has done this season with Januzaj.
For the time being though, with away games to Arsenal, Liverpool and City before the end of March, I just hope that Fulham was the beginning of a new Manchester United (81 crosses, 79% possession) and we will add more finesse to the crossing and shooting with each new game and restore pride to the most romantic club in the history of world football (and that will never change).
Have your say in the comments below.
Follow me @nileshsurana for regular updates on Manchester United, sports, technology and marketing
A team, which were champions last season, are playing worse than mid-table teams played last year. Top class defenders like Vidic and Evra are making amateurish mistakes, wingers like Valencia and Nani have lost their mojo, and even the super sub Chicharito has lost his killer instinct. Half the fans have called for the manager's head while the rest of the lot are divided between abusing (yet giving him a chance) and standing by the new manager (as Sir Alex had asked the fans).
But what hurt the most was the tactical blunder by Moyes in replacing Rafael (RB) with Valencia on the wings and then after getting the lead, deciding to park the bus with a 3-man defense out of which Vidic and Smalling were so off their game all night. And this was not the first time this type of blunder had been committed. Even in the match against Stoke, he had got on Hernandez instead of RVP instead of getting the in-form Januzaj for the out of form Young (who starts match after match despite doing little or nothing at all).
So what do I think? I'm still skeptical of the choice of Moyes as a manager (since he has never won anything ever in his career) but I believe in SAF and we have all seen the work Moyes did with Everton without funds/great players. You can always contradict by pointing at Everton's style of play this season under Martinez but then if United had managed to retain the lead against Cardiff, Southampton, and Fulham, they would have been at 47 points, same as Spurs and just 3 points off the 4th place. Anyways, let's not talk about ifs and buts; the fact is more than the midfield, we have lacked depth in defense and Moyes should have invested in a CB and a LB during the January window but still he got that marquee signing of Juan Mata who should be a key player in the years to come considering he is just 25.
So, let bygones be bygones and lets hope that Mata, RVP, Rooney, De Gea and Januzaj can help us finish top 6 because frankly 4th seems distant now especially with the way Liverpool have been playing. And when the summer comes, I expect Moyes to build 'his' squad by replacing the likes of Evra, Vidic, Rio, Cleverley, Nani, Young, Anderson and promoting Zaha, Powell, Lingard, Keane to the 1st team like he has done this season with Januzaj.
For the time being though, with away games to Arsenal, Liverpool and City before the end of March, I just hope that Fulham was the beginning of a new Manchester United (81 crosses, 79% possession) and we will add more finesse to the crossing and shooting with each new game and restore pride to the most romantic club in the history of world football (and that will never change).
Have your say in the comments below.
Follow me @nileshsurana for regular updates on Manchester United, sports, technology and marketing
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