Have We Hit Bottom Yet?
Courtesy of my cousin, Kory Kianpour:
2) Moyes inherited Champions, not fodder. United won more games in the last 15 minutes last year than all of the other teams, but they have lost more points than any other side in the last 15 minutes this season. The manager plays a role in team motivation and shape in this regard.
3) One of the manager's jobs is to select a team based on player performance and the opposing team trends. United has not picked up maximum points on the majority of his games this season--- losing 8 games and drawing 5 out of 25. This is due to manager team selection, or lack thereof, which is a contributing factor to this season's results. I would agree that five or six mishaps over the course of a season, including draws and defeats, may be justified by bad luck, poor managerial judgment, or simply terrible player performances. 13 games of poor managerial judgment (not including the cups) is not justifiable and proves that it is not an accident. With the current squad and the ability this team has shown in the past, such form is unacceptable.
4) In today's game against Fulham, United put 81 crosses into the box, 18 of those connecting with a United player. The crossing was easy to defend against and did not yield results for the supermajority of the game. Two goals from this performance is a low yield and is an exemplary demonstration of Moyes' inability to design a reasonable game plan against relegation-threatened Fulham, who were recently beaten by Sheffield United. United also did not start with a right midfielder.
5) Defensively, United is being beaten too easily. Fulham had four shots at goal, and scored twice. This indicates poor defensive shape and an imbalance in the team.
6) United's midfield monopolized possession today but did not utilize their forwards in an effective way--- Instead, they accepted Fulham's open invitation to attack with Evra and Young, crossing ineffectively from the left. Meulensteen recognized United's weakness, and played it to his team's advantage. He knew it is easy to defend against crosses if your team has reasonable shape. Moyes' inability to recognize this weakness and not change it effectively has cost his team countless points this year. Team selection, as I said, is important. Evra and Young should not be selected.
7) A final word, this time about Fulham's equalizer. United has a tradition of playing free-flowing attacking football, defending stoutly in difficult moments, and creating its own luck. Fulham's equalizer was not the first time this season that United heads have dropped, and I believe that such complacency and borderline lack of interest is down to the manager. There are reports that many United players want out, and the manager/system has been the principle reason for each of those players.
For all of these points, David Moyes is the center figure. It is the football club that is achieving poor results, and it is not only the manager. But the manager is not without fault, and must claim responsibility for a string of poor results. It has been a season from hell. For Manchester United's standards, residing 7th in the Premiership table with the same players that made them champions last year is not good enough.
Moyes must go.
For all of these points, David Moyes is the center figure. It is the football club that is achieving poor results, and it is not only the manager. But the manager is not without fault, and must claim responsibility for a string of poor results. It has been a season from hell. For Manchester United's standards, residing 7th in the Premiership table with the same players that made them champions last year is not good enough.
Moyes must go.
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