I know the Anderson 'quotes' are apparently fictional but I don't doubt that some players feel that way and it could be what is causing us to suffer so many defeats.
There are probably quite a few United players who feel they're going to be let go in the summer and don't want to give their all for Moyes. Or even that they still see the team as a SAF side and don't quite buy into Moyes' methods yet (if ever).
The best way for Moyes (or any manager) to move forward in this situation is to identify the players who are giving less than 100% and ship them out in the summer. It can't be a coincidence that our best player this season is a guy (Rooney) who has played for Moyes before. He is comfortable with Moyes' methods and no doubt happy to give his all for him.
I'd say the only established first teamers who could still be at the club in 2/3 years from now will be De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Evans, Mata and Rooney.
That's a lot of changes and hopefully the supporters can see just how hard the task is for Moyes right now. Just as it would be for any manager. Dismantling a title winning side is always fraught with problems and we're seeing the hangover now as those title winning players sense that they aren't going to be there much longer.
What the problem might be.
posted on 4/2/14
Kneerash
Mata has just signed for United and he mist have known when he signed that CL looks very unlikely next season. City still managed to attract big players when they didn't qualify for the CL at the expense of Spurs a few years ago. Even Spurs managed to sign a £30m player in the summer (true he has been hugely disappointing but no-one knew that at the time). Liverpool signed Suarez when they had no CL football to offer.
United will need to spend big on fees and wages. They may not get a Gundogan or a Vidal but they will get good enough players to get them challenging on all fronts again next season that's for sure. When you can still offer the players you really want circa £150k per week plus it's amazing how many of them will forego one year in the CL. City are proof of that.
United will need to dig deep for certain players. If they do they will get the quality they require in the positions that need strengthening. Put it this way whether United have CL football next season or not i'm very confident that the squad will be stronger next season than it is this season.
posted on 4/2/14
You've missed the point Robb, firstly every team has injuries so missing Rooney and RVP is no excuse every team misses players at some point in a season.
But if we get 4th this year we will kick on immensley, we will attract players you will struggle to, add them to an ever improving, more settled squad and you're playing catch up, I know you're optimistic but you need to look at the reality of the situation, just being patient and signing a few players won't suddenly guarantee you 4th like you seem to think, all the other teams around you will also improve, they won't stand still and the team that gets 4th will improve dramatically.
We saw at Liverpool first hand how being out of the CL can have a huge impact on the club, financially united will be sound but top players want CL football, if you're shopping in the lower bracket for players you have to either take a risk on a talented but inexperienced kid who will need time to develop (all the while you are not in the cl) or take a risk on a player who is not of that level you require and hope it works out (See us and Charlie Adam!) But while you wait and hope it works out the team who is in the cl get better and better.
posted on 4/2/14
comment by Artur A Coimbra #Zico10 (U11956)
posted 4 minutes ago
Kneerash
Mata has just signed for United and he mist have known when he signed that CL looks very unlikely next season. City still managed to attract big players when they didn't qualify for the CL at the expense of Spurs a few years ago. Even Spurs managed to sign a £30m player in the summer (true he has been hugely disappointing but no-one knew that at the time). Liverpool signed Suarez when they had no CL football to offer.
United will need to spend big on fees and wages. They may not get a Gundogan or a Vidal but they will get good enough players to get them challenging on all fronts again next season that's for sure. When you can still offer the players you really want circa £150k per week plus it's amazing how many of them will forego one year in the CL. City are proof of that.
United will need to dig deep for certain players. If they do they will get the quality they require in the positions that need strengthening. Put it this way whether United have CL football next season or not i'm very confident that the squad will be stronger next season than it is this season.
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Yeah fair point and I agree but will united be willing to start throwing out huge wages ala City? Cause that what it will take.
If you do then yes you can get players in but liek I said previously you've missed plenty of targets over the years even with the wages and the cl to offer.
My main point is even if you do go throwing the cash about the other teams around you will also improve especially the team that finishes 4th this season, what it's coming across as to me is many united fans seem to think all you need is a few players and a bit of time and it will be all good but you seem to not acknoweldge the fact that the teams around you will get better and us for example will have 2 years of developing as a team ahead of Moyes' united and if we get 4th we can begin to add the quality we are lacking making it harder and harder for united to catch up.
posted on 4/2/14
Kneerash, had Liverpool missed Suarez and Sturridge at the same time as much as we have missed Rooney and RVP at the same time (i.e when both aren't playing) then you'd not be as high as you were.
Every club has injuries but some injuries are more important than others as we rely far too much on our strikers. When they're not there we have to rely on our midfield to get us goals which just doesn't happen.
Next season we will be a far better side because Moyes will sign better players in the positions that need better players.
posted on 4/2/14
kneerash
Yes there is a chance you'll kick on and move forward and sign players etc, etc but just like Robb is taking it for granted we'll reclaim a top 4 spot, you are also taking it for granted that Liverpool will get stronger. You may lose Suarez in the summer to a monster bid, and the replacements may not gel. A big injury could also derail you.
posted on 4/2/14
Kneerash
Remember Liverpool have a huge advantage this season due to no European football. If they finish 4th they may well sign better players but can they handle the league & europe at the same time? They have always struggled in the reccent past.
posted on 4/2/14
All valid points lads and most of this is based on assumption, we could loose Suarez for example and obviously that would be a big blow, we coudl also keep him and if (big if) we get 4th this year we can really kick on.
Really I'm just speaking from the experience of seeing what happened to us over the last few seasons that we have been out of the cl, it gets harder and harder to get back in and it's mainly due to teams around us also improving never mind the teams that are actually in the cl.
I just see some united fans saying with time and a few signings united will get back into the cl very quickly and it's just not that simple.
posted on 4/2/14
Kneerash
I agree it isn't easy to get back into the top 4 after dropping out but we do have some massive players already at the club.
I find it hard to believe a team with the likes of Rooney, RVP, Mata and Januzaj will be too far away from the top 4 with the addition of a new left back and a new CM.
posted on 4/2/14
Firstly, we have to put to bed this myth that Manchester United would struggle to attract players - even at the rate of freefall, it would need five years of near-identical results for that to happen.
As we have seen with PSG, Monaco, City etc; the criteria is thus : salary, length of contract, prestige of the club -- and, in this case, it's still Manchester United and the Premier League and 75,000-plus fans at Old Trafford every week, playing opportunities - and manager.
I would even argue it is in that order.
Sure, not qualifying for CL would be a big blow to a club of United's ilk but some clubs are too big to be that affected - and United is one of those.
posted on 4/2/14
Excellent post Red Cog