Manchester United FC 2013/14

[EJG1980]

Norwich and Southampton?

Certainly in Norwich's case relegation to League One caused a massive shake up.
The appointments of Paul Lambert as manager and more importantly David McNally as Chief Honcho made all the difference to a fast ailing club.
I may bitch about how hopeless they are at times but that's just the usual fan's desperation to do well and be better than we really are. We are a long way away from the desperate days when Roeder was in charge. Importantly the club is now entirely debt free. It has been shrewd management all round. I just hope Hughton becomes a bit more positive in his approach.

Sorry for taking this a bit OT but I'm sure it could actually do Man U some good although on a totally different scale (missing the Champions League being slightly different to League 1 relegation!)

You're right, I forgot about Norwich, they definitely turned relegation to the third tier into something that helped the club long term. Not sure about Southampton though, wasn't their turnaround mainly down to getting new owners, rather than the current owners realising they needed to shake things up?

I suppose that if any club is in a position to miss out on the CL for one season and not have it harm them too much, it's Man Utd. Their colossal commercial income and world wide fanbase means they'll still be able to pay huge wages and bring in very good players even if they weren't in the CL for one season. If I were a Man Utd fan though, it's still something I wouldn't wish for. Much rather get the top four and hope that finishing miles behind the title winners was enough of a kick up the arse.

[VR46]

Three defeats on the bounce after tonight's game against Sunderland. Can't wait to see how you get on with another game against Swansea at the weekend now, saying that you'll probably bounce back and win 5-0 or something.

[Neil]

I had written several comedy replies but haven't got the heart to at the moment, in all honesty I doubt it David the confidence of the squad is shot.

Congratulations to Sunderland.

We suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. We suck so bad.

[Neil]

Seriously blaming referees again? Poor, very poor.

[nakamura]

'Man United were a golaith in football until David came'.

[prinnysquad]

Johnson dived. What a dive it was. Ashley Young would've been proud. Shameful to be honest. Embarrassing.

[Plough Boy]

Johnson dived. What a dive it was. Ashley Young would've been proud. Shameful to be honest. Embarrassing.

Regardless of that Sunderland were well worth the win.
They remain reliant on set pieces and a bit of luck to score but on the night they outplayed a poor Manchester United side.
Despite their League form the fact remains they have put out Southampton and Chelsea already and beaten Manchester United.
Whether they can hold on in the second leg remains to be seen.

As for Moyes blaming the ref - LOL - shows just how desperate things have become - that's normally the domain of relegation fodder managers.

[Neil]

Regardless of that Sunderland were well worth the win.
They remain reliant on set pieces and a bit of luck to score but on the night they outplayed a poor Manchester United side.
Despite their League form the fact remains they have put out Southampton and Chelsea already and beaten Manchester United.
Whether they can hold on in the second leg remains to be seen.

As for Moyes blaming the ref - LOL - shows just how desperate things have become - that's normally the domain of relegation fodder managers.

*sigh* Yeah it's ****ing embarrassing fella I can forgive anyone a multitude of sins at United as long as they show dignity and try 100% this just makes my skin crawl...

[VR46]

Got to say guys, last night was a real low for Man U, awful performance I thought, hard to take any positives out of it in honesty.

And if they get an away goal in a fortnight you will need to score four.

[Tetsuo]

There's a whiskey-scented elephant in the room with Manchester United this season.

If it wasn't for a massively ego-driven endorsement of Moyes, his continuing presence at Old Trafford like he's still running the show, and an understandable swell of support for whatever he says goes (The Chosen One), it's almost incomprehensible to see David Moyes being considered for any of the biggest football jobs in the world, let alone at OT.

At some point, those in charge are going to have to start using their head and call it as it is: Moyesy is abundantly out of his depth managing the expectations of a team like Man United. As a Liverpool fan though, it's imperative he stays beyond this season, and shapes a new team in his image, but I just don't think it will happen.

[sj33]

I think the financial realities will start to come into play soon. It has been pointed out that the new Champions League TV money from BT Sport will come into effect from next year, where TV revenue from the Champions League will triple. This will make it harder for new clubs to break into the Champions League as that extra revenue is invested in strengthening. In other words, United (and indeed the likes of Spurs, Everton etc.). have until the end of next season to get into the Champions League, after which is is only going to become harder. That doesn't mean Moyes has until the end of next season - it means that things are going to have to start falling into place by the beginning of next season.

After that, the financial realities will overtake any well-intended sentiment people have for Moyes. Everybody genuinely wants him to do well, and that's why he's still in the job, but it will reach a point where the Manchester United board are being irresponsible in keeping him.

United needs somebody who can keep the dressing room in side. Ferguson managed that with an iron fist and with the sheer respect that players had for him. Moyes walked in, and sacked half the backroom staff. This is standard when a new manager comes in, but is a good way to turn players against you. Van Persie has reportedly been unhappy ever since Meulensteen left. It's not impossible to imagine them bringing him back to steady the ship.

[Baseley09]

Been watching Man Utd in Europe for 20 years and in all my time never witnessed anything that bad, Moyes out.

[sj33]

Tell you what though, the situation highlights a major issue among football players - the idea that players 'won't play' for a manager. This shouldn't even be a thing. I understand of players are underperforming because of poor training methods, poor player management etc., but for players to simply be unwilling to perform for a manager due to lack of respect? Terrible.

The blame rightly falls to Moyes, but the players need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves who they're playing for.

[Baseley09]

I agree that players should play for the club, that line up was better than the performance suggested though a few looked completely shorn of confidence - Valencia (who i'm a fan of though can admit isn't a world beater), Young & Smalling were atrocious.