It is the club’s worst ever start to a league campaign for a remarkable twenty four years, since Sir Alex’s led United started the 1989/90 season with the same number of points after six games.
Such statistics for the defending Champions should be unsavory. The new United manager, David Moyes, after a disappointing home loss against West Brom, admits that he is “concerned”. So too are the fans, some of them too young to have seen anything like that before in their lifetime.
The football experts and pundits have already passed on their verdicts – change of manager, lack of activity in the transfer window, and the continuing midfield conundrum are amongst the major reasons behind United’s faltering start to the season.
But, besides these major falterings that have certainly come under the spotlight, there are other things as well that have gone unnoticed under the dark behind that spotlight. So let’s have a look at the five mysteries that surrounds Manchester United’s season so far:
1 . Is this squad only of average quality?
With David Moyes already accepting publicly that his squad is not potent enough to challenge for European glory as it lacks “five or six world class players”, he is playing his cards safe by bringing down the expectations of the fans. And although, he may be right in the judgement of his squad, he was completely wrong in saying that in public.
Apart from the exception of Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie, who can be termed as truly world class, questions marks, to varying degrees, still remain on the likes of Anderson, Nani, Cleverley, Kagawa, Young, Valencia, Fellaini – too many for a club aiming to be the best of the elite.
Looking at the first six games of the season, it is astonishing to realize that this same squad (minus Marouane Fellaini) won the league title last season with a staggering gap of eleven points.
- Is there actually any real money to spend?
When David Moyes took over the reigns at Old Trafford this summer, it was told to him by the club owners and the board members that, unlike the situation at Everton, he could go for any player he wanted to sign in the summer irrespective of their price. It was clear, the club wanted to gift a marquee signing to their new manager.
So where is that? After making all the right and loud noises which included the ambitious pursuits of players like Thiago Alacantara, Cesc Fabregas, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Anders Herrera and Leighton Baines, it was only Marouane Fellaini from Everton who came through the door at Old Trafford.
And argument may have it that Fabregas and Gareth Bale never wanted to join United, but the deals for Alacantara, Baines and Anders Herrera fell out only because of United’s inability to match their clubs’ asking price.
- Where has the never-say-die spirit gone?
Even after United went behind for the second time against West Brom in the 70th minute, most of the United fans wouldn’t have been too concerned as they have seen time and again how their team always claw back into the game, especially at Old Trafford, over the last quarter of a century.
But the fact that United failed to kick on, and rather allowed Wes Brom to re-assert themselves was perplexing and most unlikely of the ruthless Manchester United that the English football has got accustomed to.
Equally surprising was the timid manner in which United collapsed after second half in the Manchester Derby, while the United teams of the years gone by would have won the match against Chelsea and may have rescued a point at Anfield.
Earlier United teams, after falling behind in game, used to bombard themselves on the opposition. But that has still to materialize in the current campaign. United earlier showed patience and composure in such situations, but there has been anything but that in the season thus far, where we have seen the simple passes being misplaced, ball being mis-controlled and stumbled, and desperation on part of United players to equalize or score.
- Where is Wilfried Zaha?
One of the major disappointment of the last season that United have carried on into the current campaign is their pathetic wing play. Nani, Valencia and Ashley Young all failed to fulfill their potential last season and has nothing to show for as an improvement this season as well.
Therefore, it is surprising to see David Moyes still continuing with the same widemen, while a player like Wilfried Zaha, who was United’s sharpest performer during pre-season and was dubbed to have a big season ahead, is still to get any first appearance.
Zaha’s direct raw pace and uncomplicated approach is what United appear to be craving from the wing.
Moreover, his youthful zest and exciting wing play would be appreciated by United supporters. Moyes insist that United are taking him slowly as he adapts to life at Old Trafford, but his absence even from the bench remains a mystery.
- Where is the performance from big players in the big matches?
Very few of United’s senior players can can keep their head held high after the recent run of games. Apart form perhaps Wayne Rooney, who’s return to form has been quite remarkable, experienced players like Ferdinand, Vidic, Carrick, Kagawa and Van Persie have let United down.
After making a brilliant start to the season by scoring twice away at Swansea, Van Persie had little impact in the game against Chelsea, and was left as a lone frustrated figure in the 1-0 defeat away at Anfield.
Midfield duo of Carrick and Fellaini was outplayed and outclassed in the Manchester derby. Carrick, in particular, have been lacking authority in the midfield that he so perfectly demonstrated last season.
Defense, too, has shown their own frailties. Ferdinand, now 35, have been especially found guilty in the last couple of matches in allowing the opposition go past him so easily.
The form of these big players is neither helping themselves, nor David Moyes’ first season in charge at Old Trafford.
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