Yes,
Fergie and the success he brought to regions of Manchester United’s fans over
the last two decades. During the trophyless season when Carlo Ancelotti took
Chelsea to the double, United fans are still proud of their season – for
fighting all the way, the December through to the end of season when United was
still very much fighting for the title. But this is different, 14 points adrift
just half way in January with 7 losses already – out of FA Cup and facing the
elite in Champions League, with Wednesday’s games against Sunderland in the
Capital One Cup hanging unfavorably!
The
last time Manchester United’s fans endure such heart breaking runs of dismal
performance – was in another trohpyless season in 2004 where United did not
make it pass the group stages in Champions League. But then by January that
season, most fans can see the rebuilding process Sir Alex Ferguson undertooked.
Results were not there but the fighting spirit was. Against Chelsea, David
Moyes’ men once again played like they had their ‘tails between their leg’. The
display in the last 30 minutes against Swansea City the week before was the one
that United needed, yet after Samuel first goal the intensity was not there. Do
Moyes’ team wanted it at all or do they still miss Ferguson’s influence?While
the defense is a shamble, the least David Moyes can do is to push his team to
attack relentlessly to unsettle Chelsea after the first goal. Between the
period of the first and second goal, Manchester United had all the opportunity
to not only stop the rot but also give themselves a chance – to even win the
game. Why they did not turn out like how they did the last 30 minutes against Swansea
leave United’s fans puzzle – it is like admitting defeat before the first half
is even over!
Granted,
this is a team that needed major overhaul to most people but what is left from
Sir Alex Ferguson’s era is not supposed to be sitting 14 points adrift the
leaders, and even 8 points from the coveted Champions League’s spot. And yes,
forget about the Premier League title – it is the way this team needed to start
playing.
Transition
in organizations can have two directions – favorable or dismal. While most Manchester
United die hard supporters agreed that after Sir Alex Ferguson, whoever took
over will struggle initially, and the results have shown that - it is the way
David Moyes’s team plays on the pitch that matter most. Whoever is in the starting
XI needs to play the Manchester United way. Comes Wednesday night against Sunderland,
Moyes must make sure this message goes through his starting XI or United fans
will be hoping the ‘lottery side’ of the Champions League format remains the
one trophy United can still win and thus qualify as champion!. It can be done –
just looked at Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool in 2005 but no, Manchester United fans
wouldn’t want that!
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