NO one thought it would be easy –
but very few thought it would be
this hard.
A DEVIL OF A JOB: David Moyes
has encountered more trouble
than he bargained for with the
Red Devils [pa]
Six months into a six-year contract,
David Moyes’ attempt to replace
the irreplaceable is going terribly,
and today’s FA Cup tie against
Swansea will be no stroll in the
park.
Sir Alex Ferguson has hung up his
hairdryer and Manchester United
have mislaid their winning habit.
They have already lost more league
games and dropped more points
than they did all last season.
Currently seventh, they are set for
their poorest campaign of the
Premier League era. So what has
gone wrong? Here are the top 10
factors…
NO FERGIE, NO FEAR
Perhaps United’s fear factor was
simply the aura one man
projected. Ferguson intimidated
opponents into believing they
couldn’t beat United. Without
Ferguson, other teams sense the
champions are, in Tottenham boss
Tim Sherwood’s words, “there for
the taking” and so are willing to
attack United. Gary Neville thought
his former manager was worth 10
points a season. If anything, that
might have been an
understatement.
REBUILDING WORK COLLAPSED
Ferguson kept saying his 13th and
final title-winning team ranked
among his best. Regulars at Old
Trafford weren’t convinced. Now
the wider world sees why. Ferguson
was a master of rebuilding but he
failed to strengthen in his final
seasons. He left a side in decline.
Only two players he signed after
2006 – Robin van Persie and David
de Gea – were automatic choices by
the time he retired. Only two of
the spine of his side – Wayne
Rooney and De Gea – are under 30.
Moyes inherited an ageing, injury-
prone team and an oversized
squad. United have quantity, not
quality.
COME BACK THE COMEBACKS
United’s signature move under
Ferguson was the comeback. It won
them the Champions League in
1999 and nine Premier League
games last season. They have come
from behind to beat Stoke,
Sunderland and Hull under Moyes,
but when they trailed to better
teams they haven’t fought back in
time-honoured tradition. In only
one of their six league defeats – at
home to Spurs on New Year’s Day –
have they even threatened to take
a point. Too often they have
looked resigned to defeat, lacking
both invention and inspiration.
The biggest on-field factor – United
are continually outclassed and
overpowered in the centre of
midfield. Virtually every defeat can
be traced to their failings in the
middle of the park. Sometimes
United’s best midfielder has been
a 40-year-old winger, Ryan Giggs.
Sometimes it has been a defender,
Phil Jones.
Their problems were exacerbated
when Michael Carrick was out
injured, highlighting how costly the
summer failures to sign Cesc
Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara, Daniele
De Rossi and Sami Khedira were.
The only arrival, Marouane Fellaini,
has failed.
The central midfielders don’t
shield the defence well enough
and don’t score. They only have
one league goal between them –
Manchester City’s Yaya Toure has
10.
NOT-SO-GOLDEN OLDIES
Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic and Rio
Ferdinand used to form
threequarters of the best back four
in Europe. Now each is in the
autumn of his career, slowing and
struggling. Moyes started off
selecting them for every game but
Ferdinand has fallen out of favour
and has made only one league
appearance since September’s
defeat to West Brom. United have
lost on three of the last four times
a creaking Vidic has played and
Evra was tormented by Aaron
Lennon on Wednesday. Because his
deputy, Alexander Buttner, is
inadequate, Evra is overworked. He
already looks exhausted.
NEGATIVE SIGNS
Ferguson’s gift to his successor was
Wilfried Zaha, the £15million man
whose arrival he arranged. It was
an unwanted present – Zaha had
to wait until December for his
league debut and he was hapless
then.
If Moyes wishes Fergie had never
set that deal up, he has only
himself to blame for the £27.5m
signing of Fellaini. Off the pace
and ineffective, his injury was a
merciful release. Factor in the
failure to buy a superstar and
United’s transfer activity has been
disastrous.
ROONEY DOUBTS ARE A DOWNER
As United’s outstanding player this
season, Rooney’s form can’t be
faulted. But the uncertainty over
his future highlights the worries
about their long-term prospects
and hardly encourages anyone else
to join them. His contract expires
in the summer of 2015 and a new
deal has still not been agreed.
With United looking less likely to
be in the Champions League next
season, Rooney has fewer reasons
to re-sign.
OVERLOAD OF UNDER-ACHIEVERS
United have a huge squad. Under
Ferguson, most of the bit-part
players chipped in with useful
contributions. Too many haven’t
delivered for Moyes. Javier
Hernandez is in his longest goal
drought as a United player, Shinji
Kagawa hasn’t scored all season
and Anderson has been abject.
Tom Cleverley, Ashley Young, Nani,
Fellaini, Ferdinand, Zaha and
Buttner have all underachieved.
BROKEN HOME
Opponents used to approach Old
Trafford with trepidation – now
they go there in anticipation. West
Brom, Everton, Newcastle and
Tottenham all deserved their wins
there.
They all played with confidence
and counter-attacked at pace,
exposing United’s weak midfield
and sluggish defence.
Southampton, who drew 1-1, and
Stoke, who lost 3-2, also sensed
United’s frailties.
Moyes’ men have lost four times as
many home games as Stoke. Hull
have won more on their own patch.
Only 14 of the 92 Premier and
Football League clubs have scored
fewer.
MINNOWS OF THE MINI-LEAGUE
It seemed a landmark result for
Moyes when United defeated
leaders Arsenal on November 5. So
it proved … but not in the way
many expected. Out of nine league
games against the top nine, it
remains their only victory. United
lost five of the nine and prop up
the mini-league of the major sides.
So far this season they have
struggled to live with the best.
krazyinsidekenya 
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