Manchester United, were embarrassing against Manchester City, to put it nicely.
They conceded in just 43 seconds and apart from a a 20 minute spell in the first half where they seemed to weather the blue storm, Manchester City were comfortable and didn’t really have to play well to collect all three points and move into second in thePremier League.
But just why are United struggling? Everyone knew that the transition from Fergie to post-Fergie was going to be a tough one but most assumed that United would at least finish in the top four.
But that has not been the case and after Tuesday’s defeat, United’s only hope of getting into the top 4 would be via winning the Champions League but with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich as their next opponents, that seems very unlikely.
Here are 5 reasons why Manchester United have struggled this season.
1. David Moyes is not Sir Alex Ferguson.
It was always going to be a tough transition for both Manchester United and David Moyes. Moyes didn’t have much expectation at Everton – obviously Everton are a huge club but they were never expected to win the Premier League or finish in the top four.
Manchester United have been so used to simply winning everything every year. Old Trafford has always been a fortress with Fergie’s presence on the touchline so important to United that it affected opposition players and managers and also referees hence the ‘Fergie Time’ that used to be added on at the end of games at Old Trafford. But Moyes is not Fergie. He does not give off that presence of being unbeatable in the way Fergie did and that has rubbed off on the United players who seem to be beaten before they have even kicked a ball.
2. Teams are just not scared of United anymore
Tottenham, Manchester City, West Brom and Everton all have one thing in common – they have all beaten Manchester United at Old Trafford this season with teams like bottom of the table Fulham earning a point.
Teams are simply not scared of United and have stopped showing them the respect they used to have under Fergie. Clubs now take the game to United and impose themselves on an at times fragile United side. Old Trafford is not the fortress it once was and this is affecting the home fans who sing rather in hope than expectation.
Their home form is not helping United’s league position as they have won more games away from home this season than they have at Old Trafford.
3. Teams around them have improved
In the last five seasons, teams like Manchester City, Tottenham and Everton (ironically under Moyes) have all improved and become Champions League quality sides. Even teams like Newcastle, Southampton and Swansea are all clubs who have been pushing to get into European competition place. Chelsea have brought in players like Eden Hazard and Oscar, whilst Liverpool have brought Sturridge alongside Suarez which has formed one of the most lethal partnerships in the league.
All the teams around United have improved whilst Manchester United have failed to do so. Van Persie and Mata are world class players but did Manchester United really need them when they already had Rooney and Kagawa?
Without Champions League or Europa League football, United will now find it even harder to bring in the type of quality players they need to improve as potential players will rather go to teams like Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City.
4. United did not buy the right players
Mata and van Persie seem to be causing more problems than good as Moyes is finding it hard to fit them into the team alongside the likes of Rooney and Kagawa who play in their positions.
Ferdinand and Vidic are not the same players they were 2-3 years ago and United are shipping in more goals as a consequence. Since Scholes retired, United did not and still haven’t brought a box to box midfielder/ defence midfielder which is not helping their rookie defence.
Fernandinho and Yaya Toure are exactly the sort of player United need and instead of buying Mata, should have invested in their money into a world class centre back and a good strong central midfielder. Moyes is struggling to find United’s best formation having tried a 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1 and a 4-3-3 and he also does not know his best 11.
Fellani was never a central midfielder and when he was at his best he was playing in a No10 role – the same position as both Kagawa and Mata.
5. The players should take some of the blame
With Fergie went players like Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers who retired or went on to do other things and United lost the fight, determination and passion that those players came with. This current United team seem to lack the same sprit which has resulted in a string of lacklustre performances.
Albeit the manager, this is still the same team that were Champions last season- the same players with the addition of Chelsea’s player of the year and one of Everton’s best players. Manchester United should not be 7th in the league and should not be loosing to West Brom at home. The players, especially the older ones who were so influential during Fergie’s reign at United need to step up and be counted.
Vidic did not need to tell everyone in the middle of the season he will be leaving the club- he should have waited until the end of the season and concentrate on helping United finish as high as possible. Younger players like Welbeck and Januzaj have been leading by example by giving 100% every time they play, a few of the other United players need to take notice.
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