As we head into one of the season’s annual blockbuster fixtures between Chelsea and Manchester United the anticipation has been lower than seasons past.
Usually each fixture comes with a story line mostly littered with the consequences it would have to the top of the table. This time it’s different.
This time it’s about David Moyes.
So halfway through the season it is clear that Moyes has yet to set his stamp on this team.
Their position on the table is a result of Ferguson’s departure and not the management of Moyes.
Ferguson had more authority almost than the club’s owners and had unprecedented control for a manager, his role was imperative both on and off the pitch and someone of that type of influence is not easily replaced and more important not easily replicated.
Imagine something happening to your mother and then immediately replaced by a different woman. It is normal to have teething problems.
Through time Moyes should step into these massive shoes and create his own impact on the club.
It is important that the fans respect that he will not and should not be expected to attempt to emulate Ferguson.
His job is not to be the next Alex Ferguson his job is to be David Moyes at Manchester United. The sooner he and fans accept this; the sooner it will be until they make the climb up the ladder.
It starts this weekend, for United the timing of this game could not get any worse.
Their injury crisis with Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie out, along with their recent poor performances does not put them in a healthy mindset to travel to West London.
Though these were indeed the occasions that United seem to always thrive on over the past two decades, often getting results through adversity because of their never say die attitude instilled in them by their manager.
Moyes was handpicked and dubbed as ‘the chosen one’ for his merits at Everton.
His passion for the game, attractive style of football and the way he got the best out of his players were the reasons why he was picked over every other manager in the world and so far he has not shown the confidence he displayed while he was in the blue half of Merseyside.
Just like the first few weeks of any new job, confidence is always low, but seasons past proves that David Moyes always seems to achieve 25% more points in the second half of the season as his team buys into his style of football.
This in this case will be 77 points by season’s end.
The fans at United enjoyed unprecedented stability so as a consequence they need to be a lot more patient. They need to realise that the future of this club depends on the way they support and react to David Moyes.
They need to trust and respect their beloved Alex Ferguson and realise that booing Moyes is a subtle way of booing him.
Just like Sir Alex, Moyes needs time to build his team. If you sit back and analyse the team he has at his disposal you would realise that his squad especially with the injuries they have suffered is only good enough for the position they are on the table.
Their two so called world-class players have been either injured or out of form, along with their lack of experience in midfield and ageing back four it is clear why United are in the situation they are.
It seems that every week Moyes is faced with a different formation, different starting eleven and a different game plan.
Team identity goes a long way in football and at the moment United are a lost team with no character.
First and foremost the expectations of both management and fans alike need to be lowered as they usher in the much dreaded ‘transition’ period.
Over twenty years of stability has come to an end and United need to simply weather the storm and have faith and respect for him as he faces the toughest task in world football.
What he is facing is a mammoth mission and he will need to learn and grow much quicker than the pace he was used to.
In the end he has a team that boast s one world class star in Van Persie and arguably another with Rooney, whereas other teams on the top of the table consists of four or five.
He needs to, with respect, phase out the ageing stars with their legendary statuses such as Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Ryan Giggs and blood their young players, something that most managers would find difficult.
He needs to simply back his actions and his decisions and the only way he will allow himself to do that is with the utmost support of the club and fans.
This will enable him to have his own team and allow him to identify and build over the next two seasons which consequentially would earn him respect.
Add Roberto Martinez’s recent success and it makes it look even worst for him but Moyes needs to step out of Ferguson’s shadow and be his own man and it starts this week.
Win, draw or loss as long as his team shows a display consistent with past United teams and instil in them their famous ‘never give up’ attitude then that should suffice.
It is hard to show pity for Moyes, for in the end he has arguably the most coveted job in football, now along with that is the immense pressure that is attached to it.
The fans and club simply need to be a lot more patient and as time goes by; you might see another great Scot on the summit of the most accomplished club in England.
Not to worry United fans, I still believe that Ferguson’s greatest gift to your club is his parting one.
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