We’re almost reaching the end of the Premier League season, and reigning champions Manchester United are struggling in sixth position on the table.
Following a mid-week loss to Greek side Olympiakos, many fans are calling for David Moyes to be sacked – and rightfully so. But there is still time for him to turn this sinking ship around, and there are two main ways he can do this.
The first is the formation. In Wednesday’s game, Moyes decided to go with a 4-2-3-1 formation, having Tom Cleverly and Michael Carrick as defensive midfielders.
While Cleverly is a solid player, there is no need to have him in the side; Moyes should instead be accommodating for more attacking midfielders such as Shinji Kagawa and Nani.
The formation Moyes should be using is 4-1-4-1 or 4-1-3-2. In both cases, Moyes can have his stars Juan Mata, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie on the pitch, as well as others such as Antonio Valencia, Nani, Kagawa and Danny Welbeck.
The other way to improve this fledgling side is by selection. This ties in with formation, but it needs further addressing.
Four men who are regular starters in the side should no longer have a place in this team: Ashley Young, Rio Ferdinand, Chris Smalling and Tom Cleverly. These men are either past their best or not there yet.
Ferdinand, at the back end of his career, is now too slow to be playing first team football and is almost a shadow of his former self.
Young is nowhere near where he was a few years back, and is now just a man who sits back and gets involved when he feels the need.
Cleverly, who is still only 24, is a solid central midfielder who can drop back or push forward, but is not necessary due to the great attacking midfielders United possess.
Last is Smalling, a solid defender who can play full back or centre-back. He is a huge man with a great defensive physique, but too often is found being lazy and not seeming interested – he may as well have been a spectator during Wednesday’s game.
These four players should be on the bench for the foreseeable future, with men like Phil Jones, Rafael, Shinji Kagawa and Nani given far more first team football.
If Moyes wants to improve in the last few months of this competition – and save his job – he must get these two things in order, or else face the axe and be replaced by a smarter manager.
fadidaPht
Guest
Blind faith will get you killed Ken. Fergie bought Djemba Djemba, Bellion, Kleberson, Obertan, Young, Bebe etc etc etc He also failed to identify an obvious hole in midfield for 5 years! His judgement is not beyond scrutiny. Moyes is Fergie's legacy. Unfortunately not one that will be fondly remembered.
bunnies4ever
Guest
Excellent analysis of the situation and also a good solution. Hopefully Moyes reads roar. Thanks LJ.
j binnie
Guest
Man Utd should get down here & get themselves a new manager out of the many who have re-built "Moyes' team ??????" in these columns.Moyes has signed 2 players Felliani & Mata who have yet to make an impact on the side,Felliani a specialist midfielder who we are led to believe has been injured & Mata who hasn't been there long enough to draw a deep breath.The rest of the squad are all Ferguson players,signed by the great man no doubt for the great talent & promise they showed.!!!!!!!!! When Moyes has signed 90% of the players being used & is still "floundering" in sixth place in the top league in England I think we can rightly say he has failed.My objections to his set-ups so far is that he has one of England's best "in the box "strikers,Rooney, still trying to be developed as a midfielder [actually a Ferguson innovation after Van Persie's arrival & Scholes retirement].Is Fergie still influencing this decision making?. We'll never know. European football? The top four in England don't appear to be able to handle the opposition from the "big three or four" so why should United be singled out as failures?. No, United's problems are not going to be solved by simply putting a new head at the top of the tree,a long hard look at the players making up their pesent top squad has to be assessed with an extremely knowledgeable eye for there are not too many Messi's,Ronaldo's, Bales, etc etc etc to be found,& having signed just 2 out of say 25,I find it hard to single out Moyes alone for "the chop".The problem is much greater than that. jb
bill boomer
Guest
"nani gets contract extention" His retention is emblematic of one of their main problems (Moyes being the other) that is recruiting. Re-signing nani smacks of desparation. Fellaini is almost Andy Cole, RVP is on borrowed time, Rooney is massively overated and they're old. They need to recruit starting with a new manager. i hope they don't
Andrew
Guest
Two years ago he probably was (or at the very least 50/50), Hazard has improved immensely in the past 2 seasons at Chelsea
Lj O'Loughlin
Roar Rookie
Kagawa is such a gifted player, feel bad for the bloke being so badly used at United. And to think only a year and a half/two years ago people were saying he was better than Hazard...such a shame.
Adam
Guest
You've obviously not seen kagawa play for Dortmund. A genuine star there in a legue winning team, twice
ken oldman
Guest
Sir Alex is responsible for the appointment of Moyes,a man of great football knowledge is the Boss as we all thought second to none....but we were wrong for seemingly you should be the Director of Football. so go for it Fadida. and tell the Owners they erred.
brisvegas
Guest
Yes, I'm a United supporter ... Newcastle United. We're obviously a more flexible and inclusive breed of human, though; we don't think we're the only club called United.
Kyle Stewart
Roar Pro
You are a muppet tom cleverly needs to play or he aint gonna get better Kagawa could easily be fitted in
Dylan Arvela
Roar Guru
A few things. First off, how does United take on some of the biggest sides in England with only one holding midfielder? I presume you are going to pick Carrick there which is ridiculous as his weakness if being played without a ball player along side him. Secondly, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Young, Chris Smalling and Tom Cleverly are not regular starters with only Smalling having started more then 65% of Uniteds game this season, mostly due to injuries to Rafeal. You refer to Smalling as someone with great defensive physique. What!? that doesn't even make sense... Phil Jones has start three quarters of Uniteds game this season whilst Rafeal has been injured for long spells. Kagawa is a great player but he is not better then Rooney, Mata or RVP, therefore it is hard to have him in the starting line up. Nani has been injured since signing his new contract so I do not know how you can expect him to play. This is another article criticising David Moyes for something he can't control, his players under performing, with no realistic idea of how to actually "turn things around". LJ seems to be one of those people who things Moyes is managing United in FIFA14 or Football Manager, it just isn't that easy.
Alex Duff
Guest
Two ways moyes can make utd better is either resign or get sacked.
fadida
Guest
Wrong Ken. Moyes is tactically inept. The entire game is long balls to the wing and cross the ball. He has turned united into a lesser version of Everton. His team selections are poor, he is negative, even against inferior opponents. He is reactive and the football is turgid. There had been a FORTY point turnaround between they and Liverpool. Can anyone see one glimmer to show he has the ability to turn it around? Champions to out if Europe completely next season. I wouldn't give him a cent more to waste
bill boomer
Guest
Have to agree that he should go. Was amazed that he appointed in the first place, his record strongly suggests he's not up to it though am loving watching them lose and him squirm. Still can't be easy with the blowhard over the shoulder. ha ha
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Things have been spiraling down for some time at Man U I just think Moyes taking over SAF accelerated the trend. I have the impression Rooney spends more time in the midfield than up front. Plus nothing is going their way, if Van Persie had scored we would have had a different game, Mata isn't qualified in UCL... Imo its a mix of bad luck, poor decisions at coaching/recruitment level, players on their way out, opponents knowing its 'now or never' to get Man U's scalp. Kagawa has to be given more game time. You just wonder what's happening with Fellaini too, does the guy wants to play or is he just jinxed since he moved to Manchester?
Kyle Stewart
Roar Pro
Play 4-2-2-2, anyway to get both Mata and Kagawa playing attacking midfield would be nice, i'd also nearly consider dropping wayne rooney to defensive/centre midfield
ken oldman
Guest
If you were Moyes,how would you like having Sir Alex looking over your shoulder all the time..........Moyes will never do any good until the Boss moves on.....let him go and play with his racehorses and perhaps then Moyes can do the job that he was chosen to do .
fadida
Guest
Agree. This is the easiest way to turn their season around
Lj O'Loughlin
Roar Rookie
Not from a United supporter's perspective!
brisvegas
Guest
Don't sack Moyes. He's doing a fantastic job. I haven't enjoyed a ManU season so much in ages.