Reasons For Man Utd Poor Results

Van Persie Injuries
Robin van Persie played every game for
United as they won the title last season
and his goals, many in the dying stages
of games, turned draws into victories.
He was United’s talisman, but injuries
have kept the Dutchman sidelined this
term and his outing against Newcastle,
when he looked short of fitness, was his
first for a month as a result of a groin
injury.
There has been a lack of continuity up
front and too much of a burden placed
on Wayne Rooney's shoulders in Van
Persie’s absence.
The shortcomings of Danny Welbeck
and Javier Hernandez have been
exposed when United have been without
Van Persie in the starting line-up.
No fighting spirit
After half a season under Moyes, it
appears as though ‘Fergie Time’ died
out when Sir Alex Ferguson vacated the
manager’s office.
Once famed for securing draws or
victories with late fightbacks, United
have had none under Moyes and, more
worryingly, they have thrown away
victories against Southampton and
Cardiff this season by conceding injury-
time equalisers.
United appear leggy and out of steam in
the final stages of games, so is that
down to Moyes’s more demanding
training regime or opponents sensing
weakness and pushing on, rather than
sitting back?
Belief has dwindled away from Moyes’s
players and even the Old Trafford crowd
appears to have given up judging by the
vast empty spaces late on against
Newcastle.
No imagination
Moyes had good reason to pursue Cesc
Fabregas and Ander Herrera during the
summer transfer window because
United’s midfield has proven to be
worryingly short of imagination and craft
this season.
They have become predictable and the
over-reliance on Michael Carrick has
been emphasised since the England
player underwent an Achilles procedure
last month. Without Carrick, United
have collected just two points from four
games.
Beyond Carrick, the cupboard is bare.
Tom Cleverley has made little priogress,
Fellaini has endured a nightmare, while
Anderson continues to offer nothing.
Ryan Giggs, at 40, has been United’s
best midfielder after Carrick and that is
worrying sign.
Too many changes
Moyes has pointed to United being in a
period of transition following Ferguson’s
retirement, but has he contributed to the
uncertainty by making so many changes
behind the scenes in the summer?
Ferguson had attempted to prepare the
club for his departure by installing
coaches who could remain in place to
ensure a smooth transition, but Mike
Phelan, Rene Meulensteen and Eric
Steele were all moved on and replaced
by Moyes’s Everton staff.
None of Jimmy Lumsden, Steve Round,
Chris Woods or Phil Neville has coached
at Champions League level and neither
had Moyes, so he replaced Ferguson’s
brains trust with a staff of men
unproven at the highest level.
As a result, many United players have
more experience than the coaches
charged with improving and inspiring
them.
Luck has run out
Blaming bad luck is usually the first
excuse of the ill-prepared, but Moyes
may have good reason to cite poor
fortune as a factor in United’s slump.
Against Everton in midweek, United hit
the woodwork twice before succumbing
to Bryan Oviedo’s late goal and they
struck the post against Newcastle
before falling to Yohan Cabaye’s goal on
Saturday.
United have lost key men such as Van
Persie, Wayne Rooney and Michael
Carrick for key games this season and
their absences have proved decisive.
Moyes also argued that United were
dealt a tough start to the season, but
the counter-argument would be that
Manchester United should talk
themselves up rather than the hand dealt to them.