On Manchester United and the transfer window

‘David Moyes has failed his first real test.”United lose the plot.”Ed does not know what he is doing; sack him.’ All this and more is what I have been reading and hearing repeatedly. Apparently United’s inaction in the transfer market is ‘utterly shameful’ and ‘a disgrace.’ Emotion, is my only reply to this.

I prefer to look at things more rationally. Hence I shall.

Let us first look at what Moyes inherited. Moyes inherited the Champions of England who galloped to the title last season, so much so that the last few months were all of a canter. Yes, they failed in Europe again but that was not solely down to the players. There were things that went right and then there were things that did not. That night was not to be. Simple as.

Chelsea strengthened. City strengthened. Spurs strengthened. Arsenal did so too, albeit late. In the light of all this, United did not strengthen. Apparently so. Your opponents grow stronger. Yes. Does that necessarily mean that you grow weaker? Well, if popular opinion is anything to go by, it means that. However, if one looks at it rationally, it might suggest otherwise.

Let us step back and look at United’s squad for a second. Rio and Vidic might be getting on in age but are still more than capable of putting in a shift. Smalling, Jones and Evans are able deputies to say the least. Rafael and Evra look to be shoe-ins for the start and Buttner and Fabio do not look all that bad. Add to this the versatality of Jones and the possibility of Valencia slotting in at right back from time to time, and the defence looks not-all-that-bad, one must say. Of course, De Gea seems to be coming along nicely as well. So that seems to be covered.

The forward line then. Robin van Persie is, without a doubt, a class act. He guarantees goals. Javier Hernandez has not really been seen in action but he offers something of a potent goal threat, no doubt. Welbeck seems to have carried on from where he left off last term and is improving by the game. Of course, he is bound to have the odd bad game but even his finishing seems to have improved. Then there is Wayne. After the early turmoil, things seem to have come to a relative calm and if his two performances are anything to go by, Rooney will become central to United again, as he was a couple of seasons ago. The attack, while it might not really boast of the multi-million Cavanis and Falcaos of the world, still offers much in variety.

The midfield is where people believe that United are poor. Cleverley has been adequate while Anderson has flattered to deceive far too often. Agreed. Carrick seems to be the only constant factor in that midfield that seems to work. Or so it seems. However, one must take a step back and look at the other options. Young, Nani, Valencia and Zaha on the wings. Not too bad, one would think. Given that Young’s form has been patchy and Nani seems to be as frustratingly inconsistent as ever but the pair of them seem to provide that quality of cutting in from the flanks which might work well in the fluid system that Moyes hopes to employ. If directness is the order of the day, Valencia and Zaha are there to provide that.

And then there is Kagawa. Three games into the season and he has not gotten a look in. Three games, mind you. Three games. That is three thirty eighths of a regular season. A tad too early to dismiss him? No? Of course not. We need to blow things out of proportion, don’t we? Of course we do. Take a deep breath. Relax. Kagawa hardly had a pre-season to speak of. The aspect of physical fitness is not one that is readily comprehended, it seems. He needs to get match fit. Wait.

I really do not think that Moyes failed this transfer season. He identified his targets rather than just bring in players for the heck of bringing in players. Yes, some (or most) of those targets did not materialize but then again, not everything goes according to plan, does it? All we know is what we hear. However, how much of what we hear is true? Of all those targets that we did hear, how many have been officially confirmed by Moyes or United? No, don’t answer that. Just think about it.

Fellaini has come in. He will shore up the midfield. Moyes trusts him, he knows his game. That is why he is a good acquisition. Did United pay over the odds for him? Perhaps they did but then again if he turns out to be a success how many of these people who question the acquisition will still be doing so? No many, I suspect.

I have one thing to say. Think. Think before you rant. Look before you leap. Have some patience. Rome was not built in a day. One swallow does not make a summer; one transfer window does not make a season either. Rather than focusing on the ones that got away, look at getting the entire squad fit. A fully fit Man United squad – even the current one – is a force to be reckoned with. Have no doubts.