Managing a struggling superpower involves denying or ignoring self-evident truths. On Friday, David Moyes insisted Manchester United have not lost their aura. He could scarcely admit that they have, although the way a series of fearless opponents have prospered at Old Trafford is evidence enough.
After Sunday's 3-1 loss to Chelsea, Moyes did not concede United's title challenge is over.
Truth be told, it probably ended with December’s defeat to Newcastle United. Instead, it fell to the victorious manager, Jose Mourinho, and the beaten captain, Nemanja Vidic, to accept the inevitable.
The crown has slipped from United’s grasp. Whether Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester City, England will have new champions in May.
What is already apparent is that United’s has been the sorriest title defence since Blackburn Rovers’ limp efforts in 1995/96.
It may yet prove to be the worst since Leeds United, winners in 1992, limped over the line in 17th place 12 months later.
It is tempting to say United’s campaign went wrong from the start.
Actually, that is doubly wrong: the opening day 4-1 win at Swansea City was one of the few times they resembled champions, but their problems began before then. The pre-season tour of Asia and Australia was notable for poor performances which spilt over into the competitive campaign. It was then, too, that the executive vice chairman Ed Woodward flew back to England to conclude a major transfer. Six months later, United fans are still waiting for him to unveil a superstar signing.
Which brings us to another of the less convincing claims Moyes had to make, simply because he cannot say the opposite.
“The amount of big players wanting to join United is incredible,” he said at the weekend.
There is an obvious retort: so why are they not at Old Trafford then? It is widely known that United have the budget to buy and Moyes is eager to strengthen.
With his side having suffered seven defeats and sitting seventh, the need for reinforcements has rarely been more obvious.
Whereas Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid collect the world’s top talents, United have only two footballers who belong anywhere near that bracket: Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.
Securing elite players is famously difficult in January, and much as United want another prominent figure, and not merely to help them tie up yet more commercial partnerships, they have twin concerns.
If Moyes has only two of the planet’s finest 50 players – and Ferguson had more, before age took its toll on Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra – he does not have enough who are in the top 250.
This is where the scope for improvement is most obvious. Finding a new Paul Scholes or Roy Keane may be nearly impossible; finding a central midfielder with more presence and pizzazz than Tom Cleverley or who is more accustomed to the role than the converted centre-back Phil Jones ought to be rather easier.
So, too, unearthing a winger with more trickery than Ashley Young or Antonio Valencia or a left-back who is sounder defensively than the declining Evra.
There are superior alternatives to each in the Premier League – Newcastle’s high-class midfielder Yohan Cabaye is a case in point – and still more in Europe.
Moyes and his coaching staff have scouted extensively on the continent, yet their only significant recruit has been a man they knew all too well and who has still underperformed, Marouane Fellaini.
His failings hint at United’s predicament. Moyes paid £27.5 million (Dh166m) to buy the Belgian. He could easily spend a similar sum on another midfielder who may prove the short-term fix to propel United into the top four but who might not be of the same standard as City’s Yaya Toure or Fernandinho. The danger is a windfall is wasted without bringing in the best.
But the other risk is that Moyes’s procrastinating harms United further.
“Dithering Davie”, as he was nicknamed at Everton, dawdled before finally completing some of his most astute signings on Merseyside. He had his doubts about Tim Cahill and Phil Jagielka. At one stage, he had resolved not to purchase Nikica Jelavic, the catalyst for revival in the 2011/12 season.
Moyes lacks the decisiveness of Mourinho, who was quick to bolster his midfield with Nemanja Matic.
The combination of his dallying, Woodward’s naivety in the transfer market (five months on, valuing Leighton Baines at £12m remains ludicrous) and United’s persistence in pursuing unattainable targets like Cristiano Ronaldo and Cesc Fabregas contributed to last summer’s embarrassments in the transfer market. Now it is becoming clear how costly they were.
Then, even without Ferguson’s pulling power, United were a major draw, boasting a squad of overachievers garnished by a fully-fit, forever firing Van Persie, seemingly guaranteed Uefa Champions League football for every year and with a genuine feel-good factor.
Now they are less a draw. United are a club in crisis – another thing Moyes cannot admit publicly – and a team in sharp decline.
They desperately require additions, not to rescue their title bid but simply to save their season.
The manager and the current crop of players seem powerless to do it. Not that Moyes could say that, either.
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