For the record, this season has been an absolute clusterfeck. I would probably be able to deal with this in isolation, however this place has a way of reinforcing negative feelings and driving away any sense of hope. Kind of like a Dementor. I am disappointed with Moyes, as he has dropped the ball on many locations. Overplaying Young and Valencia, marginalizing Kagawa and Hernandez, playing 2 strikers yet buying another no 10. I can forgive his pragmatism, and putting results over performances, as he is in a difficult position. Some stuff has been inexplainable. Buck stops with the manager, and the improvement will have to come from him, or he will be sacked, and rightly so.
I also realize that despite our title win last season, he was handed a squad built on a rapidly aging defense, green defenders who need time to settle, a nonexistent midfield anchored by a morphing Michael Carrick, and an anemic attack that consisted only of RVP last season. For me it is no surprise that our decline has coincided with RVP, Carrick and Rio/Vidic/Evra losing form. And apart from Rooney, Januzaj, Fletcher and DDG, I am left disappointed by many of the players' attitude and effort. Regardless of whether Moyes stays or goes, based on this season alone, I would be very happy if almost half the squad was fecked off, with the rest getting wage cuts, until their performances improve. I don't believe for one second Moyes has instructed RVP to miss as many sitters as he has done this season. And so on.
I believe that even if Ferguson or Mourinho or Guardiola were here, there would not be a significant difference in our position on the table, as Arsenal, Chelsea, CIty and Liverpool's improvements have not been artificial, but have been organic, and to supplant that we would need better players to replace the decline, but given this current squad, we would at best be 4th in the table. We would not see half of the vitriol spouted against Moyes because quite frankly from the beginning, he was hated/disliked by a significant proportion of the United fanbase. If (conjecture) Mourinho was at 7th with us, the call for more time would be met with a lot more approval.
I voted for Moyes to stay. With 2 significant caveats.
1. Writing this season off, he needs to convince the board of his plan that will get us moving in the right direction immediately. We need to burst out of the gates 1st game of next season with a purpose, a vision, a plan. Moyes must have seen enough of the team this season, so I want him to be ruthless with team cuts, with signings, and youth promotion to the first team. If he can't do this, he should be gone by December. Unlike the majority, I do not think "significant damage" will be wrought by letting Moyes stay.
His signings have ranged from decent to great, so if he continues in that vein, worst case, his successor has a lot of talent to work with. Plus, we're Manchester United, with the right guidance from Moyes/whoever, our accent will be certain. Moyes is not an idiot, I think he is having a difficult time, but I have no problem with Manchester United coaching Moyes to become a top class manager. He has all the resources in the world to make it work. Hopefully it does.
2. If the board decides to sack him this season or in the summer, I want it to be because they have properly identified the person who can get us rolling again. None of jumping from a Hodgson to a Danglish. If we can't find the right person, I'd rather stick with Moyes until it is completely evident he cannot take us forward. I do not think we have reached that point yet. We will soon, if things continue how they are. If by some miracle Klopp becomes available, by all means let Moyes go. But in the absence of any available managers who are significantly better than Moyes, Moyes should stay.
I absolutely do not want Mourinho here, I'd much rather have Benitez. feck off Mourinho.
So yeah, stay. For now. feck off idiots who can't stand different opinions, and feck off B20