David Moyes was the 'Chosen One' of Sir Alex Ferguson and the Manchester United board. There is something about leader's choosing successors that requires special handling however, and perhaps it wasn't quite done right at Old Trafford.
Without extensive knowledge, but a small pool of observation and church-related experience, I would suggest Moyes was in the worst category of three to take over at United. This is of course an area that needs far more research; these are merely my musings.
Those three categories of managers that could've taken over at United are: one from within the club (Ryan Giggs, Mike Phelan etc.), one from outside the club that appears from the outside a good contender to continue the work of the previous (David Moyes, and other hard-working Scots who have been at their clubs a long time), and finally something completely different.
Part of the problem of choosing a new manager was the fact that categories one and three weren't filled with sufficient candidates. In category one the managerial experience of Mike Phelan and Rene Meulensteen was not good, whilst the likes of Ryan Giggs had barely completed their coaching badges. Other former Manchester United players are an option for this category, but none of them (Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Roy Keane) have hardly set the world of management alight.
Category three is the area most United fans will now be wishing the new manager came from. But who was available? Pep Guardiola? No. Jose Mourinho? Probably yes, but it would've been a huge risk for such a potentially destabilising manager to come in for a period of short success (see his history). Carlo Ancelotti went to Madrid, meanwhile the likes of Fabio Capello and Guus Hiddink aren't exactly young. There is certainly reason to think a British manager or at least one with extensive Premier League experience would've been preferred.
Risky, young options such as Roberto Martinez and...well...Roberto Martinez were simply too risky. For a manager to come from category three they would've had to be full of charisma and personality. Not just a little bit, absolutely full.
This is the point; the lingering shadow of Ferguson and the huge influence on the club meant that either his successor had to be absolutely embedded in the club culture and structure, or had to be from completely outside with a huge personality to shrug off some of that shadow and keep the club successful in their own way. David Moyes, as successor, fits into neither of those categories.
David Moyes is the middle-road. He has the experience of the Premier League, is British, and has done relatively well at Everton. He also fits in line with the club culture in terms of everything except connection with the club himself. What United have done by bringing in Moyes is to bring in a lesser version of Ferguson. This is not a slight on Moyes. What it means is Moyes is supposedly an embodiment of Ferguson, with similar traits, except no embeddedment in the United culture itself. He is a stranger.
Of course all the talk of 'Ferguson being in the stands' shouldn't and probably doesn't affect Moyes. But the shadow of Ferguson will affect him in other ways. The players will have been looking for continuity (category one) or if not then strongly-led and charismatic change (category three). Moyes provides them with a limp version of continuity. Also, the fans will have expected instant success (whatever they say about patience), but the lack of history with the club combined with lack of major success elsewhere and personality means Moyes will find little patience with the fans.
David Moyes is a hard-working (as we keep getting told) manager. He will be working hard to put things right, and tactics etc. aside, United will improve under him. Whether they will be the force of recent years remains to be seen, but things will get better. For things to get better however, Moyes will need time. And this isn't just a sentimental thing. He genuinely needs time. Here's why: he will need to rid the spectre of Ferguson. Firstly this must happen among the players; players who are so ingrained in the Ferguson way must show great adaptation, or go. Nemanja Vidic is already going, and Adnan Januzaj and Juan Mata are good ways to rid the Ferguson spectre in the squad. Nevertheless this is a long process. Secondly, fans expectations must not diminish, but must also stop drawing comparison to the Ferguson era. This is a similarly long process.
The idea of a David Moyes-type manager coming in to take over Manchester United's managerial reins, in terms of leader-successor theory, was not a pretty one. Yet, because of a shortage in other areas, Moyes became a tempting option as he brought some kind of limp stability to the club. In order for a manager of his type to overthrow the Ferguson spectre and improve the team, he genuinely needs time. Whether this will ever return United to the best team in the country, never mind the best team on the continent, remains to be seen. But Moyes certainly has the capability to improve, and whether he does so depends on time. But if a different type manager were appointed in the first place, perhaps United would be somewhere else right now.
Wednesday 26 February 2014
Tuesday 25 February 2014
David Moyes era will have implications for United's culture
I have never seen a worse Manchester United performance in my life than the 2-0 defeat to Olympiakos. Perhaps rivalling it, at least in recent years, in terms of abjectness was the defeat to Athletic Bilbao, but that one didn't 'matter' anywhere near as much. Not for Manchester United's season, not for their players, not for their manager, and not for their culture. The defeat to Olympiakos may well do.
The first three points here are easy to explain. Manchester United's season has just taken one step closer to being a trophyless one (I'm not counting the Community Shield). In terms of the players, this match may have been another helping hand to their inevitable exit from Old Trafford. Step up and walk out: Rio Ferdinand, maybe Antonio Valencia, maybe Robin van Persie. Incidentally, its no good asking Chris Smalling to step up and walk out; perhaps trying to step up, slip over (fifty times) and slide out would be more inappropriate. And then in terms of the manager, David Moyes finds himself under increasing strain, not only to do better in his job but also to survive the 'managerial chop'.
United's culture is possibly the most poignant issue under threat here though. Firstly in terms of their status. A club with the history of United is not simply going to disappear off the map of European football, but already the fear factor has gone. Next up will be the inevitable absence from top-level European competition, for perhaps many years. Slowly the history will become just that: history. United will be a great of years past, no longer the European footballing force they once were, and their status will be diminished.
Secondly United's, what I call 'purity', is under threat. The ever-commercialising machine that is the club is already disliked, to an extent, by many. But this is one thing when the club is successful and winning trophies. Its another thing when they're breaking transfer records, breaking wage records and even breaking 'number of sponsorships one club can have' records, but being successful. The worse United get in footballing terms combined with the better than get in commercial terms is only going to serve to disenfranchise even the most loyal of supporter. United are at risk of losing focus of what makes them special: the football.
Thirdly, the main threat to United's culture is the one most strenuously put forth by Sir Alex Ferguson: time. What if David Moyes is given the chop? A new manager may come in and do quite well for a while. But should they then go through a Ferguson-esque patch of 2003-2006 then who's to say they wouldn't then receive the sack? If Moyes goes now, or even anytime in the next six months, then United's values in terms of giving managers time go completely out the window. Once the club loses its culture of 'time', it lays itself at the mercy of the commercialisation machine it is and puts itself at risk of ever-fluctuating status. It ignores history and becomes the money-driven club looking for instant success, not sticking to values and history.
The Moyes era at Old Trafford so far has been, in many respects, dreadful. The defeat to Olympiakos is the latest and the most potent yet in raising questions about the club's season, players, manager, but also of the culture. If United as a club react in the wrong way to the 'Moyes era' failings, then going with him could be the club culture that so many love. But if Moyes remains, and with him does failure and disappointment, then the club culture may slowly start to ebb too.
The first three points here are easy to explain. Manchester United's season has just taken one step closer to being a trophyless one (I'm not counting the Community Shield). In terms of the players, this match may have been another helping hand to their inevitable exit from Old Trafford. Step up and walk out: Rio Ferdinand, maybe Antonio Valencia, maybe Robin van Persie. Incidentally, its no good asking Chris Smalling to step up and walk out; perhaps trying to step up, slip over (fifty times) and slide out would be more inappropriate. And then in terms of the manager, David Moyes finds himself under increasing strain, not only to do better in his job but also to survive the 'managerial chop'.
United's culture is possibly the most poignant issue under threat here though. Firstly in terms of their status. A club with the history of United is not simply going to disappear off the map of European football, but already the fear factor has gone. Next up will be the inevitable absence from top-level European competition, for perhaps many years. Slowly the history will become just that: history. United will be a great of years past, no longer the European footballing force they once were, and their status will be diminished.
Secondly United's, what I call 'purity', is under threat. The ever-commercialising machine that is the club is already disliked, to an extent, by many. But this is one thing when the club is successful and winning trophies. Its another thing when they're breaking transfer records, breaking wage records and even breaking 'number of sponsorships one club can have' records, but being successful. The worse United get in footballing terms combined with the better than get in commercial terms is only going to serve to disenfranchise even the most loyal of supporter. United are at risk of losing focus of what makes them special: the football.
Thirdly, the main threat to United's culture is the one most strenuously put forth by Sir Alex Ferguson: time. What if David Moyes is given the chop? A new manager may come in and do quite well for a while. But should they then go through a Ferguson-esque patch of 2003-2006 then who's to say they wouldn't then receive the sack? If Moyes goes now, or even anytime in the next six months, then United's values in terms of giving managers time go completely out the window. Once the club loses its culture of 'time', it lays itself at the mercy of the commercialisation machine it is and puts itself at risk of ever-fluctuating status. It ignores history and becomes the money-driven club looking for instant success, not sticking to values and history.
The Moyes era at Old Trafford so far has been, in many respects, dreadful. The defeat to Olympiakos is the latest and the most potent yet in raising questions about the club's season, players, manager, but also of the culture. If United as a club react in the wrong way to the 'Moyes era' failings, then going with him could be the club culture that so many love. But if Moyes remains, and with him does failure and disappointment, then the club culture may slowly start to ebb too.
Monday 3 February 2014
Understanding Moyes' tactics
If Manchester United fans were to understand David Moyes' tactics a bit better then, perhaps, just perhaps, the supporters may start enjoying this season a little more.
Of course understanding his tactics is no substitute for a loss, or indeed seventh position in the Premier League. What it may do however is create a sense of understanding with Moyes' desired aims, create a sense of excitement when United are in positions on the pitch that Moyes identifies as danger zones, and most importantly dissolve the sense of despair when United don't play how each individual fan would like them to play.
This article is not intended to suggest that Moyes' particular tactics are good, or for that matter bad. It is simply intended to create a better understanding about where he could be taking Manchester United in the hope that some fans can find it easier to get on board with the Scot's ambitions.
David Moyes loves to create overloading situations in wide areas of the pitch. 2v1s, 3v2s and even 4v3s on the flanks are Moyes' preferred way on his team getting into an attacking position and thenceforth creating a goalscoring opportunity. This may explain why he was pleased his team reached the byline so many times in the recent loss to Stoke. By overloading on each particular flank, Moyes' players find a way into an advanced zone.
United need the right players to achieve this, and perhaps are slightly short at the moment. Aside from the occasional (or not so occasional in Antonio Valencia's case) disappointing final ball from the wingers, they also need energetic full-backs who can be strong defensively and attack with menace at the right times. Patrice Evra, whilst excellent at surging forward, is seemingly struggling to combine the two facets to his game well at the moment, and Moyes could well justify shelling out a hefty amount on a new left-back given this is his preferred footballing philosophy. He also needs good back-up full-backs baring in mind the importance they play in his tactical set-up.
Another area of the field that needs to respond well to this footballing philosophy are the strikers. They need to move into the right areas to give the wide players opportunities to find them when they overload the flanks. This was probably the reason United struggled to score more goals against Chelsea in January; attacking players not being in the right positions to score goals after good work out wide. Danny Welbeck, despite his recent good goalscoring form, often looks slightly off the pace when it comes to reacting instantly to penalty area chances, and this certainly appeared to be the case against Chelsea.
A further important point is getting players, other than just the strikers, into good positions once the wide overload has worked well. United's first goal against Cardiff earlier this season was a good example of this, when after a left-sided overload, Ashley Young crossed into the box where there were already four United players. As well as increasing the odds that Young's cross would find a player, the numbers in the box also meant another player (Van Persie) was on hand to score after the initial rebound.
So not only are wide overloads part of Moyes' philosophy, but also important are the positions of the strikers and other players in converting those overloads into good goalscoring chances. The second goal against Cardiff, whilst a good strike from Ashley Young, highlighted the issues United face sometimes as only Van Persie had got himself into the box after a wide overload.
Another facet of play Moyes tends to employ is a mixture of pressing in the attacking to defending transition. He will often instruct his front four players to press high, whilst his back six regain their positions. This explains why United's front players are often seen sprinting to close down the ball, only to soon be bypassed with no immediate back-up. This is a sign of the importance Moyes places on regaining shape, something Patrice Evra in particular needs to be quicker in doing.
From this brief assessment of Moyes' tactics, we can see that the Scot likes to attack by creating wide overloads, and likes to transition to defending by regaining shape as quickly as possible whilst his forward players initially press the opposition to slow their transition to attack. This all requires a hard-working team, with good knowledge of their roles and responsibilities, and particularly good and clever positioning when attacking.
Who knows whether David Moyes will adapt his approach in the future, but this current style is consistent with this season so far, and in the past at Everton. As a fan, understanding this rather than being frustrated at a perceived misuse of a player or naivety in tactics, may help to see a better future under Moyes. Perhaps once the players adapt fully to this philosophy, including the players Moyes might bring in to fit into the style, the club will go on an upward spiral. Or perhaps it won't. Who knows.
Of course understanding his tactics is no substitute for a loss, or indeed seventh position in the Premier League. What it may do however is create a sense of understanding with Moyes' desired aims, create a sense of excitement when United are in positions on the pitch that Moyes identifies as danger zones, and most importantly dissolve the sense of despair when United don't play how each individual fan would like them to play.
This article is not intended to suggest that Moyes' particular tactics are good, or for that matter bad. It is simply intended to create a better understanding about where he could be taking Manchester United in the hope that some fans can find it easier to get on board with the Scot's ambitions.
David Moyes loves to create overloading situations in wide areas of the pitch. 2v1s, 3v2s and even 4v3s on the flanks are Moyes' preferred way on his team getting into an attacking position and thenceforth creating a goalscoring opportunity. This may explain why he was pleased his team reached the byline so many times in the recent loss to Stoke. By overloading on each particular flank, Moyes' players find a way into an advanced zone.
United need the right players to achieve this, and perhaps are slightly short at the moment. Aside from the occasional (or not so occasional in Antonio Valencia's case) disappointing final ball from the wingers, they also need energetic full-backs who can be strong defensively and attack with menace at the right times. Patrice Evra, whilst excellent at surging forward, is seemingly struggling to combine the two facets to his game well at the moment, and Moyes could well justify shelling out a hefty amount on a new left-back given this is his preferred footballing philosophy. He also needs good back-up full-backs baring in mind the importance they play in his tactical set-up.
Another area of the field that needs to respond well to this footballing philosophy are the strikers. They need to move into the right areas to give the wide players opportunities to find them when they overload the flanks. This was probably the reason United struggled to score more goals against Chelsea in January; attacking players not being in the right positions to score goals after good work out wide. Danny Welbeck, despite his recent good goalscoring form, often looks slightly off the pace when it comes to reacting instantly to penalty area chances, and this certainly appeared to be the case against Chelsea.
A further important point is getting players, other than just the strikers, into good positions once the wide overload has worked well. United's first goal against Cardiff earlier this season was a good example of this, when after a left-sided overload, Ashley Young crossed into the box where there were already four United players. As well as increasing the odds that Young's cross would find a player, the numbers in the box also meant another player (Van Persie) was on hand to score after the initial rebound.
So not only are wide overloads part of Moyes' philosophy, but also important are the positions of the strikers and other players in converting those overloads into good goalscoring chances. The second goal against Cardiff, whilst a good strike from Ashley Young, highlighted the issues United face sometimes as only Van Persie had got himself into the box after a wide overload.
Another facet of play Moyes tends to employ is a mixture of pressing in the attacking to defending transition. He will often instruct his front four players to press high, whilst his back six regain their positions. This explains why United's front players are often seen sprinting to close down the ball, only to soon be bypassed with no immediate back-up. This is a sign of the importance Moyes places on regaining shape, something Patrice Evra in particular needs to be quicker in doing.
From this brief assessment of Moyes' tactics, we can see that the Scot likes to attack by creating wide overloads, and likes to transition to defending by regaining shape as quickly as possible whilst his forward players initially press the opposition to slow their transition to attack. This all requires a hard-working team, with good knowledge of their roles and responsibilities, and particularly good and clever positioning when attacking.
Who knows whether David Moyes will adapt his approach in the future, but this current style is consistent with this season so far, and in the past at Everton. As a fan, understanding this rather than being frustrated at a perceived misuse of a player or naivety in tactics, may help to see a better future under Moyes. Perhaps once the players adapt fully to this philosophy, including the players Moyes might bring in to fit into the style, the club will go on an upward spiral. Or perhaps it won't. Who knows.
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