Manchester United

[AtW]

There are too many of uniteds players not playing for Moyes the same way they did for Fergie.

Had they not played for Fergie they would not be playing at all (at ManU).

With Moyes they keep being played...

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Even if they play their arses off they don't have the talent in the squad to win it.

I think they do have a chance - worse teams have got to the semis and final before.

Also you must realise that it is easier to focus on just the CL than both the domestic leagues, CL and domestic cup competitions as others teams will be doing. The Premier league top 4 finish has now gone....

[doodab]

I think they do have a chance - worse teams have got to the semis and final before.

Also you must realise that it is easier to focus on just the CL than both the domestic leagues, CL and domestic cup competitions as others teams will be doing. The Premier league top 4 finish has now gone....

That's because you're a fan and therefore delusional. Their best bet is to hope that the FA cup final is between two top four teams and they get a Europa league place. Of course this means cheering for City in the league cup final as well.

[Doggy Styles]

I think that's part of the problem, but not the whole story. All the teams currently above Utd strengthened to some degree or other over the summer. Utd brought in Fellani.

Although I'm sure Fergie would have the Utd squad playing better then Moyes has, I'm not so sure it's a case of Utd getting worse, more that their competitors have gotten better.

I think they are worse.

Ferdinand and Evra are showing their age, Vidic is not what he was before his knee injuries, and Fletcher isn't what he was before his illness.

When you add that Smalling and Jones haven't shown why a top team like United bought them, and Rafael never was very good, it says something when people are considering Johnny Evans to be their best defender.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

That's because you're a fan and therefore delusional. Their best bet is to hope that the FA cup final is between two top four teams and they get a Europa league place. Of course this means cheering for City in the league cup final as well.

Chelsea's squad was the weakest in the last 8 and they still managed to win it. They had second rate players in various positions, John Terry was suspended, Lampard was playing every game, Ramires was scoring goals for them, even Torres managed to score that equaliser against Barca! They got annihilated by Bayern in every aspect except for the scoreline. This is football, anything can happen!

[Martin at NixonWilliams]

Chelsea's squad was the weakest in the last 8 and they still managed to win it. They had second rate players in various positions, John Terry was suspended, Lampard was playing every game, Ramires was scoring goals for them, even Torres managed to score that equaliser against Barca! They got annihilated by Bayern in every aspect except for the scoreline. This is football, anything can happen!

True, they even had Ryan Bertrand playing against Arjen Robben in the final if I remember correctly!

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

True, they even had Ryan Bertrand playing against Arjen Robben in the final if I remember correctly!

They did indeed - he is a mid table EPL player at best!

It was pure luck that they managed to win it, I think United have a better chance with their attacking line up.

[BoredBloke]

I think that's part of the problem, but not the whole story. All the teams currently above Utd strengthened to some degree or other over the summer. Utd brought in Fellani.

Although I'm sure Fergie would have the Utd squad playing better then Moyes has, I'm not so sure it's a case of Utd getting worse, more that their competitors have gotten better.

But that does not explain why they can't finish off the teams that they are dropping points to. I don't mind losing to the ones at the top, it's dropping points to the ones at the bottom that I don't like.

A problem Moyes has is his ability to attract the best players. If you are playing for one of the top teams are you going to jack that in and come and play for a struggling United side managed by a bloke you have never heard of with more than a passing resembalence to Gollom!

It also didn't help his cause by shiping out all the backroom staff. The team has been trained and prepared by the backroom staff - Moyes has replaced all of this with his team - partially from Everton and supplemented by Nevile and Giggs.

[TheBigD]

But that does not explain why they can't finish off the teams that they are dropping points to. I don't mind losing to the ones at the top, it's dropping points to the ones at the bottom that I don't like.

A problem Moyes has is his ability to attract the best players. If you are playing for one of the top teams are you going to jack that in and come and play for a struggling United side managed by a bloke you have never heard of with more than a passing resembalence to Gollom!

It also didn't help his cause by shiping out all the backroom staff. The team has been trained and prepared by the backroom staff - Moyes has replaced all of this with his team - partially from Everton and supplemented by Nevile and Giggs.

I guess it's a combination of a lot of things. They didn't strengthen in the summer, a lot of their 'big time' players are past their best, and Moyes isn't getting as much out of the players as Fergie used to. If I list their squad man for man, they come accross as a good mid-table team (with two very good strikers). So losing/drawing games to the lower placed teams isn't a complete surprise.

I don't think replacing the backroom staff is such a big issue. If you beleive reports in the paper, whenever a manager moves to a new club he wants to take a team of staff with him. Maybe he made too many changes too quick though.

When Man City missed out on the CL to spurs a few years ago, they went out and signed Carlos Tevez, David Silva and YaYa Toure (among others). Players don't care about the manager (speaking generally here), money talks, and at the moment, Utd are struggling to be heard.

[Martin at NixonWilliams]

It also didn't help his cause by shiping out all the backroom staff. The team has been trained and prepared by the backroom staff - Moyes has replaced all of this with his team - partially from Everton and supplemented by Nevile and Giggs.

Agree on this point - Going from having the likes of Queiroz and Mulensteen to the vastly inexperienced (at coaching level) Giggs & Neville cannot be a good thing.