Shocks of The Year

It was a day every Manchester United fan knew had to come, but when the news finally arrived on May 8th it still left football stunned.

Fergie was already a part of the game’s history, a knight of the realm with a bronze statue and a stand named after him – yet even in his 70s he maintained his relevance, his importance and most of all his success.

After 27 years, it was impossible to conceive of a Manchester United dugout without the gum-chewing, puce-faced genius who had led United to the single greatest period of dominance in the history of the English game.

Liverpool under Shankly and Paisley might have scaled greater heights in Europe, but Ferguson’s 13 league titles in 20 years is a feat of sustained brilliance that we may never see repeated.

When you look at how he willed a deeply flawed squad to their last championship under his stewardship, it is hardly surprising David Moyes has found his job beyond impossible. Wayne Rooney moped, defenders dropped down injured and Michael Carrick waged a one-man war in midfield.

But somehow, for Fergie, it didn’t matter. Some of his tactics, team selections and transfers would have caused open mutiny among other fan bases. Think Marouane Fellaini’s bad? How about David Bellion, Eric Djemba-Djemba or the incomparable Bebe?

But winning cures everything, and nobody knew how to win better than Fergie.

Your Job Now Is To Stand By Your New Manager - Sir Alex

Remember these words folks - "Your job now is to stand by your new manager"? A simple reminder by the best football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson during his last game at Old Trafford after securing his 13th Premier League title with Manchester United last May. He knows it will be tough for the new manager, the players and especially the fans this season. United are languishing at 9th approaching the festive period but this is the time when we should stick together and get out of this mess. If any team could do, it's us, Manchester UNITED!!! 

David Moyes will receive the majority of the criticism for a run of form that extinguishes Manchester United's title ambitions before the equinox and leaves the confidence of their fans and players in tatters. While the new manager is performing badly, the blame cannot be laid solely at his door. Those in the directors' box and the boardroom must shoulder some of the blame. United's fall has been a long time coming. Eight years, to be exact.

Two separate polls, one at the Manchester Evening News and one at Stretford-end.com, asked the same question on Saturday night -- can Manchester United finish in the top four? As of Sunday afternoon, the answer was a resounding no (68 percent in the first poll, 78 percent in the latter). The club that asks its fans to "believe" has made them give up.

Moyes is responsible for the same thing that all managers are responsible for; the selection of the team, the tactics they employ and motivating the players. Thus far, he has selected players who are not good enough, and repeatedly. He has persisted with Ashley Young and Marouane Fellaini despite below-par performances.

Why is he doing this? Quite possibly because they are as good as any players he has worked with in the past. He is also not in a position where he can tear into the dressing room for fear of losing it. He is trying to direct traffic with his hands tied behind his back.

"This time last year we were 3-2 up with nine minutes to go," Newcastle's Alan Pardew said after the match. Yet United came back on New Year's Eve 2012. There was never any danger of that in the Magpies' 1-0 win on Saturday.

Moyes has played with tactics that encourage the side to hold on to narrow margins, trying to close games out at 1-0. This policy has seen United concede last-minute equalisers on several occasions -- defending when they should be attacking.

The side lacked edge and desire against Newcastle. It always does when Wayne Rooney is not on the field. It is not Moyes' fault he is not the unique motivational genius Sir Alex Ferguson was. But he patently is not.

On the other hand, Moyes could not have played a more attacking team on Saturday. Robin van Persie, Chicharito, Nani and Adnan Januzaj all started. Additionally, bringing on Antonio Valencia and Wilfried Zaha was a sound decision, as United had no way to gain control of central midfield. Trying to get penetration from the wings seemed sensible considering the circumstances.

Fergie is not without blame here. United have bought only one world-class player in the past eight years. As players have aged, the squad has not been replenished as it should have been. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are clinging on past their prime. Previously, greats such as Gary Pallister and Jaap Stam were replaced with a minimum of fuss.

The squad is awash with personnel who have had plenty of chances to make it and failed. Nani, Anderson, Tom Cleverley and even Danny Welbeck are far short of the stardust quality that wins European Cups.

Other than Rooney, van Persie, Michael Carrick and David de Gea, it is hard to see where the top-level players in the United dressing room are. In comparison, Chelsea have brought in Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Oscar in recent years. City have topped themselves up with Samir Nasri, Sergio Aguero and a host of others. United lag far behind.

The foundations for this week of shame were laid in 2005 when the Glazer family took control of the club. Eight years of underinvestment has come home to roost. Former chief executive David Gill and Fergie, for whatever reason, did not sound the alarm internally when they were running the show. It looks as if they got out just in time.

Hope can be found in the fact this team has beaten the league leaders and the Bundesliga's second-place team in the past month. They are not as bad as the past two results suggest. Nonetheless, the fans are reeling at the moment and this situation is as bad as any that could have been imagined.

The Glazer family must surely realise they must spend big, and now, or the brand will be damaged irreparably. The fans just want their club back. After years of watching money travel quietly into the pockets of hedge-fund managers, the team on the field is starting to suffer. The worst may be yet to come.

Yes, This Is A Crisis

Footballing feast can rapidly fade to famine. Panic, too, can only speed decline, as Manchester United may recall from their own history. But when things are not going well, the knives come out quickly. Many want their judgment that David Moyes is not the man for United to be proved correct, and quickly, too. How long can he last if this continues? 

Results are stacking up as evidence, with five defeats in 15 Premier League games. Everton and Newcastle United used to turn up for a habitual defeat at Old Trafford; both celebrated victories in four days. Everton had not won here for 21 years, and the Toon Army since 1972. Even Ryan Giggs was not born then. The last time United lost two Premier League home games in a row was May 2002, just weeks into Moyes' reign at Everton. 

Yohan Cabaye's deflected goal off the sole of Nemanja Vidic's boot was the type of mishap that now happens regularly. That "Come on, David Moyes" anthem did not get much of an airing. A lack of confidence and belief in the manager has already sapped vocal support, though he was applauded by the Stretford End as he left the field. 

"I think the fans have been great to me," Moyes said after the match. "I think they understand there's a great transition going on here but I don't think they or me expected us to lose five games by this stage of the season." 

For the second match in a row, there was no relentless pursuit of late redemption. United played far better against Everton, too. Robin van Persie had the ball in the net in the 73rd minute, but his goal was correctly disallowed for offside. He and his teammates created little else of note, even if they might have had a penalty before Cabaye's winner when Vurnon Anita handballed following a Patrice Evra header. 

"After Everton's victory it was either going to be a good time to play them or we were going to get a reaction," Alan Pardew said. "But we made a statement that we were here." 

Van Persie handed in a transfer request last week -- or so the story went, from a combination of an anonymous Twitter account, and some second-hand information from former Liverpool defender and current media pundit Mark Lawrenson. Learned observers suggest a disagreement over training methods between manager and star striker. Van Persie, a classically Dutch straight talker, is not one to surrender his corner meekly. In the face of such speculation, Van Persie took his place in United's lineup. "Absolute nonsense," Moyes said dismissively. 

Time for the amateur body language experts to find signs of disaffection though, by the end, most of United's players looked as if they fancied being somewhere else, too. Strikers are often difficult to read. The affectation of diffidence is a means by which to surprise opponents -- Denis Law made that an art form on this very stage. 

Van Persie played as a No. 10 behind Javier Hernandez. Moyes' mainstay has been Wayne Rooney, trouble turned talisman, but suspension ruled him out, and so the Dutchman filled those shoes. In place of gusto was ghosting, although Van Persie did put in a Rooney-esque crunching tackle on Cabaye. It was his most obvious contribution of a listless first half for both teams. Well, that and a pathetic free-kick routine with Nani that set up a Newcastle attack. 

The Pardew plan had been to hold on until halftime and pick off their opponents. It paid off, just as it had against Tottenham and Chelsea. 

Pardew, flush with victory, was able to offer the type of support Moyes probably did not want to have to hear. "The best thing this club can do is stick by him," the Newcastle boss said. "He is the right man for them."

Five wins from six now, and Newcastle, of all clubs, can look down on Manchester United as a panicking outfit whose greatest problem is a lack of fluency. Moyes takes blame for that but a refresher in late-Ferguson era teams would remind that doggedness had become the team's greatest strength. Creativity is hard to locate when a team cannot relax. Meanwhile, a previously iron will to win has departed, feared lost. 

Rio Ferdinand, somewhat indiscreet about his manager's method of team selections, was spotted giggling on the bench as Moyes again shifted around his centre-backs. The last time he fielded the same pairing was back in October against Stoke. 

Moyes is yet to field the same XI in his 15 matches, a clear sign of a man in a muddle, from a manager previously used to fielding the same team every week at Everton. A mark of continuing inconsistency was the Premier League bow of Wilfried Zaha as a sub. The erstwhile mystery man had his team's best effort in open play when dipping a shot wide from long range -- potshots had become the best hope of an undeserved equaliser. United's midfield in the closing minutes was Adnan Januzaj, Phil Jones, Anderson and Zaha. It was not a combination capable of restoring parity or faith in the manager. 

Arguments that Moyes took over a title-winning team should be balanced against the fact United have needed a redux for some time. Few could suggest that the 2013 title winners were of the vintage of 2008's European champions. 

"I haven't changed anything. It's the same players," Moyes said, defensively. 

Rebuilding takes time and is usually painful, but a transfer window has already been, gone and was never properly engaged. Marouane Fellaini was absent with a bruised back, and absence might do him some good. The Belgian had become an unfortunate symbol of a sinking season. 

Moyes must now take that role alone. Supportive evidence for any future success is dwindling in the face of poor performances and even worse results. This is not Everton. He now is at Manchester United, and their current position points to a crisis of confidence in him.

Best In The World

An article by Ian Ladyman

In ten years he has gone from a baby-faced lone ranger to an accomplished killer... forget Messi, Ibrahimovic, Ribery and the rest, Ronaldo is the best player in the world. 

As he reflected on one of the defining nights of a remarkable career, Cristiano Ronaldo veered away from the popular narrative with the same ease with which he had left Sweden's defenders floundering on Tuesday.

'Am I the best in the world?' he asked in Stockholm. 'I am not obsessed with it. I try to do my work.' While the football community squabbles over who should pick up the Ballon d'Or, it transpires that Ronaldo may not even attend the ceremony. If he doesn't, it would be perversely appropriate.

Portugal's dashing prince does not need a golden bauble to certify his majesty. He is the best footballer in the world right now. He knows it and the world knows it. What Ronaldo gave us in 29 stunning minutes at the Friends Arena on Tuesday will never be forgotten by those present. Three goals despatched with chilling certainty.

Afterwards, Sweden coach Erik Hamren seemed dazed. 'In the second half he took us to pieces,' he said. 'It was a shame because in the first half our plan to control him was working.' Hamren - a likeable man - was only half right.

Ronaldo had not scored in the first half but he had been the driving force behind growing Portuguese authority. This is what he does, he dictates matches from their very soul.

The statistics for Ronaldo's year are spellbinding. More goals than Liverpool, more than Tottenham, eight hat-tricks. Numbers in sport can be misleading. These ones aren't.

In Portugal he is feted, adored. Last week, one Portuguese journalist reflected on Ronaldo's failure to take a penalty as his country lost a semi-final shoot-out against Spain in Euro 2012 and said: 'He wasn't forgiven because he didn't need to be. He can do no wrong in our eyes. In Portugal he will never be criticised.'

Interestingly, the scales have also tipped that way for the 28-year-old in Spain, his adopted home. Ronaldo never shied away from hard work during his years at Manchester United. A bout of abdominal pain, for example, was attributed to a daily routine of 700 press-ups.

'What we are seeing with Cristiano is the result of utter dedication to becoming the very best,' tweeted former United fitness coach Mick Clegg on Tuesday.

Nevertheless, Ronaldo also had to be indulged at Old Trafford. Outside the United fortress, he was admired but not loved, while inside he was subjected to the odd bout of mockery. The story of how he once recommended a face cream to a female MUTV presenter still causes chuckles in the dressing room, and one player removed his wash bag from an overhead airplane locker while quipping to journalists: 'Cristiano's wouldn't fit up here.'

In short, vanity - selfishness even - was a recurring theme of Ronaldo's time in England and perhaps during his early time in Spain. That has gone now.

The modern Ronaldo is recognised as a footballer in the purest terms. As he has grown as a player and a person, so he has come to understand the essence of his sport. He is more mature off the field, too, raising his son Cristiano Ronaldo Jnr, although the identity of the mother remains a mystery.

At United, Ronaldo was shepherded through his formative years but at Real he has become a leader, the captain of Carlo Ancelotti's team in spirit if not in name.

'He can't be captain because of the tradition of giving the armband to the longest-serving player,' said a well-placed Spanish source. 'But ignore that. Ronaldo heads this team.'

An example of Ronaldo's security is found in his treatment of Gareth Bale. Some players may have seen Bale's arrival at Real as a threat, an invasion of personal space. Bale's associates, though, tell of how Ronaldo has stepped forward as the Welshman's fiercest ally, helping him to overcome language problems and adapt to cultural change. This is the hallmark of a footballer finally comfortable in his own skin.

Jose Mourinho's tenure could have broken Ronaldo, especially with an offer from his formative club in England in the back of his mind. In many ways, though, it proved to be the making of him.

His refusal to side with Mourinho in his countryman's ugly war with Spaniards Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos earned him acceptance. In a recent game against Real Sociedad at the Bernabeu, the crowd sang as one, imploring that their star forward be given the Ballon d'Or.

Two seasons ago, that would not have happened. Even some Barcelona supporters tolerate Ronaldo now, his refusal to get involved with Mourinho's baiting of their club having been recognised in Catalonia.

So, as he approaches his 29th birthday in February, Ronaldo casts a spell over the sport that he could never have dreamed of when he first came to the world's attention in a simple pre-season game in August 2003.

I was there that balmy night at the Stadio Jose Alvalade when an 18-year-old Ronaldo terrorised United for Sporting Lisbon. 'He gave John O'Shea a migraine,' said Sir Alex Ferguson in his recent book.

All I remember of that night is seeing a kid in white boots with a famous name running at defenders as if on a mission to complete a world record of step-overs. Ferguson was already on to him, of course. Within a week he was at Old Trafford and the seeds of legend had been sown.

In Stockholm, it was tempting to reflect on those 10 years. Ronaldo has gone from a baby-faced lone ranger to an accomplished killer with steel in his eyes. He is the best player in the world and it is tempting to suggest the circle of his career is complete.

Joe Hart’s Arrogance

Social media was awash with debate as to whether Joe Hart should have been dropped for the match against Norwich City this weekend. There is no debate. If he was a keeper not from these shores, then he would have been dropped long ago.

For Hart, read Manchester United’s Massimo Taibi. Taibi actually took the man-of-the-match award in his first game against Liverpool but was sold after only four appearances for the club having been labelled ‘the Blind Venetian’ – however, if his errors were catalogued alongside those of Hart, they would pale into insignificance.

Is Costel Pantilimon good enough to replace Hart in goal long term? In short, no. While he did not concede on his Premier League debut – that achievement must be given context: prior to the game, Johan Elmander, Gary Hooper and Ricky van Wolfswinkel had mustered a total of only six shots on target this season. They fared little better against City.

This was not a rigorous test of Pantilimon’s credentials but he was shaky enough at the three corners the visitors did muster to confirm that he is no solution to City’s goalkeeping woes. Don’t take my word for it though; take the word of Victor Piturca, his national team coach, who dropped him from the Romania squad for their World Cup play-off against Greece.

The question remains though, who or what is the solution. Is Hart? At the moment the answer is no. However, was he ever? How good is Joe Hart?

There is no doubting that he is a great shot stopper but that is a pre-requisite of a goalkeeper. If he were to be ranked in the list of England keepers of the modern era he would probably fall somewhere alongside Nigel Martyn. Martyn, a purveyor of the great saves but not a great keeper. This is not meant as a slight on either man. They are both solid Premier League goalkeepers.

The only shame is that England have no modern day David Seaman. The media, Hart’s coaches and the fans had Hart down as Seaman’s heir apparent long before he had a true test of his credentials. England’s short-sightedness is the stuff of legend abroad. It is mocked. Take for example Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s quotes after he scored four against England in a friendly last November.

"That's the way it is with the English," he said. "If you score against them you're a good player, if you don't score against them you're not a good player. I remember Lionel Messi before the 2009 Champions League final for Barcelona... then he scored against Manchester United and suddenly he was the best player in the world. Maybe now they'll say something like that about me."

There was hyperbole before the Euros in 2012 that Hart was on a level with Gianluigi Buffon, Iker Casillas and Manuel Neuer. He grew into that talk; at the time the hype bred confidence and for any player – but particularly goalkeepers - confidence is paramount. Look at Gareth Bale. Shorn of confidence, he was almost a makeweight in a deal that would have seen Spurs pay Middlesbrough £15 million and Bale for Stewart Downing; buoyed by confidence, he later became the world’s most expensive player.

However, as soon as that confidence becomes arrogance, it is a slippery slope to comeuppance – Hart’s descent commenced at the quarter-final stage of the Euros. Arrogantly shouting in the face of wily old dog Andrea Pirlo as the maestro stepped up to take his penalty. Pirlo’s response? A panenka. The result? Comeuppance.

Hart has not been the same since. It is a long road to redemption for a goalkeeper whose confidence must be shot to pieces after a terrible run of form, but it can be done. Look at the example of Bale or David De Gea, who could have fallen to the wayside in the same vein as the much maligned Taibi after a tumultuous start to his Manchester United career but showed great mental strength to improve as a player.

Can Hart do the same? Only time will tell. He must know his limitations and work on those – decision making can be worked on, so too command of the area but with Hart there is a reason there was hype. He is a good goalkeeper but he needs to work extremely hard to be talked about at the top table of world goalkeeping.

‘World class’ is an overused term but central to any player who has left a mark on the world game is an inner mental strength to rise above doubts but also to not let the hype go to his head.

Hart has failed at the latter, it is now time to see whether he can make a better fist of the former.

What Football Gives Back

The picture above has been doing the rounds and deserves plenty more coverage with Swedish midfielder Kim Kallstrom proving that footballers can be an incredible force for good.

Sweden and Germany played their second excellent match of World Cup qualifying last Tuesday, this time the home side were beaten, in the main thanks to a hat-trick from Andre Schurrle.

But with the top two spots in Group C decided weeks ago, arguably the story of the match came before kick off.

Eleven children with Williams syndrome had the pleasure of being mascots for the game at the 50,000 capacity Friends Arena.

For Max, who was led out by Kim Kallstrom, it was a massive day in his life for which he had prepared for but Williams syndrome causes problems with concentration and relating to the outside world.

So, walking out in front of so many people was potentially very risky for many of the kids who led out the Sweden national team.

Max, thankfully, was cajoled and helped along by Kim Kallstrom who in the days after the game, received a heartwarming letter from the boys father.

“Because of your actions my son was able to experience exactly the same feelings as everyone else: pride, a sense of being special, wrote Max’s father who added expressions like “I did it” and “the joy,” which Max had exclaimed after kick off.

Max’s father continued: “I am writing to you because I’m not quite sure if you understand how much of a difference you’ve made to us. Tuesday saw my son Max do something very special, for other children, it’s really about 15 minutes of concentration and nervousness as well as an incredible joy of having been able to meet the national team.”

Kim Kallstrom then replied in a Swedish newspaper: “Of course I’m pleased that Max’s dad appreciated what I did during the field entrance, but what’s more gratifying is that, despite Max being a little nervous in the players tunnel, together we were fortunately able to make it a very positive experience.”

Kallstrom continued: “In a situation like this I act more like neighbor and parent than as the footballer I just happen to be. I realize I have a responsibility to the parents, who probably themselves are a little apprehensive about staying in the stands, but also to the children who enter with us. I try to be calm and comforting and it is usually enjoyed by kids.”

 

Little Big Man - Chicharito

His goal stats are better than RVP, Rooney and Welbeck, while his international record puts Messi and Ronaldo in the shade. So, why is Little Pea given little time at United? He's the Little Pea with big talent. Once again on Wednesday evening, Javier Hernandez turned possibility into certainty, with a stunning piece of improvisation.  He darted right, then left, to escape the clutches of Jose Enrique and then in one movement, opened his body, jutted out his right leg and cushioned Wayne Rooney's corner beyond Simon Mignolet. The instinctive goal was every bit as brilliant as the backwards header against Stoke that announced his arrival in the Premier League three years ago.

Against Liverpool, the Mexican with the quicksilver movement reminded everyone - including new manager David Moyes - of his worth. Hernandez has had to wait until the end of September for his first start of the season, playing fourth fiddle to Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck.  

It must be a source of confusion for Hernandez, who last season scored eighteen goals in just 22 starts. Wayne Rooney scored sixteen in 31. Welbeck two in 23. Hernandez has every right to feel aggrieved. The Mexican has a better goals-per-minutes, shot conversion and shooting accuracy than all other United forwards, including Van Persie. 

Last season, Hernandez scored three times against Chelsea. He has scored seven goals against the Londoners in 12 appearances.  The winner against Liverpool was his third against United's most bitter rivals. He is a big-match player. He is also a game-changer. He netted a winner at Chelsea from the bench last season, while he came on to devastating effect to score two and create one as United overturned a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 away to Aston Villa. Many have wondered whether Sir Alex Ferguson may have brought Hernandez on at half-time with United 2-0 down at Manchester City on Sunday. Certainly, his pace would have posed a greater threat and asked a different question to the outstanding Vincent Kompany.

Hernandez offers something unique, forever dashing along corridors of space and unsettling defenders. He must make three runs, each one changing direction, within every attacking move. He comes alive in the penalty area, constantly moving, drifting free and nipping in before defenders at the near post.

A previous criticism has been that Hernandez is a little clumsy in his build-up play. Not anymore. He has worked hard on that defect in his game, improving his first touch, and operating in deeper areas while still posing a lethal threat in behind. David Moyes should have been more aware of his talents. Hernandez has twice scored winning goals for United over his Everton teams.

Yet, where most players would moan, there has seldom been a whiff of discontent from the the 25-year-old. He is low-maintenance and he simply knuckles down, works harder in training and takes his chance - and he only needs one - when it comes. Intriguingly, there was a well-founded suggestion that United may have mentioned Hernandez as a possible sacrifice in their attempts to prise Gareth Bale away from Tottenham.

Valencia were also interested in taking the striker while Real Madrid were briefly tempted when Jose Mourinho was in charge. United would be bonkers to let him go. He has scored more than 50 goals in three seasons for the club, often playing an understudy role. Hernandez is on a par with the most clinical finishers in Europe. He has 35 international goals in only 55 appearances for Mexico. That is a better international goals-to-game ratio than Cristiano Ronaldo (43 in 106) and Lionel Messi (39 in 78).

Much like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in years gone by, the arch poacher is hugely popular among United players. There are several little cliques - none divisive - in the dressing room. Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley are buddies. Hernandez is best pals with David De Gea, with the Hispanic connection bonding the pair, and the Mexican was a trusted confidante for the Spanish goalkeeper during those troublesome, early days at Old Trafford.

But Hernandez is liked by all United players and staff. Nobody has a negative word to say. His grasp of the English language is immaculate and he has bought into the United way. He is, too, a constant delight for supporters. He plays the game with a smile, rather than a snarl. It is an all too rare commodity but with Hernandez, there seems to be a genuine appreciation that he has the chance to play football for Manchester United. The fans appreciate his relentless, infectious enthusiasm. And he is somebody they would like to see a little bit more often at Old Trafford.

RVP Reminder

It was "only" the Community Shield, granted. And, no, beating Owen Coyle's second-tier Wigan at Wembley doesn't earn you any gold stars. But it does mean you've avoided more controversy and acrimony and, perhaps, a knee-jerk reaction, of the kind that manifests itself when you stumble. And Manchester United's 2-0 win did provide two important reminders. 

One is that Ryan Giggs, less than one hundred days removed from his 40th birthday, can still generate magic and energy. Certainly not every game, probably not every week, and maybe not even every few weeks. But knowing he's around and can still make the difference is a boon for the club's younger players (which is basically everyone bar half a dozen guys). 

The other is that Robin van Persie is still around. That's right. RVP. Remember him? A year ago today there was talk of little else. His potential transfer fee, his wages, whether he could fit in at Old Trafford, whether he could stay healthy, whether he could deliver. Thirty-six goals in 48 outings for United answered that question. 

Yet this summer, in a soap opera dominated by Wayne Rooney and manager David Moyes -- with supporting roles for Rooney's agent, Paul Stretford, and team executive Ed Woodward -- RVP has been a minor recurring character. Now that the stage has moved back to the pitch, he's ready to be the whole show once again, as he was early last year, when he carried United on his back in some outings.

It's not just one less thing for Moyes to worry about -- it's also a major added value of the kind the media rarely talks about because Van Persie is not the kind of guy who generates headlines when he's not doing his thing on the pitch. 

With Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale, the other two-thirds of last season's Player of the Year triumvirate, either on their way out or (at best) embroiled in long and unsettling transfer controversies, Van Persie is the one guy who has had a long, relaxed summer during which to recharge his batteries. 

Given the upheaval and changes at the club and throughout the top of the Premier League, Van Persie's stability could end up making all the difference come May.

Moyes To Start Title Defence

When Sir Alex Ferguson was handed the microphone in his final game at Old Trafford on May 12, there was a moment that took him back in time. ‘When we had bad times here the club stood by me, the staff stood by me, the players stood by me. Your job now is to stand by our new manager. That is important.’

It was a nice thing to do in the circumstances, a touching gesture from Ferguson. He knows more than anyone just how tough it can be at Manchester United. After his appointment in November 1986 it took Ferguson nearly four years before he was finally accepted by the majority of United supporters. 

He survived the bitterness and resentment of the old Scoreboard End in December 1989 when Mark Hughes was dropped to the substitutes’ bench for a First Division game against Crystal Palace. As Hughes began warming up in front of them, the ‘FERGIE OUT’ banners were being draped over the edge of the concourses. It didn’t help that their team lost 2-1.

Six months later they were on their way to the FA Cup final, beating Palace in a replay when Lee Martin scored the winner at Wembley.

This weekend David Moyes will start the league programme with an away match, just as Fergie did in November 1986 when United travelled south to the Manor Ground. They lost 2-0, beaten by Oxford United in front of 13,500 supporters packed into their old stadium. Those who were there remember Ferguson being surprised by the attention and visibly disturbed by the lack of quality in his United team.

The adjustment takes time, something Moyes has become acutely aware of since he was named Ferguson’s successor. Last weekend’s victory in the Community Shield at Wembley over Wigan was more important to him than it was to anyone else involved at the club. It was someone else’s title-winning team but Moyes has crossed the line and added some silverware in his first official match in charge. There were signs of tension before the game, standing in the tunnel with his team with a look of anxiety and uncertainty. It’s only natural.

In the media suite after the game he realised he would be given precious little time to dwell on the comfortable 2-0 victor. The first question was about the win. The second was about Cesc Fabregas. The third, an innocuous question about United’s midfield, was enough to irritate Moyes. Then the fourth – the Rooney question – was enough to make him snap.

He has departed from the manner of Ferguson’s traditional briefings, when the former United manager would begin every session with his own opinions before a question could be asked. Ferguson could be in full flow for two or three minutes before anyone had the chance to ask a question. It was an established pattern, but Moyes is still working it all out as he prepares for the first game of the Barclays Premier League season. In the weeks leading up to the game at Wembley he accepted that managing the expectations at United is several levels up from his previous job at Everton. He is being pulled in different directions, from transfer targets to the ongoing issue of his £240,000-a-week striker Rooney to the transition of his team.

This is the bedding-in period for Moyes. Unlike Fergie, he does not have four years to change the culture of the club; he doesn’t need to. He has inherited the Premier League champions and they have to play like them.

At the Liberty Stadium on Saturday, Moyes’s new team will be given a thorough workout by Michael Laudrup’s side. Swansea have conceded only one goal in their pre-season build-up and beat Malmo 4-0 in the first leg of their Europa League qualifier. 

United have a huge squad, stronger than many give them credit for as the predictions of two-way tussle for the title between Manchester City and Chelsea pour in. They still have the resources to compete for the Premier League and Moyes has backing at boardroom level. On Saturday he will need the full support of United’s fans.

In David Moyes WE trust!!! 

Pastore's Enigma

I'm not a fan of Ligue 1 but last weekend I stayed up to watch (I'm lying cuz I can't sleep actually) Montpellier vs Paris Saint-Germain. Wanted to see what's the big fuss about Cavani vs Falcao this season. Personally, the game was about another player excelling in a role he's not used to, Javier Pastore, as a deep lying midfielder. But the draw at the Stade de la Mosson did throw up a particularly intriguing lesson, and one that could greatly benefit PSG as the season progresses. 

Since arriving at the Parc des Princes from Palermo in the summer of 2011, Javier Pastore has flattered to deceive. The Argentine international was immediately brilliant, enjoying the sort of immediate impact that you would expect of a player worth €42 million. Six league goals and two assists in his opening 10 games for PSG appeared to herald the birth of a new superstar in the French capital. He finished his debut season with 13 goals and five assists. 

However, the 18 months that followed have not been as happy as the opening six. The 24-year-old has still contributed regularly, including important goals against Toulouse, Evian, Valencia and Barcelona last season, and finished the title-winning year with four goals and eight assists. But the playmaker's sulky, disinterested demeanour has become just as common, and frustrating, as his occasional flashes of brilliance.

Pastore is an enigma. 

Carlo Ancelotti struggled to solve him and decided the best way to utilise the expensive attacking midfielder was by playing him out wide, having fleetingly tried a deep-lying role in his early days in charge, but almost giving up on 'el Flaco.'The Italian declared his willingness to persevere with the mercurial talent, but also made his disappointment clear last December. 

The Argentine's impassioned plea to his coach to stay at PSG towards the end of last season, before Ancelotti eventually left for Real Madrid, speaks volumes over how hard the two-time Champions League winner worked to rediscover his player's true form. But new coach Blanc might have stumbled upon the solution to Pastore's struggles during the draw with Montpellier, and it is not something new or revolutionary. 

With the ever erratic Marco Verratti being substituted in the 76th minute on the verge of a second booking, Pastore was asked to drop into the deep-lying midfield role alongside Blaise Matuidi in order to push substitute Hervin Ongenda as far forward as possible. In that role for the final 14 minutes, the previously invisible star came to life and produced a simple but effective performance that eclipsed his entire showing up until that point. 

Moved into the centre, albeit further back than he'd prefer, Pastore looked far more comfortable than he has done at any point played out wide on the left. His distribution was immaculate, something that was not true of his performance against Bordeaux or the opening 76 minutes in Montpellier, and he looked more calm and composed than he has done for a long time in a PSG shirt. 

Crucially he also looks calmer and more composed than Verratti who, true to form, only took 32 minutes to pick up a first booking of the season. The diminutive Italian was lucky to stay on the pitch for various incidents after his initial caution. When fit, Thiago Motta provides that reassuring influence. But Pastore looked just as capable when filling in for Verratti, not to mention infinitely more reliable than the youngster and less injury-prone than Motta. 

'El Flaco' now appears to be maturing. 

When Ancelotti initially tried him in a deep-lying role, he was not ready for it. But given how difficult it is for PSG to now accommodate a number 10 role when playing with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani up top, a more withdrawn central role looks the best fit for Pastore with the current 4-2-2-2 formation. After the Montpellier cameo, it appears that he is more willing to accept deployment in that position and it should be clear to Blanc that he now has another option there in the Argentine. 

One of the French champions' major problems from their opening two matches this season has been a lack of creativity from midfield. Often the moves have broken down when the ball comes to Pastore on the left. Pairing a player with the technical talent of the Argentine, but without the petulance of Verratti, would enable the team to accommodate the industry of Ezequiel Lavezzi out wide. Doing so would also preserve a vital pace-based attacking outlet in the midfield that Pastore cannot offer. 

With former Napoli man Lavezzi flanking Ibrahimovic and Cavani, and a reinvigorated Lucas Moura on the right, PSG could arguably become more fluent in attack. Placing Pastore further back, Blanc's side would also benefit from his understanding with Cavani from their Palermo days, something we saw flashes of against Montpellier. That will be particularly useful as the side from the capital embrace their ability to take a more direct approach with two physical strikers now leading the line, something that will come to the fore domestically as the season progresses. 

It was only a short spell lasting less than 20 minutes, so perhaps it was too little time to judge whether Pastore is truly ready to change position once again. But with Ajaccio at home coming up this weekend, by no means a straightforward game but one that PSG can arguably use to experiment and still expect to win, Blanc has the opportunity to try a new look with Cavani likely to make his full debut.

Rooney Is Losing His Way

Lost in the persistent summer debate about Wayne Rooney’s future has been full appreciation of his qualities as a footballer. At his best, there are few born in England more capable than Manchester United’s bullish, rampaging No 10.

Lost in Rooney’s own head, though, would appear to be the real value of playing for his present club.

It is well-worn cliché that players don’t prosper after leaving Old Trafford and it’s not entirely true. Cristiano Ronaldo did, for example. So did David Beckham. Going further back, so did players like Mark Hughes and Gordon Strachan.

Nevertheless, it is hard to understand Rooney’s hard headedness at present. Over the course of the last two seasons, the 27-year-old has not always played his best football yet he has scored more than 50 goals for his club and, just last May, won his fifth Barclays Premier League title, his ninth major trophy.

Free now of the manager with whom he struggled to get along last season – and he is not totally to blame for his problems with Sir Alex Ferguson – Rooney should be sensing new opportunity, feeling a new vigour. Peculiarly, he seems to see only dark shadows and conspiracies.

Looking at Rooney’s current tussle with United, it is difficult to know who is fighting who.

Is it Rooney and United? Rooney and new manager David Moyes? Or United and Rooney’s agent, Paul Stretford?

Certainly, United are determined not to be dictated to by Stretford, the agent who quite remarkably managed to turn a transfer request to his client’s advantage back in October 2010. One minute Rooney was being publicly criticised by Sir Alex Ferguson for his impertinence, the next he was signing a new contract worth £250,000-a-week.

Apart from that, though, Rooney – and whoever it is he listens to – seems to see and hear criticism everywhere these days. Overnight, he has become a very sensitive young man and what he appears to have lost sight of is the most obvious course for his career.

Amid the weight of criticism that came his way in 2010, I had some sympathy with Rooney’s argument. His contract was running down, he felt United were getting left behind in the transfer market and indicated that he didn’t wish to sign an extension.

That was entirely his prerogative, especially after spending the previous three seasons doing all the running and hard work that the much-indulged Ronaldo didn’t want to.

This time, though, his approach to his future is harder to fathom.

If Barcelona or Real Madrid were sending love letters to his house then maybe it would be different. They aren’t, though. At least not yet.

Currently he has attracted interest from Arsenal and Chelsea in the Premier League. Overseas, meanwhile, there has been interest from the French clubs Monaco and PSG, both of whom have recently spent lavishly on alternative attacking players.

If we presume for moment that United would sell to Arsenal or Chelsea – which is highly improbable – it would be interesting to understand Rooney’s rationale when it comes to the attraction of both clubs.

Arsenal haven’t won a trophy for nine seasons and in May celebrated a fourth place finish with remarkable gusto. 

Chelsea, meanwhile, continue to employ a scattergun approach to the hiring of coaches and players and, as a result, have won just one league title in seven years.

Certainly Chelsea may offer to pay Rooney more than United will. Any offer the current champions do make in the future will be heavily incentivised and Rooney’ s basic wage would undoubtedly have to be lower.

The Rooney of old, though, used to accept challenges rather than sense only slights.

Moyes’ comments at the weekend that suggested Rooney may have to play second fiddle to Robin van Persie provide a case in point. The United manager’s words were perhaps unfortunately timed but, nevertheless, Van Persie scored 30 club goals last season, 14 more than his team-mate.

As such, he deserves his starting berth on August 17 at Swansea. It is just a little disappointing that Rooney doesn’t seem keen on earning his. He should remember that no sportsman – no matter their previous contributions – has a divine right to anything.

To re-iterate an earlier point, the troubles of last season were not entirely Rooney’s fault. He has indeed spent too long being shunted from position to position – a victim of his own versatility – and Ferguson’s decision to talk publicly about an off-the-cuff, verbal transfer request at the end of the campaign still seems petty to this day. Rooney probably didn’t deserve that.

What he must realise now, though, is that opportunity beckons once again but only if he chooses to see it.

It is easy to talk about the debt Rooney owes United. He no doubt feels he has paid his dues through goals.

More pertinent is the fact that he owes it to himself to make the right choices.

Don’t listen to the money, Wayne. Don’t listen to what other people tell you. Listen to the football.