MOYES MUTINY MOUNTS AFTER MANCHESTER DERBY

MOYES MUTINY MOUNTS AFTER MANCHESTER DERBY

D. Ray Morton, 26th March 2014.

As soon as Yaya Toure fired home Manchester City's third goal in their three-nil away slaying of cross-city rivals Manchester United last night, the home fans parted like the Red Sea and left Old Trafford in their droves. That is, apart from the few stewards asked to guard the "Chosen One" banner attached to the Stretford End in fear of it being ripped down. Anger was the main reaction from United fans in this most woeful of displays in the 167th Manchester derby.

"I take responsibility. I have to be the one who plays them, picks them
 and that is what it is. I think there are a lot of really good players there,
 some can play better, but there are a lot of really good players in the squad,
 a lot of international players and players who I think on their day
 can be a match for most players."

David Moyes' reaction post-match revealed desperation. His absolute failure to motivate his squad is a gaping inadequacy. In football, struggling managers are often accused of "losing the dressing room". This is not so much the case with Moyes as he maybe never had the dressing room in the first place. Sir Alex Ferguson sold the fans on Moyes' appointment but the same cannot be said for senior players who simply have not performed for the 50 year-old Scot. This is the same Scot that Tottenham Hotspur once considered hiring before opting for Andre Villas-Boas feeling that the young Portuguese essentially had more to offer on the basis of having actually won something despite being younger than several of the first-team squad players.

If Moyes was to be the long-term appointment, Sir Alex's old backroom staff would be there to bed him in, that is unless you terminate all of their contracts as Moyes did in an attempt to bring in his own people and feel independent in his role. The poor starts in either half last night demonstrated that Moyes' team talks are not working. Edin Dzeko had given City the lead after 43 seconds. He bagged another just eleven minutes after the restart.

"I just think we never came out of the blocks. You prepare the players,
 you warm them up, you do all the things to have them ready
 but we just never started. It gave them a real big lift to get a goal so early on."

The game was a true walk in the park for City. They never had to lift a gear. Fernandinho spoke of how easily they beat them earlier on in the season and this was no different. Nasri hit the post during their first attack and Dzeko knocked in the rebound.

City's second came off a Nasri corner. Rio Ferdinand's hatchet marking job on Dzeko meant the big Bosnian striker had plenty of space to volley home his second of the evening.

Yaya Toure, who added the third, ensured an end to the home fans' attempt at a  loyalty sing-song.

Moyes felt the hostility all night. At one point during the game, he was accosted by a furious fan who shook his fists at the United manager just several feet away from the dug-out.

Moyes looked to try and ignore it but it's rather obvious he would have heard all of this angry fans sentiments from that close difference. A cringesome moment if there ever was one.

Fans outside the ground chipped in on the dissatisfaction also. This one enraged fan, interviewed by United online fanzine FullTimeDEVILS , dubbed Moyes as "the biggest fool in Manchester" as April Fools' Day approaches:

The rest of the season will be a right struggle for United and Moyes from here on in. They face Aston Villa at home this weekend and considering how awful their home form has been, there will be no easy matches in that regard, playing in front of their evermore frustrated fans. Bayern Munich come afterwards and even the most optimistic of followers can only see that as a write-off now. The defending European Champions just secured their second Bundesliga in a row last night and will be licking their lips at the prospect of thrashing a disorientated United. Once that European campaign goes down like a lead balloon, meaningless league matches will remain, a managerial nightmare in terms of motivating already demotivated players. I still see Moyes lasting until some stage after the summer but it should be fascinating to see how he deals with bad results before then. How far can the outrage go and how long will that banner stay on the Stretford End?

DELUSIONAL MOYES BLAMES BAD LUCK FOR STOKE DEFEAT

What's the excuse this time, David? Manchester United manager David Moyes blamed "bad luck" for his side's capitulation at Stoke on Saturday but surely some of his most ardent supporters are getting sick and tired of these excuses by now. Sporting a nervous smile during a post-match interview, Moyes alluded that misfortune and injuries prevented them from picking up a result against a medicore Stoke side that must today feel delighted to have picked up three points that should stand them in good stead as they ward off a potential relegation battle. Mark Hughes' side are very ordinary but their diligence paid off against a United side completely void of confidence.

In tough weather conditions, it was Stoke who took a first half lead thanks to a Charlie Adam effort that deflected in off Michael Carrick. Swirling winds meant it was hard to play aerial balls, not too much of a problem for the home side who have incorporated more short passing into their new style. United, it could be argued, are more of a long ball team this season despite not having a classic target man. Moyes' sides at Everton were nearly always set up to play 4-5-1 with long crosses coming in from orthodox wingers. Alex Ferguson did away with that style some time ago, possibly as far back as when Ruud van Nistelrooy left the club, adapting a more continental style 4-2-3-1 with inverted wingers cutting inside to take long range shots rather than whipping in crosses. Cristiano Ronaldo epitomised that role during his final season at the Theatre of Deams.

"What's the excuse this time David?"
"Bad Luck," he replies.

The Mancunians managed to draw level early on in the second half thanks to some sloppy defending. Juan Mata latched onto a poor clearance and set up Robin van Persie, two of United's better players linking up in otherwise quiet displays. The Dutch striker was hauled off afterwards indicating that his fitness, whether exasperated by Moyes' methods or not, is still not up to scratch. At this point, van Persie must worry whether he will be at 100% for next summer's World Cup considering how stop-start his condition has been this season.

Despite being gifted an equaliser, United could not build on it. Stoke managed to retake the lead and again it was through Charlie Adam, driving a fine left-footed strike from outside the box to leave David de Gea with no chance. I had written during the week that United fans should expect to see Moyes in their dugout at the beginning of next season. Old Trafford kingpins may accept that this season is a write-off, even fourth place is a far stretch now, as they are attempting to instill stability. Still however, it is fascinating to witness the high anxiety felt by United diehards not used to such shocking results. Other major European powers have had bad seasons here and there. Their fans can begrudgingly accept that every now and then. The red devils' faithful are stepping on new ground here however. Only the older crowd can remember a time, during Fergie's initial struggles, when things looked so bleak. Many sleepless nights ahead for Moyes' boys.

D. Ray Morton, 2nd February 2014