There are some frightening parallels between Liverpool, post-Dalglish and Manchester United, post-Ferguson. Dalglish resigned in 1991 after 5 years in which Liverpool took 3 titles and 2 FA Cups. Souness came in and found a squad replete with thirty somethings. Not his fault. But he replaced them with too many ordinary players and Liverpool are still recovering over two decades on.
Out went the likes of Beardsley, MacMahon, Ablett and Houghton. In came Razor Ruddock, Nigel Clough, David James, Mark Wright and Dominic Matteo – all decent enough players but nowhere near as good as what had gone before.
Similarly, David Moyes has inherited a Manchester United squad of champions but one with many players in their thirties. He’s already bought one over-priced, and so far very average, player in Marouane Fellaini. Reports today suggest that he may be in for another player of questionable ability at the top level. The Metro says:
David Moyes has earmarked a wedge of his summer transfer £300million funds to buy Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon as a replacement for Antonio Valencia.
The Manchester United boss has been a fan of the England international since his days in charge at Everton and wants the 26-year-old from Yorkshire to be part of his transformation at Old Trafford.
Perhaps we are being harsh with Lennon. He has added some maturity to his lightning pace in the last couple of years. He’s gained consistency and has a better final ball then ever. But there is a reason why Lennon is not a regular for England. It’s because, while he remains a decent Premier League player, he will never be a game changer in the tightest matches at the highest levels.
Andros Townsend may one day be regarded as a world-class talent but, we believe, Lennon simply doesn’t have that capacity. Spurs fans may disagree bitterly with this perception but hopefully they can hold on to him and everyone will be happy. Because we don’t know too many Manchester United fans who would be impressed with this signing. It could prove yet another expensive mistake on a seemingly interminable downward spiral into mediocrity for Manchester United.
Unlike some other Premier League clubs with bottomless pits of cash, Manchester United can’t afford to make many more mistakes in the transfer market. We feel that, for a club with aspirations of Champions League glory, Lennon would represent another bad investment.
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United We Stand!
Feb 28, 2014 at 6:11 am
That Moyes was interested in Lennon when he was Everton manager just goes to underline why United are fast becoming second rate and I include current performances in that!
Everton are NOT United! Everton are a decent team but they are NOT United and never will be!
Moyes has to set his sights much higher than players from Everton.
He and United should be looking at bringing in top players from Spain and Germany and only bringing in under 20’s UK players who have potential but need time to develop.
The Coleman’s and Lennon’s of this world have not set the game alight. Yes they are decent enough players but decent doesn’t cut the ice at United’s level, which is all about trophies and Champions League matches.
IF Moyes remains at United – and God forgive he doesn’t – then he must go for players who have class, are far better than those already at Old Trafford and leave players from Barcelona and Bayern Munich well alone.
We all saw what resulted with the farce which was played out over Fabregas and who did we end up with instead? Ah yes, Fellaini, yet another Everton player!
Why is it that managers always go back to their former clubs for players? Will they never learn?
akin
Feb 28, 2014 at 7:39 am
manutd should go townsen not lennon
chiskgs
Feb 28, 2014 at 12:18 pm
Buy expensive bad player to replace good one! Mad!
Tipperj
Feb 28, 2014 at 6:59 pm
If true, this underlines why Moyes is the wrong man for the job – he still has a small club mentality and isn’t aiming high enough. Mediocre players like Lennon (and current regulars like Young, Cleverley, Smalling, etc) may have been ok at a club like Everton, but they are nowhere near the level Manchester United should be aiming at. Granted, the lack of Champion’s League football about to be forced upon us by this season’s woeful performances, tactics and team selections is going to limit our ability to attract the really top players, but we should at least be aiming for them and not settling for third or fourth best (Fellaini, for example). I wanted to support Moyes, and was even prepared for a season or two of no trophies, but if he doesn’t start thinking like the manager of Manchester United instead of a smaller club, we need to get someone in who can do so, before it’s too late and we get stuck in the sort of rut and endless cycle of mediocrity the Scousers have been for two decades.
shaun
Mar 1, 2014 at 6:01 am
Because no good players would want to follow an unproven manager such as Moyes. Only players in BPL have ever heard of the name Moyes. This is the consequence of not hiring world class manager. Coupled with the fact of his lousy and dull tactics, no CL football next season, who on earth would choose moyes if this same player is also approached by people like mourinho, ancelotti, guardiola etc. bear in mind outstanding players are sought after by all clubs. moyes will have to pay sky high salary and transfer. Prepare to see this manager spend all the club’s money to save his own job.