Long gone are the days of Ferguson, and the feeling around Old Trafford is one of uncertainty, trepidation and fear.
As a fellow fan of the reds, let me ask you a question; When was the last time you truly felt secure, certain and confident of the future? When was the last time you went to a game and really enjoyed it? When was the last time you felt as one with the club? Because for me those days have gone!
The best game in my memory, was Ferguson’s farewell against Swansea, ok not the greatest game but it culminated to be perfect. However, in those 90 minutes of pure excellence I didn’t realise that not only was I saying farewell to the Greatest Man in the footballing world, I was too saying farewell to its greatest club side.
Ever since that moment, I have felt apart of United died that day, in came ‘Moyesy’ destroying everything in his path (harsh, I know), but at least under Moyes there was still flashes of that excellence, take the Bayern Munich game at home, or when Januzaj scored two against Sunderland and those precious seconds after Evra had put Manchester United one up at the Allianz Arena. Spectacular.
For a moment at the start of the season I thought the good times could be back, after a quite fitting end to last season with Giggsy at the helm; the Dutchman Louis Van Gaal was sent in to take us back to the top. Now halfway through the season we are in the top four, but ask yourself is the feeling really much better than it was under Moyes? Yes we are in the top four, but has much improved? To sum up the season in one word for me ‘Dismal’ would be more than fitting.
For me, the problem is the manager, similar to his predecessor I feel that he just doesn’t get Manchester United and what we are about, and until he or any other manager truly understands then the Manchester United dynasty of old is dead.
Do you agree? Or am I being too cynical? Comment in the section below.
13 replies on “Manchester United: The End of a Dynasty?”
Totally agree! There is no system, no attacking flair, the play is slow and boring and nothing like the united of old.
Just 2 seasons ago, even if we were a goal or two down with just minutes to go there was still that beliefe we would score, the passion was there and clear to see. Now, this season, where is it? What’s happened to our great side.
Sorry but LVG needs to go.
I think ur spot on,I’m 33 and always bin a red,I’m worried b4 every game has kicked off coz it does feel like the man utd way has gone,the only reason utd are in top 4 is coz them dirty scousers r nothing without buck teeth,the gooners just do what they do every year,spurs r rebuilding.if the above teams were doin well,we wud probly b 10th.it needs sortin b4 it’s too late.
Hi , yes it seems like we are going out of our way to spoil everything we ever stood for . We have had ample opportunity to halt the decline , I wonder if there is anyone “in the know ” left at Man Utd . We all can see what is wrong …..yet we still cannot seem to stop the rot .We need to get rid of the substandard players ..”who have become leeches to our club ..,,why they were ever brought to our club ….I will never know , football is changing fast …we cannot afford this nonsense .,..I agree with Matt , LVG should go and take his tactics and decisions with him ..,,,
i have been saying for a month now that the manager is the problem.
hi insistence on playing a midfield with light weight technical players and not sticking with a stable back 4, blackett and mcnair should start every week when they are available,
they also need a midfielder who can protect the back 4 and provide a link between defense and the technical players in front of him, that player is not daly blind, who is just a younger fletcher, a good bench player but not a starter in a championship winning team.
There was a time when United played with pride and passion and this was shared with the fans. Old Trafford was rightly called the Theatre of Dreams. It was the best place to be on the whole fucking planet. Opposition teams came with trepidation, almost beaten before they started, expecting to leave with little more than a swapped shirt. Such was United’s reputation.
Now the players cower behind negative tactics and clipboard management. Some of them are highly skilled but there is no passion. Without passion there is no pride, no swagger, no style. Now there is little fear in opposition minds.
Games are being endured rather than enjoyed.
So, if not Van Gaal then who? Mourino? Wenger? No thanks.
The success Alex Ferguson brought was unbelievable but nothing lasts for ever. If one good thing has come out of the team’s decline its that the Glazers now have to spend money on the team, lots of it.
Keep the faith, Man Utd are now too rich and too big not to have continued success. Don’t forget that even Alex went a few years without winning the league.
Lvg is playing that 5,3,2system to get them use to ball possession, he is trying to get united to play like Barcelona style, that’s why when you see the 4,1,4,1 formation, but the team need time and players, it will come together soon.just have to wait till the penny drops with the team.
I’ve been an ardent supporter for over 40 years. I used to look forward to the games. What entertainment! Not any more. Watching them is a chore. I’;m bored out of my mind. I don’t recognize this team and I don’t feel any connection with them. I agree with you Justin. Something is fundamentally wrong with the spirit of the team. It’s not the players. We have a lot of individual quality. It’s something deeper than that.
Yes it is the end of an era, and has been since SAF refused to upgrade midfield 4 years ago. To get Paul Scholes out of retirement and use a succession of second raters, rather than blood Pogba or bring in a new blood or two was the beginning of the end. The only other time I can compare it with was after 1968 when Busby was too loyal with ageing stars or non-descript players out of loyalty to HIS team. Sound familiar? I do not think that Van Gaal will go the way of those managers that followed Busby and led United to the then second division. It took Ferguson a few years to get his vision in place and might have been sacked himself except for a Robbins goal (remember that?) in the FA cup. We have a lot of clearing out and a NEW vision in its infancy. Give it a couple of years at least to mature, sothen you can get depressed if we are not playing brilliant football. So yes, you really are being too cynical, along with impatient, illogical and a little unreasonable. Nothing remains the same for ever, and in the mid 80’s before SAF took over, who would have believed what was to follow over the next 25 years? So patience, and we shall see the good times rolling again.
” So yes, you really are being too cynical, along with impatient, illogical and a little unreasonable.” – THIS! Well said sir!
How anyone can expect this team to turn around the shattered confidence and disjointed play-style of last year in HALF A SEASON is beyond me. These things do not click into place in a few months. It will take at LEAST a full season (and pre-season) to shape this team. Case-in-point Chelsea last season. They weren’t setting the world alight and were playing quite defensive throughout…now look at them.
Why won’t people realise that LVG is being cautious in his first season just like Mourinho was? It’s a new league, new players, new system, new staff and NEW MAN UNITED! Give it a least 2 seasons before you judge you instant gratification ingrates!
*rant over*
I think we won’t have the feeling back until Giggsy takes over, last season with him in charge just felt right
The football is boring,as most of us have frustratingly witnessed along with the constant jotting of notes as if it were pingpong,the thing is the points are not to bad.Maybe the ManU board share the same philosophy as the new manager and hope eventually for a new Barca.Time will only tell if VG starts to get the team to gel in the premier leage because it isn,t la liga.
I have been a United fan for the last 30 years but I must admit I am getting sick of watching a bunch of overpaid, over rated and underperforming players representing my team. We spend more time passing the ball backwards and sideways than we ever do passing forward to attack the opposition and at least try to score. Boring football !! If we can see this from the stands, why can’t LVG and his assistants. I also wish LVG would get off his backside, get down to his technical area occasionally and give some of our underperformers a real rollicking instead of sitting down keeping his notebook up to date.