Writing about Manchester United this season feels like kicking someone when they're already down. The initial schadenfreude has given way to bemusement as you watch them shuffle around the Old Trafford pitch with all the inhibition and reluctance of someone awaiting a prostate exam. Indeed, Moyes steely intimidating stare has dissolved into a kind of confused desperation as the frown lines upon his head grow ever deeper. Dare I say at times you almost feel an ounce of sympathy for the man as every clumsy soundbite or minor slip of the tongue in a press conference is used as another stick to beat him with. Every football fan across the land is shouting over each other to profess their respective soothsayer-esque abilities for predicting that United would be a weaker presence without the best manager of all time. Incredible insight everyone, pat on the back for you all. Leaving aside the eerie prophetic insight of everyone who's so much as heard of football before, Moyes has done very little to silence the doubters. Even in recent victories they've looked laboured and although many would point to numerous lacklustre performances last season or trot out the old cliche 'to win whilst playing poorly is the hallmark of champions', United have already lost more at home this season than in the entirety of last season. It would be unfair to not acknowledge that not all the problems at the club are David Moyes' fault but for the time being at least, he doesn't look like the man to right the wrongs. What's perhaps symptomatic of United's troubles this season is their poor record for play acting thus far. As I'm sure you're well aware, United have received 4 bookings this season for simulation which is more than any other in the league. Such is the damage that this has done that Howard Webb wrongly adjudged Young to have dived against Spurs despite Lloris ploughing through him like a man possessed. Leaving aside the incessant moralising over diving, the biggest concern for Moyes is that on numerous occasions he's actively spoken out about his distaste for diving but his players don't seem to have taken it on board. To his credit, Moyes has remained consistent in his condemnation of play acting, at both Man United and Everton, but if Young, Januzaj, Wellbeck et al continue to dive then is this symptomatic of a much larger issue that the players are either not taking on board Moyes instructions or worse yet, wilfully ignoring them? If the United players are ignoring Moyes pleas to cut down on the simulation then it's plausible that his team are ignoring other instructions of his which could be hindering their progress or indicate his lack of control or respect within the dressing room. Stamping your presence on a dressing room that's been ruled by Ferguson since the beginning of time is no mean feat I'm sure, but for players to be not taking on board such a simple message as 'Don't fall down deliberately' then this highlights that the problems at Old Trafford are deep seated and a sudden reversal of fortunes seems increasingly unlikely. As well as the diving it's also apparent that Ashley Young has been ignoring other instructions from his manager, unless Moyes has been sending him out onto the pitch with the strict advice to be consistently underwhelming. As long as United's diving woes continue then people will continue to question whether this is indicative of a lack of leadership from Moyes or a greater malaise within the camp. Although having grown up with years of Manchester United dominance, it would be of no surprise if they went onto claim the league title in one of the greatest comebacks in history without giving away so much as a free kick for the rest of the season. In the likely event that this will happen, I fully expect you all to print this out and nail it to my front door or wrap it round a brick and throw it through my car window. Never bet against Manchester United.
