As the dust settles on what was in all honestly a damp squib of a transfer deadline day there has been a lot of mirth, scorn and indeed over reaction directed towards Manchester United and specifically David Moyes and Ed Woodward. The loss of Sir Alex Ferguson as manager, the strengthening of the squads closest to them and the apparent failure of United to strengthen sufficiently has sent some United fans into a tailspin and opposition fans into a state of high hysteria. Justifiable? Probably not to be quite honest. United won the league in a canter last season by 11 points. They had the top scorer in the league, scored the most goals, lost the fewest games, had the best home record in the league...oh, and the best away record too. The only player to leave the club that had any significant impact on that record and championship was Paul Scholes. They kicked off the season with a 4-1 victory away at Swansea that many pundits suggested saw a seamless transition from the Ferguson to Moyes era. A lacklustre display against the bookies favourites for the league Chelsea, a team clearly set up for the draw, saw them walk away with what most onlookers conceded to be a respectable point. The next weekend saw their fiercest rivals Liverpool defeat them by a single goal in a game which has often proved a really tough fixture for United. Now all of a sudden both their fans and critics are caught up in a fit of hysteria that casts United in the role of a club in turmoil which has seen now them pushed out to 4/1 for the Premier League title...after just 3 games. On Monday night, for the first time since the transfer window became established, United were drawn into a rather public game of cat and mouse involving Everton, Atletico Bilbao and Real Madrid. United did miss out quite publicly on two apparent targets and as mentioned previously this drew much derision from fans from other teams. "Hahaha Utd loaning players" was the reaction to United trying to sign Fabio Coentrão as a replacement or even just cover for Patrice Evra. Funny until you realise that at 32 Evra is coming to the end of his career and it is not so crazy to get a 25 year old seasoned international and Champions League veteran in as either a stop gap or even full time replacement for the veteran defender. Less funny still when you understand that the deal was only unsuccessful because Real failed to get a replacement in time. United left it late but it was ultimately not their fault. The Ander Hererra deal still seems like a genuinely bizarre case of three chancers simply pushing there luck to the extreme and although the full facts aren't completely clear it would seem United are not particularly at fault with regards to that transfer at present. It also appears that the deal could be back on in January when the window opens again so if United still want him then the money is out there to go and get him. United have never been an impatient team and if Moyes came in and bought four of five new players in search of a quick fix there would certainly be questions asked as to why he was changing a winning team or squad so quickly. He is trying to change things too quickly! He is not doing enough to the move the team forward! He can't win in reality. The Fellani deal of course went through after some anguish and although United were criticised for not paying the original get out clause for their man some months ago it would be folly to suggest that they weren't entitled to chance their arm and try and get him a little cheaper? Is £4 million deficit really an awful lot in the current transfer market? You know the answer. Moyes wanted Fellani, United needed that sort of player, job done. Fellani will without doubt improve the United midfield and allow players such as Kagawa and Carrick to do what they do best. It's not rocket science it's just common sense. In truth, United have been missing this sort of 'water carrier' type player since the departure of Roy Keane and Fellani's presence will give Moyes team a more physical and intimidating presence in the central midfield area. I believe he is an excellent signing. "It's not how Fergie would have done it" and "Woodward is making us a laughing stock" were just some of the comments I read on the social media sites where hysterical reaction is as inevitable as a Paul Scholes yellow card. These sort of knee jerk and ill thought out responses hint more at injured pride amongst United fans rather than genuine disillusionment amongst some of, quite honestly, the most arrogant fans in the world. It is maybe not how Fergie would have done it but he is not manager anymore and United fans should face up to that and back the new partnership of Moyes and Woodward 100%. They are learning too don't forget. Moyes has been at the club for under three months and has never had the sort of finances at his disposal that he does now. This is the first time that Woodward has ever dipped his toe in to the fast flowing current of the transfer market having previously worked on shirt sponsorship deals for the club. Surely they both need a little time to get accustomed to both the expectations and manoeuvrings expected at the top end of the transfer market? Has the window really been that much of a disaster? United went public in their pursuit of Cesc Fabregas, a wonderfully talented midfielder who was upon enquiry happy to stay at his boyhood club and fight for his place. Admirable indeed but were United wrong to pursue him? Of course not. He would have improved the team, but he didn't want to come. No harm in trying though? They got their main target of Fellani yet a bid for left back Leighton Baines was described as derisory by Everton and dismissed out of hand and was the subject of much derision in the media. However, on reflection an offer of £12 million for a 28 year old full back with little or no sell on value in reality seemed quite a fair offer. Uniteds transfer dealings have clearly polarised opinion but the majority of fans I have spoken to are, if not blown away, then certainly satisfied with the limited business done during the window. The real reason why this lack of new comers to the squad seems acceptable to most reasonable United fans can be summed up in one word. KAGAWA. Shinji Kagawa was used sparingly after Sir Alex Ferguson purchased him in June 2012 but towards the end of the season he showed himself to be the creative midfielder that United had always been seeking to replace Paul Scholes. The huge majority of United fans I have spoken to believe he is the ideal answer to the endless questions regarding 'Uniteds creative midfielder" and furthermore were happy when the Herrera deal fell through as it strengthened Kagawas case for a run in the team. It remains to be seen how David Moyes feels about the Japanese midfielder but the fact that Jurgen Klopp has wept tears of sadness at the former Dortmund player's lack of activity indicates there is surely plenty more to come from the clearly committed star. Only time will tell if Moyes will give Kagawa the chance United fans think he deserves but the Japanese international clearly still has the appetite to play for United if his Twitter feed is anything to go by and certainly has the ability to go with it. In reality a team line up of De Gea, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Zaha, Fellani, Carrick, Kagawa, Rooney and Van Persie is enough to compete with any team in the Premier League and the fact that they are being discounted at this early stage shows the naivety of some United fans and indeed football fans in general. That team leaves the likes of Welbeck, Hernandez, Zaha, Giggs and Valencia or even new boys like Lingard or Januzaj to come on and make a difference. Yes, they may be short of a couple of players but do not need to go out and buy the wrong players in some sort of blind panic. Just imagine the mirth that would have been created if United had signed a player of the quality of Victor Moses on loan. He is not an acceptable purchase for United fans yet Liverpool see this a major coup for their starting line up. That highlights both the chasm in quality and expectation that now exists between the two clubs. This United team still has more than enough to challenge for the title although in all honesty maybe not quite enough for the Champions League but to bastardise the words of Mark Twain a little 'reports of United's death have been greatly exaggerated'.
I love sport and gambling and the two go together pretty well I think. I write about sport and TV mostly but will write about anything that either inspires or irritates also.
In reality a team line up of De Gea, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Zaha, Fellani, Carrick, Kagawa, Rooney and Van Persie is enough to compete with any team in the Premier League and the fact that they are being discounted at this early stage shows the naivety of some United fans and indeed football fans in general. That team leaves the likes of Welbeck, Hernandez, Zaha, Giggs and Valencia or even new boys like Lingard or Januzaj to come on and make a difference. Yes, they may be short of a couple of players but do not need to go out and buy the wrong players in some sort of blind panic. Just imagine the mirth that would have been created if United had signed a player of the quality of Victor Moses on loan. He is not an acceptable purchase for United fans yet Liverpool see this a major coup for their starting line up. That highlights both the chasm in quality and expectation that now exists between the two clubs. This United team still has more than enough to challenge for the title although in all honesty maybe not quite enough for the Champions League but to bastardise the words of Mark Twain a little 'reports of United's death have been greatly exaggerated'.