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Manchester United have displayed enough during their recent nine-game unbeaten run to suggest their bad start was just a minor blip, but is David Moyes hindering his side with endless squad adjustments?
It’s fair to say David Moyes has suffered what can only be described as a baptism of fire in succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson.
The manner in which the Scot bemoaned an admittedly awkward fixture list smacked of desperation amidst a set of poor early results but his new troops have been brutally exploited in the short time he has had to acclimatise to new surroundings.
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An impregnable forward line of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie has put the champions on a road to recovery in recent times and a nine-match unbeaten run in all competitions, capped by the impressive win over leaders Arsenal at the weekend, would appear to indicate Moyes and his side are firmly back on track.
But, as the international hiatus approaches, Moyes would be ill-advised not to use the rare time afforded to him in these next two weeks to give serious consideration to a definitive starting XI. Van Persie and Rooney’s individual brilliance have seen United restore some natural order but, if the champions are to retain their crown, consistency must be found.
Moyes has been the enemy of his own downfall in that respect, constantly looking to tinker with his line-up and the results have been telling.
The fact United have not selected the same line-up in consecutive matches at all this season confirms what every United fan already knew, that the new man in charge simply doesn’t know what his best team is yet.
While the striker positions and David de Gea in goal largely pick themselves, United have been left with eight positions of uncertainty, with only Patrice Evra able to stake any meaningful claim for his place in the first-team reckoning.
Stalwarts Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have looked unsettled, while Chris Smalling has, at times, looked out of his depth when deputising for Rafael, who has hardly enjoyed a flawless start of his own.
But it is ahead of the defence where Moyes’ most pressing concerns lie.
Michael Carrick is considered undroppable by sections of the Old Trafford faithful but he has failed to transfer his outstanding 2012/2013 title-winning form to this campaign while Tom Cleverley’s worrying regression, the farce Ryan Giggs is rapidly approaching his 40th birthday and Anderson’s lack of any meaningful contribution means Marouane Fellaini has been handed simply too many midfield auditions.
Moyes’ persistent selection of the man he shelled out some £27m on in the closing hours of the transfer window has been met with distaste by United supporters and despite the former Everton boss’ assertion that he did not “need” Mesut Ozil, he is fooling no-one.
Even in beating Arsenal on Sunday, United recorded just 44% possession and a passing accuracy stat of 75% will hardly set pulses racing in the creativity stakes. Fellaini’s prolonged spell in the side has come at a cost in what seems some sort of a justification on Moyes’ part for convincing his owners to part with such a sum.
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And as harsh as it may seem on Fellaini, it cannot be swatted away as mere coincidence that the Belgian’s relegation to the bench since the disappointing 1-1 draw with Southampton has produced an upturn in results.
In fact, his only return to the first-team fold since resulted in a red card and dropped Champions League points for United in a tame 0-0 draw at Real Sociedad.
Moyes has kept with tradition and experimented largely since the Saints stalemate, with a mixture of Carrick, Cleverley, Giggs and Jones vying for the two midfield spots.
Carrick’s Squawka Performance Score of 340 far outshines his fellow team-mates in midfield, with a consistent showing across the board in terms of his defensive and attacking output and when in possession of the ball. The England international’s place is secure.
Jones did his chances of cementing his place in the other central midfield berth no harm at all on Sunday, suffocating the Gunners’ gang of technicians as Ozil, Santi Cazorla et al struggled to play through a diligent United defence. The ex-Blackburn Rovers defender’s part in the system was critical in securing a result that hauls his side right back into title contention.
But that’s not all that his game consists of, an average pass accuracy of 88% makes sure of that, a figure which dwarfs Carrick’s total of 86%. His contributions at the back are not to be sniffed at either, with a 71% tackling success rate, no errors in the defensive third of the pitch and nine defensive actions epitomising some of his more authentic qualities.
Cleverley offers the more creative option of the two in accompanying Carrick but despite his six key passes usurping Jones’ efforts in that department, the fact Carrick has made 11 already suggests the former Wigan loanee’s assets may be rendered slightly irrelevant.
His 72% tackling success rate and 89% passing accuracy, however, would appear to paint a slightly different picture.
Fellaini falls in between the two categories. One key pass in six appearances hardly marks him out as the playmaker type, a disappointing 29% shot accuracy from seven shots refuses him the right to act as a box-to-box man but an 83% tackle success rate and a 76% headed duel success illustrates a role to be played yet for the mega money buy.
Manchester United stats
Ultimately, Moyes’ engine-room combination will depend on the opponents. Cleverley or Fellaini could have potentially been overrun by Arsenal’s array of creative talents but Jones fitted the bill in this particular context for the task that needed to be carried out. It’s a hair’s width between Jones and Cleverley in terms of the figures but the former shades it on the basis Carrick is given licence to roam in the central areas.
Out wide has proven to be another area for concern for Moyes. United fame themselves on great wing play but it has been in limited supply for some time now.
Ashley Young and Nani have been castigated to the point of no return at United and a defensive error apiece, especially given their roles in the team, illustrate an almighty fall from grace for two talented widemen. They’re out of the picture, which leaves us with Shinji Kagawa, Danny Welbeck and the currently preferred duo of Antonio Valencia and Adnan Januzaj.
Valencia’s tireless work in bombing up and down the right wing was again evident at the weekend and is a primary reason why he has to be considered for a starting role. HIs three average defensive actions are more than any other of United’s wingers, barring Shinji Kagawa’s matching tally.
Manchester United stats
Kagawa also excels in the shooting department, with a 100% accuracy, but it must be factored in that he has only attempted one shot. Valencia has recorded two shots with a 50% accuracy but Januzaj’s 50% from 10 shots is a far more impressive total and indicates a willingness to shoot from the Belgian prodigy, something missing from those behind Rooney and Van Persie.
The emergence of Januzaj has been a positive sub plot in United’s otherwise underwhelming start and his four chances created – one an assist – are third only to Valencia’s seven and Nani’s nine.
Januzaj’s brace at Sunderland rescued United from the jaws of defeat and leaves him joint-third with Welbeck on two goals in the league, with Valencia registering his sole strike in the 3-1 win at Fulham.
Where Januzaj surprisingly disappoints is in his passing, with his 78% accuracy falling way below Valencia (82%), Welbeck (86%) and Kagawa (87%).
Welbeck, like Valencia, offers efficiency going backwards as well as forwards, reflected in his 80% tackling success rate, but his 11% take on success rate for a winger is simply not good enough, in stark contrast to Januzaj (64%) and Kagawa (50%), with the Japanese also holding a staggering 90% tackling success rate.
Like with Jones’ role on Sunday, Danny Welbeck and Shinji Kagawa possess the traits needed against certain opposition. For the all-round product, though, virtual ever-present Valencia and the ever-improving Januzaj offer United threats in every department.
A settled midfield quartet of Januzaj, Jones, Carrick and Valencia dovetailing with the outstanding Rooney and Van Persie can keep United on their road to recovery without any further hiccups.
