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Manchester United is still considered to be one of the biggest clubs in the world. Few clubs can match the team's financial clout and general fan base. The Red Devils have been on a rocky patch of late. Last month's second loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers inside a month was a reminder that there side is still a long way away from being the complete package. This result was followed up by a poor showing against Everton and Huddersfield.
Permanent boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a man under immense pressure given the magnitude of the job. The fairytale run for Ole ended the minute he got the job. He has failed to keep the fans happy for the remainder of the season. This begs the question, where is the club headed? Is Ed Woodward finally ready to put his money where his mouth is? At the moment, United have been linked with a number of key players in the Premier League and beyond. This is a scenario that is all too familiar even in previous transfer windows.
#3 New manager fever
In football, we have seen teams react so brilliantly after a new manager took over. Ole won 11 of his first 12 matches in charge. Everyone was happy and on cloud nine. Like Roberto Di Matteo at Chelsea, he was given the permanent job but things went slowly but bitterly on the decline. The spark faded when Ole got the job and they are paying the price with Europa League next season.
Ole is guilty of all bark but no bite. Players such as Ashley Young have continued playing despite being error-ridden. It is a shocker that he among other players still got a chance despite showing little respect to the once proud Manchester United jersey.
#2 Performance
One of the key reasons why United has been frustrating to watch in the last five seasons was the performance. The team forgot their identity by playing without a workable system. Under Ole, the team showed some signs of life but that quickly faded over time. The board should have waited to see if the team could put on a decent performance until the end of the season. Ultimately, that was the case which throws shade at Woodward. Failing to win against teams such as Huddersfield, being outplayed by Watford at home isn't the United anyone would want to see.
#1 Results
In the end, it is the results that count. The decision makers should have waited to see the outcome at the end of the season. Yes, the team had a great start but that didn't guarantee success such as FA Cup, Champions League and a top four finish that the team was still in contention for at the time. At the season's end, United have nothing to show for. They have been poor in every department and qualifying for Europe, albeit the second tier competition, is a kind mercy.
