A period of transition or a sign of things to come?

When David Moyes was named as the successor to Sir Alex, there were more sceptics than approvers. Even the ardent supporters wished for a Mourinho or a Guardiola to take over. But, Sir Alex chose (yes, he literally did!!) David Moyes and requested a show of support for his man. The support was supposed to make his transition smooth and enjoy life at the top. Whatever happened after that till now points to something else.

Make no mistake - being the manager of Man United is one of the most demanding positions in the world of football. The very loyal fans scattered all across the globe who are very patient and at the same time very demanding, the pressure of maintaining the high standards set by Sir Alex and above all, the scrutiny of world media. It goes without saying that Moyes would have had a fair idea of what he was getting into but the magnitude of the whole thing would have set on him only once he started.

For fans and followers alike, it's what the team does on the field that matters. So far this season, Man United have created new records; only that, these were unwanted records. First time losses at home to Everton, West Brom, first ever loss to Stoke, earliest exit from the FA cup and inglorious set backs in the transfer market...all these piled up pressure on David Moyes. So much to the extent that there are reports of star striker RVP planning to abandon ship in the coming summer.

English football is a very volatile place to be - especially for the managers. Things change in a week here and your success is always history if you don't achieve it regularly. Sir Alex maintained that high intensity through his tenure and Moyes is expected to tow the same line.

The signs are alarming and supporters are worrying if this points to some decline like what happened at Liverpool. Though the financial implications aren't too worrisome, a loss at nailing a champion's league position would be a blow to everyone at United. Though it is a period of transition, the supporters are worried if the decline is becoming a worrying trend. Either way, the next 14 matches in EPL will decide how things shape up for Moyes and United.

Is Kohli being 'Martyned' out?

New Zealand may not possess some eye-catching names in their line-up. But, over the years they managed to pack a punch above their weight. Credit for this goes to their set up which encourages all round players but some credit is due to their shrewd tactics.

Martin Crowe is known for taking the world by surprise in 1992 world cup - Mark Greatbach and Deepak Patel, a case in point. Stephen Fleming isn't far behind and is know to shrewdly strategize the downfall of many great players. And now, Brendan McCullum, though he isn't any where close to Crowe or Fleming in being a tactician has pulled a rabbit off his hat.

Anyone who's seen Bennet bowl to Kohli in the third one-dayer would have been surprised by Kohli's struggle to get a bat to ball. Reminiscent of the way Fleming tired out Damien Martyn outside the off stump, Kohli was challenged by consistent bowling at the 5th stump! Just like what Fleming has done to Damien Martyn at the peak of his prowess and Martyn tamely surrendering every time to deliveries at the 5th or even 6th stump.

Is this the latest way found to block the run machine Kohli? Is he vulnerable to getting out if deprived of some straight balls or even just outside off? Whichever way you look at, the next one dayer will be interesting. It will tell us if Kohli is up to the challenge and prove his naysayers wrong or will he end up being the new "Damien Martyn"

Why is losing good and winning bad, at times

5-0 - the Ashes score

Most of us would have predicted the score before the series started. Only change was the winners name! Australia drubbed England all the way to shock everyone including their own ardent supporters. England were supposed to run away with Ashes once more but ended up being steam rolled.

There are quite a few around who have done an extensive analysis as to what Cook has done wrong and Clarke has done right. I would like to take it a step ahead. What's in store for the respective teams? And is it really beneficial for Australia to have hammered their opponents? Is it all despair for Cook and England?

It's a wake-up call

Passionate followers make it a point to look more decisively into losses than victories. English players are subject to intense scrutiny right from their first day at office and it grows multi-fold when it's Ashes. Analysts, former players, dropped players and even those who didn't deserve a place on the Ashes plane make it a point to criticize and scrutinize every trivial move. Talk of pressure!

Not entirely supporting this England team or set up, let me stick my neck out. The defeat isn't the end of the world. Rather, I would say it is a blessing in disguise. Why?

Because no team is perfect. England for long, have prided themselves on the meticulous preparation. Andy Flower takes immense satisfaction in running things to the 'T'. He's more like your hands-on manager who starts telling what you should do, continues with how you should do and ends up monitoring how you do. The English support set-up has put in a tight system of Cricket...cricket and only cricket.

They may have defeated Australia at home...they may have come back to defeat India in India...the system may have thrown some amazing results over a period of time. But, for me, it's like an outdated pill. It's time to move on. The tense environment should be replaced by an environment of happiness. Something what 'Beefy' Lehmann succeeded for Australian team. 

This team had its success built largely on individuals that masked the failures of others. Cook, Trott and Bell for long have masked the failures of the batting unit and Anderson, Swann and Broad have done the same for their bowling unit. The loss of Trott and Swann has only highlighted the reliance of this team on individual brilliance.

How better to understand your frailities than a morale-shattering loss? England will now have time to sit back, understand and change the way they approach cricket. Ashes loss, may well turn out to be a boon, afterall.

Australia are still in transition

When Australia lost in India and subsequently the Ashes in England, it was regarded as a team in transition. And when they eventually regained the Ashes, they are being hailed as 'back-to-the'best' beasts. Warner, Rogers, Watson, Clarke, Smith, Haddin, Johnson, Siddle, Harris...they all look world-beaters. Bring on the South Africans! Or, is it really all hunky-dory?

For starters, Warner still remains the off-on blow hot-cold opener. People may talk about his success in Ashes but I still think he's too flashy for success at the top of the order. He would learn over time but he's still learning the long game

Rogers is a revelation but even he acknowledges the fact that he may not carry the torch long. At his age, he's just an innings away from being dumped out. A younger guy flopping is looked a little leniently than an older bloke's failure.

Watson is scoring runs but am sill not convinced he's their one drop. A bowling unfit Watto is a liability on the field too and once his runs dry up, he would become a passenger. He's not your quintessential number 3...definitely not your Kallis, Dravid. But, the series win has masked Watson.

George Bailey was handed an audition for number 6 slot this series and suffice to say, he didn't inspire confidence. Haddin was a revelation but he is moving closer to retirement and there aren't any worthy suitors for his role. Ryan Harris has surprised many with his streak of test match presence but he still looks like a ball away from an injury. Johnson has found that cutting edge with speed but it's too early to judge. Lyon looks bamboozled when attacked - something which the Poms failed to do until the last day of the series.

A win can mask most of your drawbacks and I seriously believe this is what happened with Australia. They may prove me wrong in South Africa. However, it is safe to say that all is not well with Australia inspite of the whitewash.

Is sacking Moyes the way to go?

For those accustomed to watching Man United score late during the Ferguson era, this year has been a nightmare. Apart from losing the aura of invincibility at Old Trafford, United seems to have lost the knack of scoring late goals in 'Fergie time'. Worse still, they are prone to late goals this season - think West Brom, New Castle, Everton and last night Swansea.

The loss at Etihad stadium to City certainly hurts but the losses at home to West Brom, Everton, New Castle, Tottenham and now Swansea hurt more! If you had a chance to gauge the emotions of United supporters on various fora last night, there was a unanimous shout - Sack Moyes!

I've already thrown light on what in my opinion ails United, but now to the serious part - what should be done to revive the spirit of Old Trafford. Is sacking Moyes the way to go???

Never the popular choice

David Moyes was never the popular choice at Old Trafford. Don't be misled by the huge Chosen one banner that drapes the Theatre of dreams. Privately, most of the supporters would vouch that Moyes isn't a colourful choice. When the scene was set for a Mourinho or a Guardiola or even a Jurgen Klopp (Dortmund) to take over, David Moyes ended up being the wildcard.

Apart from that, he inherited a squad that has reached its peak and failed in any new additions. So, if any, I would blame the transfer policy of the club. Blame Ed Woodward...may be blame David Gill or even Sir Alex. Gill and Alex could have spaced their retirements to successfully manage the club's transition. But, rather selfishly they chose to depart an ailing ship. What seemed like patches have grown into fully blown holes and the ship is nearing a major sink.

SAF shadow

It was a long kept secret. Sir Alex Ferguson's impending retirement was sure to leave a huge gap to fill for its successor. Over the years, he has bullied his club, players and opposition to submission - on and off the field. Love him or hate him - Sir Alex was a huge reason for United's success over the past three decades.

It doesn't help Moyes that he is being continually compared to the yardstick of yardsticks - Sir Alex's tenure. No one is willing to give him the time that Alex had. Remember the tough teething problems that Sir Alex had and the time he took to finally land a silverware? Remember the problems he faced in PL till the time he landed Eric Cantona?

Am no big fan of Moyes, individually. But, neither am a fan of sacking managers. If anything, sacking a manager has a negative effect on the players and fans - unless the manager has outlived his life. David Moyes isn't a smart manager. He isn't suave like a Mourinho or shrewd tactician like Guardiola. He is more like your working class manager who would like to huff and puff through wins.

United afforded Sir Alex some time settle and boy did he deliver! We are in different times and a vastly improved competitive space but let us give time for Moyes to succeed. Let us wait till he lands his Cantona.

Is it over for United and Moyes

If pictures tell half the story then I couldn't find a better one! David Moyes, always a debatable choice to follow Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, had a very difficult start. Call it luck or otherwise, he had very demanding first 5 matches which almost set the tone for the season at United. Even by its standards of 'slow start till Christmas and a jump start later', United find themselves off the lead by quite a margin.

So, what is wrong with United and Moyes? Is it all over for them this PL season? Let me walk through some of the reasons

Traditional slow starters

United have always been slow starters. They try to keep themselves at or about the top position by Christmas so that they can time their second half run perfectly. They generally are helped by the Christmas burst of Arsenal and the burn out of other teams because of lean squads. This season is different!

The slow start is made to look worse because of the initial tough fixtures. The misery is compounded by the losses at home (to West Brom, Everton and Newcastle, which we may rue at the end of the season)

We may have picked up some momentum over the festive fixture period but all the gains are undone by the demoralising defeat to Spurs on New year day. The tradition slow start of United is looking more and more tighter now.

Improved competition

We almost had a walk-over last season thanks to the adamant non-improvement of squad by Manchester City. Arsenal looked laggard and Chelsea were bereft of ideas. Liverpool were still a work-in-progress. 

Circa 2013-14 and United somehow conjured a way to encompass all these difficulties. They have not improved the squad, looked very very lethargic on the pitch, engine (read midfield) looks bereft of creativity. Add to this the strength of City who seems to have put together an amazing squad, return of Mourinho to Chelsea, Wenger re-discovering his hunger for silverware and Brendan Rodgers finding his feet at Liverpool. All these are definitely responsible for United's current position

Failure in landing targets

Of all the reasons, this looks the bitter pill. When Thiago Alcantara snubbed United, no one visualised a series of snubs. Alas! that's what followed...across Europe lot of stars snubbed United and we even bypassed a chance to sign Mesut Ozil. Result? United ended up with Fellaini who's bundled by his huge transfer salary and almost the same squad minus the schemer Paul Scholes. Result???? Lack of creativity, lack of punch and lack of leader on the pitch. Rooney is trying to hold his own but Van Persie's reported sulking and on-off presence isn't helping things

Is the future bleak for United this season?

Not exactly. Even the ardent supporters of United wouldn't mind only a Champion's league spot this season. Any thing below that would be a disaster - both financially and for attracting targets. But, are we on course to be in the top 4?

Arsenal have gone unscathed through the Christmas period which is a surprise given their history of blowing it up during this period. City are going strong and Chelsea are picking up some momentum. Liverpool are helped by their absence in Europe and Carling cup.

United need to punch above Liverpool, Everton and Spurs to occupy the last CL spot. It all depends on who lands up in the January window. These are desperate times for United but I expect them to just scrape through with the last spot.