You can’t blame Sir Alex Ferguson for Manchester United’s stuttering season.
(Read Matt’s blogs at www.goaldengoals.co.uk and play his free goal-prediction game.)
Some people have been trying to say that Sir Alex’s attendance at United games hasn’t been helpful to manager David Moyes.
They talk about the big shadow hanging over the former Everton manager as he goes about his business.
It was interesting to see that Sir Alex was not seen at Old Trafford on Saturday when United beat Swansea to end a run of three defeats.
But maybe all those blaming Sir Alex for sitting in the stands is an argument made by people who don’t want to actually look at the team and admit a lot of players are not good enough.
You might blame Sir Alex for signing some of them but you can’t blame his presence in the stands as having an adverse effect on how the team plays.
To have someone like him on hand for Moyes to turn to in times of need is priceless.
I do think there is a massive rebuilding job to be done there and they need to do it before the World Cup starts.
They need to do their transfer business immediately after the domestic season finishes.
I believe there are a couple of areas they need to strengthen immediately in midfield and central defence.
I’m not sure if Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia really frighten people anymore. Valencia was excellent when he first arrived but he’s lost that little spark about him.
You see what happens when Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney are not playing – it exposes the weaknesses of the rest of the team.
David Moyes has got a big job there. I know United won the title last season by 11 points but I really do think it masked a lot of problems there.
It just shows how an unbelievably good manager Sir Alex was by winning the Premier League championship by that margin with that squad.
He did instil a kind of siege mentality at Old Trafford which will take time for Moyes to try and re-build.
It’s a completely different kettle of fish for teams when they go there now without having the Sir Alex influence around.
I believe it was West Brom who won there 2-1 in September that opened the floodgates a little bit because teams like the Baggies don’t go to Old Trafford and win.
Since that result teams have gone there and said: “Do you know what they’re not as good and scary as they once were.”
We have since seen Everton, Newcastle and Spurs win there with Swansea beating them for the first time in the FA Cup.
I can’t remember Man U losing so many home games in a season in the history of the Premier League.
But it would be wrong to attach any blame to Sir Alex for this run of poor form.
This photograph was provided by Goalden Goals.
