Is Moyes for this Manchester United job?

MOYES MUST PROVE TO PLAYERS HE IS UP TO THE JOB

Even before Manchester United’s humbling afternoon at Stamford Bridge, David Moyes’ in-tray was overflowing.

On the back of a defeat to Chelsea that was far more calamitous than the 3-1 scoreline suggests, the manager’s to-do list is taking on seismic proportions.

Wherever he turns, Moyes is finding problems rather than solutions. In a transfer market where availability is at a premium, in a squad whose deficiencies are being laid bare every week and in an injury list that has robbed him of the two players best equipped to turn around United’s increasingly wretched season.

On the field, the tactics are functional, errors are widespread and the only imagination to be currently found in the team crowned Premier League champions last May is in the twinkling feet of 18-year-old Adnan Januzaj.

Off it, the long-running cold war between the club’s medical and sports science departments has not abated, Wayne Rooney is refusing to hold new contract talks, Robin van Persie took himself off to Holland to get fit, rather than trust in Moyes’ mammoth and highly-renumerated staff, and the new chief executive is every bit as beleaguered as the manager.

Every step forward, in results or performances, is almost immediately followed by two steps back. Sometimes, more.

The dunking at the Bridge was especially painful because United had come into the fixture on the back of collecting 15 league points from a possible 18, yet Chelsea had to barely get out of third gear to comprehensively defeat them.

Moyes had all his defenders available for selection, reinforced his midfield with Phil Jones and yet two of the home side’s three goals were a direct result of what the Scot said was “terrible” defending from set pieces.

United began with real purpose and intent, yet the game was over after 49 minutes and, by the time that Javier Hernandez poached a consolation goal, Jose Mourinho’s only interest was in shutting up shop and preserving his players for the battles ahead.

What a comedown for the comeback kings. Some of United’s great assets under Sir Alex Ferguson – their resilience, aura and never-say-die spirit – appear to have just ebbed away during the last six months. - GOAL.COM