That's life!

At the moment, I'm struggling with a mixture of writer's block and actually having not a lot to say. I wonder is it worth saying anything? Who reads blogs? Another defeat for my beloved Man. United against Olympiakos Tuesday night. More mundane and borderline sensationalist filled stories filled the English media Wednesday morning. The usual Moyes is ruining the club, United were listless, uninspiring, tactically inept, has the rot set in? is it irreversible? I'm not going to lie it can be quite disheartening these days to watch United. It's a strange feeling going from expecting them to beat all comers to being happily surprised when they get a good result these days.

It seems it's all happened in the space of a few months since Sir Alex Ferguson left, but I feel the squad was on the decline well before Moyes took over and Fergie left. It feels like the last truly great and exciting United side I've seen faded away when Ronaldo and Tevez left the club. There's no way players like Chris Smalling, Tom Cleverly, Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia, Rafael to a lesser extent Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones would have made it onto the team who won the European Cup in 2008. Ever since that win in Moscow, United have been caught out badly in European games, their limitations crudely exposed for all the footballing world to see. It's one thing to win the EPL it's quite another to turn over the giants of European football. The argument against the increasingly hapless David Moyes is that Sir Alex took the same squad Moyes inherited and romped to their 20th English league crown by 11 clear points. Was this down to the fact the belief Ferguson instilled in his players? or his tactics?, his vast experience?, his winning mentality?, his proven track record?.

One thing that's becoming abundantly clear these days is that there is a lack of self-belief and confidence within the squad and the club itself. A United squad lacking belief under Sir Alex would have been quite an alien concept. The blame for United's 'decline' can't all be laid at the feet of Moyes, the players too have to take responsibility. From what I've seen this year there has been quite a few under performances throughout the season. Some of their defeats this year and last have been for lack of a better word frightening. With a common theme throughout listless performances. The current squad look devoid of new ideas, of 'a spark', that bit of imagination to unlock and beat a team. It is also clear that (maybe) Moyes was the wrong choice for the position (of course now abundantly clear with the glorious luxury of hindsight). Although some would say he should never have been offered the job I'm in no doubt that he was more than correct in taking it, however now it seems the job is slowly crushing him.

There's no doubting he done a good job with Everton but to become a manager of a club the size of Man. United you have to be a completely different beast. You must become ruthless, driven, uncompromising in your beliefs, be confident in yourself, traits Moyes has yet to show in any capacity. United at the minute is at a bit of a crossroads. Do they give Moyes more time? Or do they say enough is enough come summer time? Not a lot of top players (or otherwise) will want to come to United in their current state. And I doubt any United fan would relish the thoughts of seeing United turn into a 'new Liverpool'. A team and a supporter base that lives predominately on past glories having not won the league in 24 years. No doubt not qualifying for Europe's premier footballing competition next season is a disappointment. It's not nearly as soul-crushingly disappointing as the manner in which they are playing and more often than not losing games this season. Losing to teams that in years past would've have been beaten by the mere sight of a United jersey. Teams no longer fear visiting Old Trafford it seems they almost relish the once most feared away fixture in the English footballing calendar.

Sure you could probably accept this fact if it was a once off but there's no sign this will be a once off at this moment in time. Who knows in a short few months I could be eating a large slice of humble pie if say United go on to pinch 4th place in the league or go on and win the Champions League. However even the most optimistic of supporters can't see that happening. There doesn't seem to be any progress being made under Moyes tenure. Skeptics will say I'm a typical plastic glory hunting United fan, well I'm not. I don't mind United losing a game here and there or not winning a cup for a few years, or not qualifying for the Champions League I can understand buzz words such as transitional periods. But at the end of the day, I'm used to Man. United winning games, winning leagues, winning cups, dominating teams, playing a cavalier brand of football why should I accept the opposite just so I can be deemed a 'real fan'. I hope and have no doubt United's fortunes will improve over the next while.

I suppose in other news I'm now engaged, I've moved to London and I'm moving to Saudi Arabia in July.

(I apologise to anyone that actually reads my blog and was hoping for a decent update or any sort of acceptable writing.)