‘Any moment now you are probably expecting Sir Alex Ferguson to
begin his mind games - the usual psychological warfare
conducted at the end of the season to see off the opposition
to the Premiership title. But mind games only work when the
opposition are under pressure, and right now all the
pressure is on Manchester United.
‘This time of the year for United has, for more than a decade, been
the period they start their surge for the title. We're still
waiting. For the last six or seven games they have looked
vulnerable in defence and they have not looked like a team
about to win the championship. And most importantly, with 12
games left they are not putting any pressure on Arsenal.
‘The question for United is what has changed since last season?
United's defence seem to be falling apart. They have lost
Rio Ferdinand at a crucial stage of the season and they
cannot always expect their forwards to compensate for the
goals they give away, but there is a more serious issue at
stake. The rebuilding of the team in the summer has not
worked. Of the five players they brought in before Louis
Saha last month only Tim Howard can be deemed a success
immediately.
‘Every manager has to build for the future, but the future is now.
It's Wednesday's game against Porto and Saturday's match
against Fulham. In those terms, swapping David Beckham for
Cristiano Ronaldo or Rio Ferdinand for Wes Brown is not good
enough. If we exclude Saha, then one successful signing out
of five in the space of a season is not an acceptable return
on the investment.
‘Roy Keane, has warned for the second time that the culture of the
team, and their training sessions, has changed for the
worse. His criticisms of the complacency that he feels could
cost United the title were detailed and extensive. There is
a thin dividing line between the players around him taking
it well and responding badly. If there are players in the
squad who do not believe that Keane is the player he was
three years ago then those criticisms will be even harder to
take.
‘United still have the ability to pick themselves up in two seconds
flat, but at the moment they are a team with a suspect
defence. The opposition believe that if they put them under
pressure they will crack, and when you come to the end of
the season that is a dangerous position to find yourself in.
It was how Arsenal fell down last season and it is
threatening United again.’