Managing a struggling superpower involves denying or ignoring self-evident truths. On Friday, David Moyes insisted Manchester United have not lost their aura. He could scarcely admit that they have, although the way a series of fearless opponents have prospered at Old Trafford is evidence enough.
After Sunday's 3-1 loss to Chelsea, Moyes did not concede United's title challenge is over.
Truth be told, it probably ended with December’s defeat to Newcastle United. Instead, it fell to the victorious manager, Jose Mourinho, and the beaten captain, Nemanja Vidic, to accept the inevitable.
The crown has slipped from United’s grasp. Whether Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester City, England will have new champions in May.
What is already apparent is that United’s has been the sorriest title defence since Blackburn Rovers’ limp efforts in 1995/96.
It may yet prove to be the worst since Leeds United, winners in 1992, limped over the line in 17th place 12 months later.
It is tempting to say United’s campaign went wrong from the start.
Actually, that is doubly wrong: the opening day 4-1 win at Swansea City was one of the few times they resembled champions, but their problems began before then. The pre-season tour of Asia and Australia was notable for poor performances which spilt over into the competitive campaign. It was then, too, that the executive vice chairman Ed Woodward flew back to England to conclude a major transfer. Six months later, United fans are still waiting for him to unveil a superstar signing.
Which brings us to another of the less convincing claims Moyes had to make, simply because he cannot say the opposite.
“The amount of big players wanting to join United is incredible,” he said at the weekend.
There is an obvious retort: so why are they not at Old Trafford then? It is widely known that United have the budget to buy and Moyes is eager to strengthen.
With his side having suffered seven defeats and sitting seventh, the need for reinforcements has rarely been more obvious.
Whereas Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid collect the world’s top talents, United have only two footballers who belong anywhere near that bracket: Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.
Securing elite players is famously difficult in January, and much as United want another prominent figure, and not merely to help them tie up yet more commercial partnerships, they have twin concerns.
If Moyes has only two of the planet’s finest 50 players – and Ferguson had more, before age took its toll on Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra – he does not have enough who are in the top 250.
This is where the scope for improvement is most obvious. Finding a new Paul Scholes or Roy Keane may be nearly impossible; finding a central midfielder with more presence and pizzazz than Tom Cleverley or who is more accustomed to the role than the converted centre-back Phil Jones ought to be rather easier.
So, too, unearthing a winger with more trickery than Ashley Young or Antonio Valencia or a left-back who is sounder defensively than the declining Evra.
There are superior alternatives to each in the Premier League – Newcastle’s high-class midfielder Yohan Cabaye is a case in point – and still more in Europe.
Moyes and his coaching staff have scouted extensively on the continent, yet their only significant recruit has been a man they knew all too well and who has still underperformed, Marouane Fellaini.
His failings hint at United’s predicament. Moyes paid £27.5 million (Dh166m) to buy the Belgian. He could easily spend a similar sum on another midfielder who may prove the short-term fix to propel United into the top four but who might not be of the same standard as City’s Yaya Toure or Fernandinho. The danger is a windfall is wasted without bringing in the best.
But the other risk is that Moyes’s procrastinating harms United further.
“Dithering Davie”, as he was nicknamed at Everton, dawdled before finally completing some of his most astute signings on Merseyside. He had his doubts about Tim Cahill and Phil Jagielka. At one stage, he had resolved not to purchase Nikica Jelavic, the catalyst for revival in the 2011/12 season.
Moyes lacks the decisiveness of Mourinho, who was quick to bolster his midfield with Nemanja Matic.
The combination of his dallying, Woodward’s naivety in the transfer market (five months on, valuing Leighton Baines at £12m remains ludicrous) and United’s persistence in pursuing unattainable targets like Cristiano Ronaldo and Cesc Fabregas contributed to last summer’s embarrassments in the transfer market. Now it is becoming clear how costly they were.
Then, even without Ferguson’s pulling power, United were a major draw, boasting a squad of overachievers garnished by a fully-fit, forever firing Van Persie, seemingly guaranteed Uefa Champions League football for every year and with a genuine feel-good factor.
Now they are less a draw. United are a club in crisis – another thing Moyes cannot admit publicly – and a team in sharp decline.
They desperately require additions, not to rescue their title bid but simply to save their season.
The manager and the current crop of players seem powerless to do it. Not that Moyes could say that, either.
sports@thenational.ae
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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Apple product price list
iPad Pro
11" - $799 (64GB)
12.9" - $999 (64GB)
MacBook Air
$1,199
Mac Mini
$799
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
Company%20profile
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THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now