It's interesting to read the opinions of how come Manchester United are spluttering and farting their way this season thus far ( to 2 points from 3 games).
Leaving aside all historical bias/rivalries/hatred between our two teams ,my view on the global franchise that used to be my football club is that this franchise is deep in shit street - from both an on-pitch quality and in global business-promotion sustainability terms.
The nonsense of the now under the "leadership" of our Dutch manager is difficult for me to wrap my head around. 60 Mill for Di Maria when the screaming priority is EITHER to promote a home-grown top drawer central defender (does such a talent exist in the ranks of United's Academy numbers and if not, what's the point having the academy?) OR securing the services of an international standard proven performer at this level from SOMEWHERE.
It's frankly sickeningly painful - never mind difficult - to try and recall exactly who was the football club's last home-grown central defender acknowledged to be of proven international standard.
Looking back over the 64 years or so since I started following United, names that roll out of memory tell me that Bill Foulkes who recently departed this world was the last home-grown centre half we've produced (and even that's subject to debate). David Sadler, Kevin Moran , a young and sober Paul McGrath and a luckier and less injury-prone Wesley Brown could have shouts for this particular home-grown title too although with the greatest respect - other than the excellent Paul McGrath in his prime - I could not hand on heart claim any were truly international quality standard defenders.
What is wrong with the business franchise that used to be my football club? In fact what HAS been wrong with the club's production of top class defenders since the early mid 1950's?
Almost all of the quality centre backs I can recall have been outsiders or imports beginning with Mark Jones and the incomparable Duncan Edwards (though Duncan was only a young lad when he signed . . .)through Big Jim Holton, Martin Buchan, Gordon McQueen, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Jaap Stam, Ronny Johnsen, Henning Berg, John O'Shea, Rio and Vidic.
Successful football clubs are not and never have been all about attack, attack attack. They always have been about the achievement of the right measure of balance and excellence between attacking flair coupled with midfield dominance and founded on accomplished and resolute defending. Where oh where the fuck has all the quality gone?
For all the hype that surrounded the arrival of our Dutch master in succeeding our lamentable ex-Evertonian Scottish leader, there's little or nothing to choose between the two of them. Hapless and hopeless springs to mind.
