Manchester United ai??i?? David Moyes' Vision For The Future

As David Moyes looks to build his Manchester United team for the future, how will current players fit into that project?

Manchester United - David Moyes — What will Moyes’ future United look like?

David Moyes has been given the rare opportunity to create a Manchester United team in his own blueprint, his own vision. He has got the chance to stamp his name into the annals of history by putting together a Manchester United squad that will be talked of in the same breath as the treble winning team of 1999, the Milan team of 1994, the Real Madrid of the 1950s and most recently the Barcelona squad of 2011. For Moyes is now at one of the biggest clubs in the world. He has at his disposal the finances, the facilities and the motivation to carve out a Manchester United squad that will be one of the most dominant forces in world football in the years to come.

For now though, United are in fifth position in the Premier League, aiming to challenge for the top spot, which is five points away, eleven games into the season. This isnai??i??t the worst start to the season. Sir Alex Fergusonai??i??s United were known to be a team that usually kicks on after an indifferent start to the season, having won the league from positions worse than the one they find themselves in now. And if you take into account the fact that this is a massive transitional phase in Unitedai??i??s history, being fifth in mid-November doesnai??i??t sound all that bad.

Moyes has to be given credit for being brave enough to attempt building a Manchester United in his own vision. He has been appointed for the toughest job in world football and should be allowed to go about it as he sees fit. Sir Alex, who hand-picked his fellow Scotsman, re-iterated in a recent interview that he is confident Moyes has what it takes to be a top United manager. And Moyes has started as confidently as ever. Completely overhauling a hugely successful Manchester United managerial staff by bringing in his own assistants and coaches might be considered a tad arrogant, but it is clear that Moyes has a specific vision for his United team and he must be given a chance to advance that.

At the end of an embarrassingly mediocre transfer window Moyes landed former Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini. Futile attempts were made to sign Cesc Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara and even former United boy Cristiano Ronaldo. There is no question about the ambition Moyes has, but it was a little too optimistic to think such marquee players would sign for United at the start of an uncertain period in the clubai??i??s history. Moyes was berated for his transfer window failures, mostly because he made public his summer transfer targets. He was being blamed for trying to fix a problem in Unitedai??i??s midfield that Sir Alex Ferguson had long ignored. Indeed, if Sir Alex had signed Fellaini last season, it wouldai??i??ve been seen as a major coup, but Moyes signing Fellaini in the summer was seen as a disappointing end to the transfer window.

Nevertheless, Moyes has confidently done things he sees fit. He has players for the future he can build the team with: David de Gea in goal, with Chris Smalling, Rafael, Johnny Evans and Phil Jones is the future of the United defence. Smalling was excellent in the game against Arsenal and first choice Rafael was hardly missed at right-back in that game. Evans has the required talent and at 25, has time on his side to eliminate the mistakes in his game. Alexander Buttner is a left back for the future, but a more secure option would be to go for Luke Shaw of Southampton or even Real Madridai??i??s Fabio Coentrao who is said to be unsettled at the Bernabeu. However, the stand-out performer among the future stars is definitely Phil Jones.

Phil Jones - The future of United's defence — Phil Jones: the future of United’s defence

Signed from Blackburn in 2011, the 21 year old Jones has been phenomenal for United so far. Whether in his preferred centre back position, or thundering down the right flank from right-back or bossing the midfield from his defensive midfield position, Phil Jones has been one of Unitedai??i??s best performers of the season so far. So much so, he has taken the spotlight from the 27.5 million pound signing Fellaini in centre midfield. It was clear Moyes favoured Jones to Fellaini as a partner to the impressive Michael Carrick for the match against Arsenal. And it worked. Jones put in a combative and energetic performance that nullified the Arsenal creative midfield of Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla in the first half. In fact, it was no coincidence the Arsenal began to find their feet in the game as soon as Jones was shifted to centre back in the second half and the average Tom Cleverley was brought on in midfield. Jones may see himself as a centre back but it is in midfield that United need him the most, at least while Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand are still around. Sir Alex has prophesied Jones to end up as one of the best players to have ever pulled on a United shirt once his career ends.

Midfield is the most problematic area for Moyes. Carrick is the only player who picks himself. The fact that Jones is a more effective partner to Carrick for the big games doesnai??i??t bode too well for Tom Cleverley, Marouane Fellaini and Anderson. Moyes must shop for a midfielder to partner Carrick in the next transfer windows. Fellaini might have a role to play in Unitedai??i??s centre midfield, but for now he looks out of sorts and buying an established midfielder like Sami Khedira or Daniele De Rossi might be the answer for the short run. As long as United have other defenders as options, Phil Jones could also be used in midfield when needed. United also need to replace Carrick in the next few seasons with the Ex-Spurs player pushing 32. Ilkay Gundogan of Borussia Dortmund could be had in a swap deal sending Shinji Kagawa back to his old club.

Kagawa is one player who looks out of depth at United. The ex-Borussia Dortmund playmaker just does not fit into the United system. His favoured position of course is the number 10 behind the striker, but the fact that Wayne Rooney has that role currently relegates Kagawa to obscurity. The Japanese possesses brilliant passing, vision and creativity but it just doesnai??i??t show when heai??i??s shunted to the left wing. Kagawaai??i??s gameplay requires United to win the ball higher up the pitch and feed it to the Japanese, who would then find the wingers or one of the midifelders from the double pivot making the run forward. This just isnai??i??t Unitedai??i??s style and unless things change drastically in a tactics sense, Moyes would be better off letting Kagawa go and look at buying a genuine winger.

Which brings us to Unitedai??i??s current wingers. Nani, in spite of getting a fresh lease of life under Moyes continues to be indifferent in form. Antonio Valencia still has efficient consistency and work ethic, but lacks certain flair to get past wing-backs. He is a traditional winger who takes the ball on the outside and whips ferocious crosses in. At 28, he may be out of the picture in a couple of years, having lost a yard or two of pace. Ashley Young has been largely disappointing in his two seasons at Old Trafford and has to be one of the flop signings of the Sir Alex Ferguson era. The future of Unitedai??i??s wing lies with the the powerful Wilfried Zaha and the talented Adnan Januzaj. Moyes, known for his ability to bring in young players, a quality Sir Alex identifies with, has blooded Januzaj in the Premier League often this season and the Belgian has responded well. The 18 year old scored twice in his first start for the club against Sunderland, turning out to be the match winner. Januzaj recently signed a new five year deal that keeps him at Manchester United till 2018. Moyes certainly sees Januzaj as a part of the furniture of Unitedai??i??s future team.

Wilfried Zaha: Next Number 7? — Wilfried Zaha: the next Number 7?

One man who hasnai??i??t been given enough chances is 20 year old winger Wilfried Zaha. Highly rated and superbly talented, Zaha has made only one Premier League appearance this season as Moyes reckons he is still not ready for first team action. Zaha made a start under Moyesai??i??s first starting eleven in the Community Shield against Wigan where he showed flashes of brilliance but also large inexperience. It might be said that Zaha has not been given the same opportunities to grow as Januzaj so far and United fans would be hoping he doesnai??i??t turn out to be in another Paul Pogba-like situation. Zaha has immense talent and is definitely a star for the future. If he isnai??i??t in Moyesai??i??s plans this season, Zaha should be sent out on loan to gain more experience and to groom him as the future right winger at United.

Unitedai??i??s attack is one of the best in the Premier League. With Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck in attack, United look more than potent in that department. Van Persie is 30 and at the peak of his powers right now. It is pragmatic to know that he will be past his prime in a couple of seasons and given his injury track record, might even be unfit for long spells. This makes it imperative for United to find a replacement ai??i?? either hold on to Hernandez, who has an excellent goal-scoring record or buy a younger goalscorer. Hernandez has grown increasingly frustrated at his super sub role and must be thinking what he has to do more to stake his claim in the starting line-up. But with Van Persie and Rooney around, first team chances look to be limited for the Mexican, who might look to get out of Old Trafford to looks for more first team opportunities.

Danny Welbeck is young and might be the answer to Unitedai??i??s attacking problems in the future, but the 22 year old is not a poacher and is known more for his work ethic and industriousness than his scoring prowess. Welbeck might be utilized on the wings more in a Dirk Kuyt-esque role which requires hard work and perseverance than goal scoring talent. This means United must buy a poacher to replace the aging Van Persie within the next two seasons. Moyes has already ruled out Borussia Dortmundai??i??s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, so it will be interesting to see who he targets in attack for the future. Academy striker Will Keane might also be a part of Moyesai??i??s plans for the future. In essence, United would need a finisher in the mould of Van Nistelrooy, Dwight Yorke or Van Persie, and young strikers like Luuk de Jong of Borussia Monchengladbach or Luc Castaignos of FC Twente fit the bill perfectly.

Future projected United starting line-Up (2016): De Gea; Rafael, Smalling/Evans, Jones, Coentrao/Luke Shaw; Zaha, Gundogan/Cleverley, Fellaini/Khedira, Januzaj/Welbeck; Rooney(C), Hernandez/de Jong

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David Moyes’s Future Manchester United: How Will The Current Players Fit In?

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