We are Manchester United and therefore, we BELIEVE

Dear fellow United fans:
    
As furious and frustrated I am with United’s stuttering start to the season, it’s imperative that we supporters stay calm and patient, while we look forward to a turnaround. No doubt, United are trying as hard as possible to place themselves in a precarious position. The margin of error left is getting reduced alarmingly after each match and we are in an urgent need for a few wins. What is truly infuriating is the paucity of chances we create in each game. It wouldn’t bother me much if we squander chance after chance due to poor finishing - But we don’t really get there and that’s worrying.

But is it the first time we are in a spot of bother?

Didn’t we go three seasons in a row between 2004 and 2006 without winning the title, when a Roman Abramovich-led Chelsea was threatening to run away with everything? 

Didn't we compensate for that drought by becoming English Champions for the three years that followed?

I have been watching almost every match played by United in the last 7 seasons. But for the last one where we reached the end line with a canter, all the others have been tight and troublesome at various stages. A 38-game season is bound to have its own fair share of slumps and its terribly unfortunate that one of ours has come at the earliest possible opportunity. Still, All is not lost.

Having won the league three times in a row between 1998 and 2001, United surrendered the title to a well-managed Arsenal side in the 2001-02 season. Their effort to wrest back the initiative in the following season got off to the worst possible start and by the middle of September, this was how the table looked like (though we are slightly worse than this now)

And as always, there existed a massive crowd for whom the only ambition is to see a declining Manchester United. Even when we won the league last time, the press attributed our success to the poor performances of our rivals more than how clinical United were. So it wasn’t shocking when the media went overboard during the early season jitters back then.

                                         

United did what they always do when their credentials get questioned. Be firm and continuing to fight. When the season ended, we were Champions and were singing “We’ve got our trophy back”. Of course, we had the services of fabulous players like Scholes, Beckham, van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer, a much younger Giggs among many others. But we do have to trust the players we have and bank on them to get back to winning ways. Michael Carrick, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and company perfectly symbolize the United culture as no one else and I completely believe they will be instrumental in setting the track right for United.

During his sign-off speech, Fergie emphasized on how he struggled early on in his Man United managerial career and how much the club backed him without overreacting to the situation. All of us witnessed what he did in the course of the next dozens of years. His message to the fans was clear - “Stand by your new Manager”. That’s precisely what all of us have to do. Let’s allow the new Manager to take his time to bed down. Nobody predicted an easy ride for him. This includes David Moyes too!

Let’s remember, we are still Manchester United and will always be a force to reckon with. Champions relish adversity.

Manchester United for LIFE
GGMU