United Fans Must Lower Standards

Watching the rest of the opening weekend's lineup of games I noticed something that has been generally missing from United's play, especially at home. The atmosphere. The best example of this was Leicester City's first game back in the Premier League as they surprised a much more highly rated Everton side to tie 2-2. Everton outplayed City in every aspect and even had the benefit of being able to bring on subs like Seamus Coleman and Kevin Mirallas, highlighting the gulf in class between the two sides. Leicester City, however, had the crowd. And what a crowd it was. Leicester's fans were there to cheer every half decent chance with absolute veracity. In the end, their 12th man made up for the difference in class. This crowd, I might add, only numbered around 31,000 - less then half the normal attendance at an Old Trafford match. Yet the noise at Old Trafford never came close to what the King Power Stadium was able to garner. Comparatively, the crowd at Old Trafford is downright dull at times. So why don't they cheer? Well, think back to the glory days (of just a couple years ago) once more. The likes of Van Persie, Ferdinand, Vidic, Carrick, and Valencia at their best. Think back a little further and such football wizards as Scholes, Giggs, Rooney (before his recent injuries), Berbatov, and Ronaldo all come to mind as having lit up Old Trafford with their performances. The style of play Fergie instilled as uniquely United's came about around the mid to late nineties as the class of '92 burst onto the scene along with players such as Cantona, Solskjaer, York, and, later, Van Nistelrooy. These players helped shape the seemingly non-stop excitement that was the trademark of the Fergie Era. But, more importantly, this exciting style also came with consistently world class play from United as Fergie's trophy mantel began to clutter up. I came into my United fan hood just as Ronaldo, Beckham, Rooney, and Van Nistelrooy were placing their stamp on the team and, meanwhile, providing riveting displays of world class football week in and week out.
To be honest, I've been spoiled, as have most United fans who've witnessed anything more than a couple years of United's play. While Chelsea have struggled under multiple managers, Man City have grown into their newfound financial strength, and Liverpool have toiled around mid-table, United continued to display top, top levels of football every season in the last decade. Then came Fergie's departure. Then Moyes's disastrous reign. Then another unsatisfactory transfer window this summer.
Old Trafford fans and United fans across the world have been trained to think that United's riveting play of the last two decades is normal. United fans are used to cheering for consistently spectacular plays. Quite simply, United fans' standards are too high. Whilst teams such as Liverpool's title competitors of last year and minnows like Leicester thrive off of lively home crowds, United now suffer from a cloud of nervousness and a lack of energy at Old Trafford. It's not just a side factor - it hurts the team. Every team in the league relies on their home crowd to try to turn home games into guaranteed results. Not only that, but the silence that hangs over the Old Trafford stands is constantly interpreted by the players as extreme pressure to raise the standards. And while raising the standards back up to what they once were is the ultimate goal, last season has shown that such pressure has hindered rather than helped the players.
My point: Old Trafford needs to liven up. Liverpool's title run of last year, and the upsets lower table teams are able to launch against the big boys are both examples of precisely why. In order to achieve this, however, the fans must lower their standards to a certain extent. Rather than waiting and waiting to cheer for only the clearest of chances and most spectacular of plays, why not cheer for a good solid tackle or defensive play? How about a well earned throw-in? These cheers shouldn't been seen as fleeting or overly hopeful. The players don't see it that way while they're on the pitch. I'll put this in mathematical form: strong tackle + strong positive reaction from the home crowd = a huge gain in momentum for the home team (i.e. exactly what United have needed in recent home games). Let's put aside our memories of dominant United teams of the past and lower our standards just a little bit. The fans must play their all-important role if Manchester United are to rise back up to the top again.

Manchester United v Swansea, A Humbling Start

In the trophy winning season of 2012-13, Fergie's side lost 0-1 on the opening day against Everton at Goodison Park. Last season, Moyes led United to a whopping 4-1 win to start a season that ended disastrously. What does this prove? Quite simply, an opening day loss shouldn't be taken as any sort of omen. Today's opening day loss, however disappointing, is not as ominous as, say, a midseason loss with a fully fit squad. Firstly, today's injured/unprepared list guaranteed a weakened United side. Welbeck, Shaw, Rafael, Valencia, Evans, Van Persie; these were all missing players whose roles vary from important bench player - Welbeck, Rafael - to vital starting player - Shaw, Valencia, Evans, Van Persie.
Today's match can almost be taken as a pre-season test if not for the consequence of 0 points out of a possible 3 to start the league campaign - Van Gaal is still working out his system, the players are still adapting to the new system, and some players are still working their way towards match fitness after the summer break and World Cup action. Yes, we lost at home. Yes, we looked bereft of dynamic attacking ideas. But, more importantly, today's United side did show signs of asserting the kind of dominance that was Fergie's trademark and Moyes's point of failure. Not to mention a vital goal from the new captain, upon whose shoulders rests much of the responsibility for a successful United season. Rooney looked sharp enough as he executed a neat bicycle kick finish in the 53rd minute to open up his account for the season. All in all, it was a full strength Swansea side that defeated a far from full strength United side. I might add that if Swansea were to maintain full fitness and the same kind of decisive and organized play they showed today throughout the season, they might find themselves chomping at the heels of the top 6 by the end of it all.

United's Jesse Lingard and Swansea's Wayne Routledge battling for a ball in the first half.

Individual player evaluation:
De Gea - Consistent, mature, and all around sure-handed.
Chris Smalling - Was able to match Wilfried Bony's physicality; organization was okay except for the lapses that led to the Swansea goals, both of which could have been prevented by better closing down of the ball in and around United's box.
Phil Jones - Also helped provide the physicality needed to battle Bony and, later, Bafétimbi Gomis; had a few very important tackles near his own goal in trademark, aggressive, Phil Jones style; also responsible for same organizational lapses, however.
Tyler Blackett - Showed maturity beyond his years in the way in which he was vocal in the center of defense; looked composed enough for good distribution from the back; used his size to battle the large Swansea forwards well.
Ander Herrerra - A good introduction to English football for him as we was on the end of a few hefty challenges in a heated battle in the middle of the pitch; wasn't able to provide the same amount of link up play with Mata and Rooney as we've seen in preseason.
Jesse Lingard - Went off just before the half with an injury; showed good energy and aggression before his exit.
Darren Fletcher - Played the holding midfield/anchor role well enough but lacked cutting edge in the final third.
Ashley Young - Performed well enough as a wing back, however there is definitely more for him to show in the final third despite a few good crosses.
Javier Hernández - Definitely not at his best, made a minimal impact.
Juan Mata - Wasn't on the ball as much as we've seen in the past and thus was ineffective in linking the midfield with the forwards.
Wayne Rooney - Not at his best but sharp enough to provide the equalizer though not much else.
Adnan Januzaj - Called upon to fill in the right wing back position following Lingard's injury; picked up where he left off last season with clever use of acceleration and space to give the left side of Swansea's defense problems; looked United's most creative and dangerous player in the second half.
Nani - In as a sub at halftime; used his pace well but didn't have the composure to execute the final pass/move needed for United to equalize at the end.
Marouane Fellaini - On in the 66th minute, used mainly as a target for long balls into the box.