Season 2011-12 Fan Articles

Time for wholesale renewal

By Kieran   Fitzgerald  ::  23/12/2011   26 Comments (»Last) Something I've been giving some thought to recently is how this season is shaping up to be a gut wrenching failure. At this stage, I don't think I would be that offended if the club was to write the season off from now and take what I think would be a solid course of action.

I honestly don't think that we are bad enough to get relegated. Unless we suddenly become attractive as an investment, or Moyes has a road to Damascus sytle epiphany in his managerial approach, nothing will change between now and the end of the season on either front.

Instead, I think we should just bite the bullet and sell a number of senior players, either in January or the summer, and just make do with where the extra cash and remaining players leave us.

I think we can survive offloading one from Jagielka, Distin and Heitinga. We can always recall Duffy from loan for cover and can stick Rodwell or Neville in there if we need to. Take what ever we can get for Yobo and throw that into the pot.

With their current injury woes, I am very surprised that Man Utd and Arsenal haven't been mentioned as looking at Heitinga. I think that he would bring the experience, talent and bite that both teams are crying out for right now. I think both clubs are desperate enough to pay a decent price for him too and wouldn't be surprised if interest was shown in him in January.

From midfield we can afford to offload Cahill and Bilyaletdinov. Cahill has been a trojan for the club but I do think his best days are behind him. I don't think he is prepared to stop playing for his country to benefit his club career; while this is admirable, it isn't doing his club form any favours. There are enough midfielders, both senior and up-and-coming to fill any gaps.

With Rodwell, who's mostly been played as a midfielder, I'd rather he stayed if we had enough cash coming in from other player sales but, at the same time, I wouldn't begrudge him a move. At his age, and at this stage of his career, I think he is due to make a decision about his future very soon. I think that right now, he would get as many games in Man Utd's midfield or back four as he would with us and I think the same would apply at Chelsea. Again, I think we could get a decent offer for him in the January window.

Up front, I'm ambivalent about Saha. If he stays, fine... if not, I don't know if we would miss him all that much.

That's a sum of cash in and a number of high wages off the books. Some or most of the cash raised would go to appease the banks but I would be happy with that.

Hand what's left to Moyes and tell him to do what he used to do a couple of seasons ago. I think actually having money, and the chance to make something of a fresh start with this squad, might just be the tonic Moyes needs. Bed in the new players between now and the end of the season, hopefully Drenthe on a permanent deal and at least one quality striker, give the youngsters more game time and see where we are come pre-season training in July.

I know to some degree I might be stating the obvious. Also, this type of a plan would require the Board and or Moyes being bold enough to make the decision when seemingly in the grip of complete inertia. But I do think that we have nothing to lose.

Like I said, I don't think we will get relegated this season, and I also think that Moyes does not seem capable of doing more with this current squad than he already is. We can simply limp along as we are, and sink lower and lower into apathy and obscurity, or we can do something that is positive and is seen by the outside world as something that is being done by a club that is proactive and in charge of it's own affairs.

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