Does the United squad need to be rebuilt in the summer?

Manchester United boss David Moyes may need to rebuild his squad this summer

Manchester United suffered a 2-1 defeat to Sunderland in last night’s first leg Capital One Cup semi-final tie.

The defeat came on the back of 2-1 home defeats against Tottenham and Swansea in the Premier League and FA Cup respectively.

Decisions

Manchester United boss David Moyes has come in for heavy criticism since his summer arrival from Everton, some of it deserved and some of it not.

The Scot blamed last night’s defeat on decisions, but he cannot hide the fact that his team are just not good enough at the moment.

Struggling

It seems strange to already be talking about the summer when we are only in January. However, it seems that the Manchester United squad is in major need of rebuilding. Moyes has already suggested that he may not make any signings in the January transfer window.

That seems like madness considering that Manchester United are struggling in the Premier League and out of the FA Cup. Their hopes of winning the Capital One Cup also hang in the balance after the 2-1 defeat against struggling Sunderland.

The Manchester United squad is obviously not as strong as it has been in the past and this summer will be a big one for Moyes and United.

Influence

The squad that David Moyes inherited in the summer finished last season as champions. Former-boss Sir Alex Ferguson had a major influence on the team. Such was his strength of character on the team that his presence in the dugout dragged his team to Premier League triumph.

New boss David Moyes does not quite have the same influence on the players. He has only been in the job a few months, whereas Ferguson had been in charge at Old Trafford for a quarter of a century.

Ferguson was bound to have brought out the best in a group of players that he had developed and brought into the club, he knew them so well. Moyes is only just learning about his new set of players.

Long-term

The Manchester United owners and directors choose David Moyes as a long-term appointment. The Scot was chosen especially by Sir Alex Ferguson, because he was likely to bring stability to the club and a smooth transition from his compatriot.

The former-Everton boss is unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon, so the Red Devils fans need to get behind the Scot and support the team.

Changes

The Manchester United squad could look very different next season. The likes of Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Rio Ferdinand are out of contract this summer, while England international Wayne Rooney is again being linked with moves to both Arsenal and Chelsea.

Some people claim that the United squad does not need major rebuilding in the summer. I have to disagree. United will have to improve in every area of the team this summer if they want to be challengers again next season.

The current United squad is very average, with only a few players that are really good enough to wear a Manchester United shirt. There are very few players within the United squad that would get into rival teams, which in the past would have been unheard of.

Young players

Manchester United does have a host of young players just waiting for their chance in the team. The likes of Wilfried Zaha, Nick Powell and Jesse Lingard are all highly-rated youngsters. The latter two have impressed in the Championship this season, but could be called upon next season.

These young players need to be given the chance to play. United have lost talented young players in the past because they have not been able to break into the first team at Old Trafford, with Paul Pogba being a prime example and to a lesser-extent Ravel Morrison.

Young winger Adnan Januzaj has been given the chance to shine this season and he has impressed with his displays. Maybe the introduction of some of the younger players would add some energy to the team.

Patience

Manchester United fans will have to be patient, as it is going to take time for the transition from Sir Alex Ferguson to David Moyes. Some United fans may have doubts whether Moyes is the right man for the United job, but the Red Devils fans will just have to get behind the team because Moyes is there to stay.

Does the Manchester United squad need to be rebuilt in the summer?