When Moyes first took over the squad in the summer I had my first major doubt. A Dutch fitness expert watched United train as Van Persie got injured from over-training. The coach called Moyes methods of training from the stone ages. That made me think of a story I heard about the fitness run called the gauntlet that Moyes used at Everton as punishment for the players. The players said vomiting and total exhaustion were common after running it. Those two stories made me think that maybe David Moyes is not the most sophisticated coach out there. I remember reading about Valeriy Lobanovskyi who created pressing soccer with a full press, half press and fake press. In that era they trained teams until the players got so tired they suffered injuries and could not perform at high levels. The point is we have come a long way. With the use of heart rate monitors and devices that can manage work loads of players does Moyes still need to run gauntlets? A team like Manchester United should be on the cutting edge of all training technologies keeping their players at optimum performance levels. I know I sound like I’m rambling on but there is a point.
If Moyes isn’t up to modern times with his fitness regimen then how can he produce a modern attacking side? Can he create a cohesive attack minded team that can improvise, problem solve and break down defenses? My guess is no. My guess is he is a very disciplined coach that sticks to the basic fundamentals and tactics. Does Moyes understand what to do with players like Matta? Time will tell but I am feeling less confident everyday.