LONDON -- In this bleakest of introductions to Manchester United, David Moyes is struggling with the hand dealt to him by the club. Demarcus Robinson Jersey . A squad that was in need of more than just tinkering when Alex Ferguson retired, has faded as a force and seems incapable of competing with the elite. The giants of English football lurch to a new low each month as the transition following Fergusons 26-year reign proves more difficult than the fans or owners could have envisaged. Under Ferguson, seasons were about chasing trophies. Now its about avoiding further embarrassment, with United out of the domestic cups and sixth in the Premier League, 11 points from the Champions League places. Needing to lift the trophy in May to return to the Champions League, Uniteds matchup with Olympiakos in the round of 16 seemed like a gift to Moyes from UEFA. But United was insipid in Greece on Tuesday, and bereft of any attacking threat or defensive cohesion in a 2-0 loss. Thirty years ago pre-Ferguson, United overturned such a deficit against Barcelona to advance in the European Cup Winners Cup at Old Trafford, but such a feat would seem beyond this group of players, for whom the Theatre of Dreams has become the scene of too many nightmares this season. "I take responsibility, its my team," Moyes said at Olympiakos. The message from within Old Trafford remains that Moyes will be entrusted with leading the clubs revival. How much is Moyes to blame for Uniteds misfortunes? The Scot was chosen to replace his compatriot partly because he was low-maintenance and would not storm in wanting to rip up the squad. It was in an unusual moment of candour from within the United hierarchy, the day after the title was clinched with four games to spare last April, when this became apparent -- just before Moyes was approached to replace Ferguson. At that point, then-chief executive David Gill knew Ferguson would be retiring within weeks, despite the managers public denial days earlier. And, although Gill did not let slip Fergusons secret, what he said in an Associated Press interview indicated that a change might not be too far away, and that the Glazer family didnt want any drastic changes to the team. Although United would go on to win a 13th Premier League title under Ferguson by 11 points, such rampant success masked the necessity to strengthen an aging squad. "The quality of the squad, the composition of that squad, means that any new manager coming in will inherit a great squad of players," Gill told the AP on April 23, 2013. "And yes he may, whenever that is ... clearly want to bring in one or two of his own people, new players. But he wont want to change the squad wholesale because (then) he wont be our manager. Weve got to be consistent with that and thats what we are planning on." The comments were eye-catching but set against Fergusons retirement denial. The succession plan, however, would be implemented rapidly, as Moyes was handed the job -- initially secretly -- to leave Everton and fill one of the toughest vacancies in football. Perhaps United did not fully recognize the Ferguson factor in pushing the team beyond its limits, although the clubs shareholders had been warned about the dangers of British footballs most successful and feared manager hanging up his hairdryer one day. "Any successor to our current manager may not be as successful as our current manager," United said as it prepared to float on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012. "A downturn in the performance of our first team could adversely affect our ability to attract and retain coaches and players." As it proved in Moyes first transfer window. After the audacious pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas failed, Marouane Fellaini was the only major summer signing and the recruit from Everton has made little impact during an injury-hit season. The flaws in planning for the post-Ferguson era have become apparent in recent months. And from within the United boardroom a different message has emerged about this summers strategy, with vice chairman Ed Woodward, who assumed Gills responsibilities, conceding the squad does in fact requirement a significant overhaul. Rather than building from a position of strength, as was possible last summer, the empire must fight back from one of weakness. "We are not afraid of moving in the market in a way we havent seen in recent years," Woodward said on a conference call with Wall Street insiders two weeks ago. Juan Mata was persuaded to join from Chelsea last month in a club-record 31.7 million-pound ($62-million) move. And Wayne Rooney was convinced to sign a new contract in the last week through 2019, a powerful if expensive message to the world that the club can retain talent. While not challenging for titles, United remains the indisputable commercial champion of English football, with the Glazer family building up a formidable marketing operation. The club expects to generate around 430 million pounds ($718 million) in revenue this season, although such prosperity diminishes with an enduring downturn on the pitch. The great fear is that the 20-time English champions morph into the next Liverpool, which is on the rise having won the last of its 18 topflight titles in 1990. The club, though, wont want to be living on past successes for too long, but its hard to see where the next trophy is coming from. "United need six top quality players," said outspoken former captain Roy Keane, a TV pundit. "I would think David Moyes has been shocked. When he went into United in the summer he probably looked at the players and was expecting great things. "Privately hes probably been shocked at the lack of quality that hes working with." Sammy Watkins Jersey . Some members of the U.S. Congress arent so sure. They say Russia isnt doing enough to assure that athletes will be protected at the Feb. 7-23 games, happening not far from an Islamic insurgency that Russias huge security apparatus has struggled for two decades to quell. Russia may run greater risks in towns outside the tightly controlled Olympic zone. Suicide bombs last month a few hundred kilometres (miles) away have increased concerns, and an Islamic warlord has urged his followers to attack the Sochi Olympics, Russian President Vladimir Putins pet project. Anthony Hitchens Jersey . Team officials travelled to Los Angeles on Thursday night to meet with the free agent, a person with knowledge of the plans said. http://www.thechiefsshoponline.com/Youth-Chad-Henne-Chiefs-Jersey/ .ca. In addition to the game being aired in its entirety on CTV Two Vancouver Island and TSN.ca, TSN2 will also have coverage of Whitecaps FC immediately following NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Toyota Owners 400.PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Pittsburgh Penguins and Vancouver Canucks had gone two years and 157 games since they last faced each other. They picked up right where they left off. Back in 2011, Evgeni Malkin scored the deciding goal in the shootout as the Penguins earned a season-opening victory at Vancouver. The site changed on Saturday, but the result was the same. Malkin scored in the third round of the shootout, and Marc-Andre Fleury made the deciding stop on Ryan Kesler as the Penguins remained unbeaten at home with a 4-3 win over the Canucks. "The goal Evgeni scored in Vancouver was similar to the one he got (Saturday)," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. "He moved out wide, got Luongo down and scored the winner." Malkin skated down the right-wing boards and moved across the ice, curling his stick to stuff the puck past goalie Roberto Luongo with a backhander. "When Malkin came down, I wasnt quite sure what he was going to do, and unfortunately, I bit on the fake and he went backhand," Luongo said. "I wish I would have been a bit more patient maybe on that one." Sidney Crosby moved into a tie atop the NHL leaderboard with his seventh goal of the season, and had two assists. Chris Kunitz netted his fourth goal and added two assists, and rookie defenceman Olli Maatta scored his first NHL goal for the Penguins, who won for the 20th time in 22 home games. The Penguins, who won a season-high fourth straight game, are 5-0 at home — their best start since the 1994-95 season. Fleury stopped a season-high 36 shots for his NHL-leading seventh win of the season, denying Kesler, Alexander Edler, and Mike Santorelli in the shootout. The Penguins are 19-3 in their last 22 shootouts, winning 11 of 12 and six straight. Luongo, who made 25 saves, stopped Crosby and Jussi Jokinen in the shootout before Malkin scored his eighth game-deciding shootout goal. Zack Kassian scored a third-period goal, and Edler and Brad Richardson also scored for the Canucks, who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Kevin Bieksa added three assists. "We found a way to get a point," Canucks coach John Tortorella said. "You always want to get two points, but well take one in a pretty tough building to play in." The teams were tied at 2 after two periods and traded goals in the third, scoring 22 seconds apart. Kassian gave the Canucks a 3-2 lead at 7:10, using a backhander to redirect Bieksas shot from the point behind Fleury. MMaatta scored 22 seconds later, crashing the net to slam home the rebound from Kunitzs slap shot. Custom Chiefs Jerseys. "Its always fun to see guys score their first goal," Crosby said. "That never gets old, seeing the joy and seeing how happy he was. It was pretty cool, and obviously a big goal for us, too." Brandon Sutter had a chance to put the Penguins ahead when he was awarded a penalty shot with 1:24 left in regulation, but Luongos glove save sent the game to overtime. "I thought we carried most of the play," Luongo said. "We forechecked well, we turned pucks over. Obviously, theyre a good team and we held our own. It was good." Crosby extended his point streak to eight games, his longest stretch to start a season. Crosby, who leads the NHL with 17 points, has recorded multiple points in four consecutive games. He also has a 16-game point streak against Canadian-based teams. "I dont feel that different to be honest," Crosby said, comparing this seasons start to others. Vancouver, in the midst of a season-high, seven-game road swing, started the trip with a pair of wins, including a 3-0 victory Thursday at Buffalo. The Canucks were in line for their third straight win, twice taking the lead against the Penguins, who hadnt trailed at home this season. The Canucks left Pittsburgh still feeling confident. Their trip continues Sunday at Columbus. "I thought we played well," Tortorella said. "I thought we controlled a lot of the game, I thought we did a really good job in the neutral zone as far as creating turnovers, and I thought we played quick." A fluky bounce helped the Canucks score the games first goal at 13:49 of the opening period. Edlers slap shot from centre ice hit Fleury in the chest and popped into the air. It dropped behind him and trickled across the goal line. Crosby answered less than two minutes later, whacking the rebound of Pascal Dupuis slap shot past Luongo. The Penguins jumped ahead with a power-play goal at 12:04 of the second, taking advantage of a Vancouver penalty for too many men on the ice. Malkin set up the goal from behind the net, taking Luongo to one post before sending a pass to the opposite side, where Kunitz was there to one-time the puck. Richardson, playing in his 400th career NHL game, tied it less than five minutes later with his second goal in two games. Richardson took a feed from Dale Weise in the slot off the rush and roofed a shot over Fleurys glove from below the right faceoff dot. Cheap Canadiens Jerseys Cheap Predators Jerseys Cheap Devils Jerseys Cheap Islanders Jerseys Cheap Rangers Jerseys Cheap Senators Jerseys Cheap Flyers Jerseys Cheap Penguins Jerseys Cheap Sharks Jerseys Cheap Blues Jerseys Cheap Lightning Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Cheap Canucks Jerseys Cheap Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Capitals Jerseys Cheap Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '