Following one game at Old Trafford last season, then-Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was questioned about a team selection decision he had made.
"It is easy for you to ask this after the game. I have to make the decision before the game," he replied. Barcelona's Luis Enrique has said similar this season when faced with outrage after his side had the audacity not to win a football match.
Only victory quells the perennial online anger of the modern football fan. When Jose Mourinho named his side for the first Premier League game of the season at Bournemouth, it wasn't to the liking of many. Then, United won comprehensively and nothing more was said. When he named his team at Swansea in the previous away league game before Sunday's match at Everton, there was similar outrage. Fans knew better. Except they didn't; United won 3-1 and the online invective receded.
After Manchester United conceded yet another late goal to draw yet another game, this time at Everton, fans were incredulous. Why had Marouane Fellaini been brought on with five minutes to play? Why is he even at United? The old prejudices against him were revived after he had clumsily conceded a penalty at the ground where he had often impressed for Everton.
Mourinho brought the Belgian giant on to deal with Everton's aerial threat after the out-of-form side began to ask questions of his defence. He brought him on to protect United's hard-fought lead in another game his team had dominated. It didn't work.
Most fans need a scapegoat and Fellaini has long been a favoured one. Associated with a grim period in United's history, he spends his life receiving abuse. He got a dollop more from Everton fans; he'd been a success for them, including making them a £12 million profit, but had the cheek to move to a bigger, more successful club on a better contract.
Fellaini manages to quiet the critics who think he's not good enough to wear the red shirt when he plays well, but takes more stick than any other players when he doesn't. It won't wash with his naysayers that several managers value him -- teammates too.
They trust Fellaini to do a job and follow instructions, though he failed dismally at Goodison on Sunday. The dropping of two points can't be laid solely at his feet; United had started to ease off 15 minutes before he took the field, just as they did against Arsenal two weeks ago. And, similar to the match against the Gunners, they invited their opponents to attack and conceded a late equaliser.
United have dropped seven points due to goals scored against them in the final 10 minutes of league games this season -- more than any other side. Their late goals under Sir Alex Ferguson used to win games. Opponents' late goals under Mourinho mean the league season is slipping away after a succession of careless errors.
United have drawn more league games than they've won and sit sixth. Mourinho has seven fewer points than Van Gaal at the same stage last season. His team are 13 points behind leaders Chelsea after 14 games in 15 weeks. They have failed to win successive away games since September and have won just twice in the 11 matches since August. United have yet to beat a side in the top half of the table and yet oddly, are closer to a Champions League place than a week ago.
Still, it's a big gap and a woeful record and the millions who despise Manchester United are rejoicing for a third successive season. Many United fans are also ultra-critical, yet what's the alternative? Sack another manager? Or support the team and be patient that he'll get it right.
The fans at matches are doing just that and Mourinho still enjoys significant support. Of course fans are worried, they hoped for a lot better under someone who wins everywhere he manages, but on the flip side they're seeing better performances -- if not results. The football is much more entertaining than last season; a year ago today, the mood among fans was that they just wanted to be entertained again, to see their team attack after a goalless draw against West Ham.
Van Gaal sent his team out to do just that against Wolfsburg in a Champions League match. Fans loved it -- it reminded them of the old United -- until they lost the game by a score of 3-2.
Mourinho is adamant that he's been happy with the performances and that his players are doing what is asked for him. He thinks that opponents all play defensive, counterattacking football against United, which is a compliment to his team's superior talent. The boot was on the other foot when his Inter Milan side played exactly that style of football on the way to winning the Champions League in 2010.
Mourinho's players are content with their boss, who is less intense than he was a month ago. The players genuinely think that things will get better and accentuate the positives, though they're also pre-disposed to think that because they want it to happen. And week after week, United are playing well, though they're nowhere near as clinical as the top teams. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a fine goal, his 12th of the season. Ander Herrera, another player enjoying a decent run, hit the post when he could have made it 2-0. David De Gea had his best game for months.
There are negatives. Marcos Rojo was fortunate to only receive a yellow card after his double-footed challenge on Idrissa Gueye. Paul Pogba isn't yet the influence on games that he can be.
Mourinho seized on these bright spots, claiming style is more important than results, then appeared to contradict himself. Whatever, the league results are not coming but fortunes are much better in the EFL cup and the Europa League -- at least at home. The team fly to the Black Sea resort of Odessa for Thursday's final Europa group game against Zorya Luhansk. United fans need some dark humour to deal with events this season, especially in Europe, where United have lost both away games at Feyenoord and Fenerbahce. But for once a draw will do, as it'll confirm qualification for the final 32.