Throughout my childhood, I had to put up with Manchester United winning almost everything on a regular basis. A mixture of traditional rivalry and envy created a hatred that ran through my veins whenever Manchester United were mentioned. Nevertheless, although I couldn't stomach the club, I did respect it and what it achieved.

When the Football League First Division was re-branded to the Premier League, Manchester United took advantage of the fact that global revenue was almost begging to flood into clubs who knew how to open the gates. Commercial success and the silverware to match created, in my opinion, the world's biggest football club. Manchester United became much more than a football club, it was now a brand.

Since Alex Ferguson retired, Manchester United have turned to several different managers to try to right the ship, but none of them have been particularly successful. Sure, the club has won a few trophies along the way, but they are no longer seen as genuine title contenders and this is a drastic change.

Ultimately, there are a few reasons you can look at as to why such a change has occurred. Firstly, Ferguson was one of the greatest football managers the world has ever seen. There was bound to be a dip in success but there was always the feeling that Manchester United were a big enough club to get it right eventually. The next issue was the type of manager the club were turning to. David Moyes, for example, was clearly not at the level that should have been required to even get an interview, never mind a massive contract.

In recent months, pundits and football fans around the world have tried to pinpoint why the current Manchester United squad have become a laughing stock of English football. Many believed that Jose Mourinho was the problem and, while he certainly isn't the manager he once was, the man has won everything there is to win. The appointment of Solskjaer was met with mixed reactions. Sections of the Manchester United support were right behind the idea of a club legend coming in to get the job done, while others thought it was another disaster waiting to happen. A great run of form following his appointment only served to heighten the sentimental vote of confidence but an equally terrible run of form has once again left people wondering what exactly is going on.

Are the players the issue? Let's take a look at the squad to analyse it further.

David de Gea

Often touted as the world's best goalkeeper, David de Gea has been the shining light at Manchester United since Ferguson retired. He is, of course, extremely talented and whether or not he has peaked, de Gea is one of the few players who can hold his head high. Nevertheless, the fact that he has won so many player of the year awards is perhaps a sign that he's had far too much to do for a goalkeeper at a club the size of Manchester United.

Victor Lindelof

Signed from Benfica in 2017, Lindelof has had a mediocre spell at Manchester United so far. As a centre back, he doesn't have the skills the compare with those at other big clubs, but he has at least put in maximum effort whenever he has played. Yet, that is the very least that would be expected of a player at Manchester United.

Eric Bailly

An interesting addition to the squad, Bailly has perhaps spent too much time on the injury table to be judged fairly. Yet, for all the talent that he seemingly has, he also appears to be a little to careless in defence. The parallels to Mamadou Sakho's time at Liverpool are relatively strong here.

Phil Jones

A truly terrible defender that has played a remarkable 161 times for Manchester United, it is staggering that Jones has been given a new contract. Compare this player to the likes of Ferdinand and Vidic and you'll quickly see why this defence looks shaky at times. Perhaps the only redeeming quality of Jones is his ability to face plant the floor and pull weird expressions that are turned into memes.

Chris Smalling

Smalling has been at Manchester United since 2010 and, although he hasn't hit the heights many would have hoped for, has been a fairly decent addition to the squad. The main issue here is that he's the type of defender who would shine alongside another top class centre back, but has instead been forced to play alongside lesser quality players.

Marcos Rojo

Having been at the club for 5 seasons, Rojo has become a non-entity these days and is one of the bunch of players likely to be shipped out at the end of the season.

Ashley Young

Despite making 176 appearances for the club, Young is now 33 years old and his body simply isn't up to the task of being a defender for a club with big ambitions. A good servant but his time is probably up.

Diogo Dalot

At just 20 years of age, Dalot has somewhat impressed since his move to Manchester United this season. It is unclear how he will progress but, at the very least, he seems to be putting effort into his game.

Luke Shaw

Surprisingly, Shaw is still only 23 years of age. It feels like he's been part of the club for a very long time without impressing all that much. Signed as one of England's most promising youngsters, Young has since been criticised for weight issues and struggled to get into the team. There is definitely still a good player in there but whether he can reach his potential at Manchester United remains to be seen.

Matteo Darmian

A player who wouldn't look out of place in a relegation-bound team, Darmian has been cast aside at the club. Making just 59 appearances for Manchester United since 2015, he's almost certain to be one of the first out of the door in the summer.

Paul Pogba

Without a doubt, Pogba is the most naturally talented Manchester United outfield player but he's had a difficult time at the club since his return. Seemingly focused more on dabbing and going to the barbers, Pogba is yet to show that he has what it takes to be a stat player week in, week out. The question remains as to whether this is because he is surrounded by lesser players, but at the age of 26, he needs to start showing his value.

Juan Mata

Mata is a wonderful player and has produced plenty of great performances since he joined the Premier League with Chelsea in 2011. He still has the ability to find a great pass but he has lost almost all of his pace at 30 years old and offers nothing in terms of pressing or defensive duties.

Andreas Pereira

At just 23 years of age, time is on Pereira's side but he is still struggling to get much game time at Manchester United. Whether or not he makes the grade remains to be seen but he is not of the required ability to be a starter for a club with big ambitions.

Fred

Perhaps one of the worst signings in the Premier League last summer, Fred arrived for a large fee and has shown nothing to suggest that he has the ability to do anything of note for this Manchester United team. Lightweight and not particularly skilful, it's difficult to see why the club bothered to sign him for so much money.

Ander Herrera

Herrera is a solid Premier League player and, although he is a little dirty at times, he has done fairly well at Manchester United in a difficult period. Nevertheless, he is rumoured to want out of the club and so won't be in Solskjaer's plans going forward.

Nemanja Matic

Another decent Premier League player, Matic has done well for both Chelsea and Manchester United. However, he is quickly approaching 31 years of age and it seems that he's lost a little bit of pace to his game. His closing down, or lack thereof, of players in recent games was nothing short of disgraceful.

Scott McTominay

A decent young midfielder, McTominay has certainly shown a desire to impress when he's had a chance. Nevertheless, it's hard to see any other big clubs being envious of his inclusion in Manchester United's squad and therein lies the problem. McTominay would be a good addition as a squad player but shouldn't be anywhere near the starting 11 if things are going well for Manchester United.

Jesse Lingard

Lingard is an interesting player and one that has done fairly well for Manchester United in recent times. Often touted as a youngster, Lingard is actually already 26 years old and should therefore be judged as a senior member of the squad. With this in mind, although Lingard is a high energy player who will help with counter-pressing, he isn't the kind of player you'd expect to come up with moments of magic.

Alexis Sanchez

One of the worst signings Manchester United have made in recent years, Sanchez is stealing a living at the club. At 30 years of age, Sanchez has played so many games in his career that he has lost the pace and spark that once made him such an exciting player. Arsenal did well to get rid of him when they did.

Anthony Martial

Martial is only 23 and is therefore nowhere near his peak but has had a roller coaster of a career at Manchester United so far. Showing glimpses of extreme talent at times, the French international also goes through long spells of looking incredibly ordinary. Whether this is a personal issue or due to the strength of the overall team is up for debate, but the club would have been expecting more from Martial at this point in time.

Marcus Rashford

Rashford is a decent addition to the Manchester United squad and at such a young age he has plenty of time to improve. One of the main issues here, in my opinion, is that there is too much pressure on him to perform. If Manchester United had another world class forward in their ranks then Rashford could do his thing with less weight on his shoulders.

Romelu Lukaku

Lukaku looked great playing for Everton but things haven't really worked out at Manchester United so far. The Belgian forward looks heavier than ever before and, although he is able to generate power and speed over longer distances, lacks the pace over a few yards to get past defenders. He has the skill required for a big club but it seems that his style doesn't really fit in with what Manchester United are wanting to do.

Going Forward

Looking at the squad at Manchester United's disposal, it comes as no surprise to me that they are struggling to find the form they're so famous for. The squad is littered with slightly above average players who wouldn't look out of place at a mid-table team and this is a huge issue if the club want to challenge the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool. Whether or not the managerial position has been dealt with adequately, whoever is in charge needs to make some serious changes to this squad and it's going to take a lot more than one transfer window. The question remains as to whether the Manchester United supporters have the patience to let a manager work through his plan over the next few years or not.