The saying "it will get worse before it gets better" rings true at the dawn of Ruben Amorim's daunting rebuild project at Manchester United. Results have gotten worse. But the promise that it is for the greater good will make it painful but bearable, for now, for supporters of the Red Devils and the club's decision-makers.
United will enter 2025 significantly further away from the top four than they were when Amorim arrived from his dominant empire at Sporting.
However, as long as the Portuguese tactician stays true to his guarantee that identity is the most important aspect of his mission in M16, he will receive patience.
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That's where Erik ten Hag went wrong. The Dutchman landed at Old Trafford as Europe's most coveted coach after his eye-catching exploits at Ajax.
But after starting his reign with back-to-back defeats - 2-1 against Brighton and Hove Albion on home turf and 4-0 at Brentford - the Dutchman focused on short-term success.
United did whatever was necessary to finish third in the Premier League and end a six-year trophy drought by lifting the Carabao Cup in his first season.
Season two brought the FA Cup, but a record-low eighth-place league finish and worst-ever Champions League campaign couldn't be ignored.
Problematically, the United hierarchy did ignore it while blinded by the glory at Wembley Stadium before sending Ten Hag his marching orders months later.
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His position became untenable because not only were results woeful, but not one of the 75,000 that crowd into Old Trafford every other week knew what to expect from his team.
Amorim galvanised fans when he vowed to change in his first press conference as Ten Hag's successor, laying out his determination to make his trademark 3-4-3 work in English football.
"We know that we need time, but we have to win time. To win time is to win games. But the most important thing for me is identity," the 39-year-old explained.
"From day one, we will start with our identity. Of course, we are going to prepare for the games, but we will focus a lot on our game model. How to play, how to press, these small details.
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"You cannot go 100 per cent on every detail because it will be confusing for the players. So if I have to say one thing, my main goal, my first goal, is identity."
Early defeats were expected... but at such regularity? Amorim is staring in the face of gruesome records that no new manager wants next to their name.
However, the worst thing he could do is abandon the philosophy for which he was appointed before even getting the chance to reshape the mediocre squad on his hands.
Amorim promised a storm was coming before December's five defeats occurred. It is here, and United's under-pressure kingpin must now ride it out until equilibrium arrives.
