Pre-season optimism fading fast
After finishing off strong in May, expectations surrounding the team were higher for the 23/24
season. However, certain issues at the club on and off the pitch have left us with a bitter taste in
just the first three months of the new campaign.
The ownership crisis which teased a fairytale ending is plagued by uncertainty,
reflected in the summer transfer window where not enough business was done as quickly as it
was required. Even the ‘deadwood wasn’t offloaded swiftly due to high wages or poor negotiations
leading to frustration and toxicity right from the get go.
From this point, our season has gone one way.
Last season was taxing, with United going deep in several competitions. The evident lack of
faith in the squad by the manager lead to several Manchester United players clocking a lot of minutes
played over the past year, particularly Bruno Fernandes.
This translated into injuries – muscular not contact – and over twelve first team players dropping like flies. Currently United’s entire first choice defence is on the treatment table with just one fit full back available,
even emergency loanee Reguillon is out.
One is to wonder what might be going wrong with our training modules or the sports science
department. Are we still very archaic in terms of our facilities and methods compared to the other
teams, and far behind front-runners like Manchester City? Is ten Hag’s iron fist too stern at the
moment and should he be more adaptable to our current predicaments? Should Sancho be indulged even further??
Off-field issues reflected in results
This fragility and lack of confidence has spilled onto the pitch, unsurprisingly. Any average match-watcher can tell that we have started games well, but we aren’t creating or converting chances. Hojlund looks promising, but in general our frontline is bereft of confidence. They refuse to drive wide to stretch out the opposition’s defence or take on a man/shot when there’s that 50/50 chance. Forwards tend to come inside too often, creating an overload and making it very easy, especially for the ‘low block’ defences.
There has not been enough movement up top with static players being marked out easily or
forced offside. How many balls have we watched fizz across the face of goal begging to be nudged
in? Again, our hopes are pinned on 20-year old Rasmus Hojlund moving forward
We have demonstrated no patience in possession, little precision and a distinct lack of clinical finishing – it has been woefully frustrating for match-going Reds at Old Trafford this season and fans around the world.
Greenwood was rightfully shipped off but is still a loss, the mess with Sancho and Antony is very unhelpful
and a cold Rashford still looking for his form despite a stellar last season has left all our attacks
fading out with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from anticipating crowds. Hojlund has been the encouraging sign
but he will need time and patience for the enormous load he’s carrying on his back. Martial seems perennially unfit with bursts of great moments – not good enough for Manchester United.
The overworked core of the team is then quickly frustrated and dejected at about the 20 minute mark, losing impetus and affording the opposition chances and goals, and there’s often there’s no coming back from that, not at this level with our current attitude. This simply can’t be allowed to happen. What would you give to play for Manchester United just once? Sometimes a little bit more grit and desire needs to be shown by some of our superstars. It’s Manchester United – play for the badge!
Making mistakes is alright as long as you make fewer of them than your enemy – that’s one way of
winning a football match. But too many unforced errors have not helped the cause. We’re giving away
the ball too easily in dangerous areas and when we do, we don’t win back our first and second balls – call it fatigue, call it carelessness. As a result, we’re getting bypassed in midfield way too easily, the spine of our team played through on too many occasions this season.
There is a very clear and obvious lack of co-ordination in pressing, with one player or two player presses being easily passed around by opponents. Individual errors have not helped either, especially at the back, starting with Onana. Him screaming at the back line has further sharpened his critics’ pitchforks and he has the added pressure of replacing a long-serving multiple player of the year and Golden Glove winner in David De Gea. Yes he looks good at building attacks, but what good is a goalkeeper that doesn’t save shots?
When we have scored, we have been conceding soon after, a new seasonal habit we
have picked up. Remember the Bayern game where they almost seemed to score? at will? right
after we had?
Lack of communication between players can be seen quite clearly all over the pitch – colliding
players trying to receive a pass and clump of players in pockets leaving empty areas for the
opposition to run ragged. Raised hands and pointed fingers – disarray at times.
A distinct lack of depth
Substitutes have failed to make the desired impact unlike last season – McTominay being the lone
exception last week – and he was a player that was due to be sold this summer!
We have looked clueless on the pitch more often than not be it in attack or defence failing to
capitalize on tactical openings.
For instance, against Brentford, their fullback was shown a yellow at 10′ and there was not enough
pressure put on him on the wing. That was a wasted opportunity. Winger absences have meant most of our attacks come from the left leaving the shape of the team unbalanced, rendering our patterns predictable.
We have had more set pieces than our opponents in most games yet somehow these have
resulted in opposition attacks and sometimes, even goals.
These issues and so many more are glaringly obvious but what can be done?
No ‘quick fix’ – back the manager
There is no simple or quick fix especially when there are this many issues.
.
Ten Hag deserves the faith of the fans and especially the players after how he negotiated last
season with a trophy and third-place finish – let’s be honest, nobody expected that. That is in spite
of the Ronaldo saga.
Our squad is, however, not good enough to compete and win. We definitely need top notch fresh
recruits, at least 5/6 of them in a single window. Not going to happen? Why? Glazers?! I think we can all agree that they need to go, but even that looks unlikely now.
Our whole approach to games needs to change from the patterns of play to how we take on the
opposition – Clarity in simplicity. There’s no belief and desire in the players and on that front it’s up
to the manager to get them to ‘buy in’ them into his process because if not, like always, it’s his head that is
unfairly but inevitably bound to roll.
As fans, we need to stand by the team, ALL the players and the manager.
When times are tough, that’s when they need our support, the most. Stay united and the good times will come around again….eventually!
