FA Cup: Manchester United Shock Liverpool in Quarterfinal Classic

There’s no denying that this hasn’t been a good season by the illustrious standards of Manchester United. They won’t be winning the Premier League, the top-4 seems like it will take a borderline miracle to attain, they lost their League Cup crown earlier in the season, and they are out of all European competitions. They’ve been incredibly inconsistent all year, with injuries playing a massive role in their sputtering form. The Red Devils’ last realistic chance at any trophy this season is in the illustrious FA Cup – the oldest single-elimination football tournament in the world. United squeaked by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground 1-0 in the 5th round, which set up an incredibly juicy quarterfinals tie with their hated rivals Liverpool earlier today at Old Trafford. While these two sides have their own rich histories and traditions of winning, title-contenders Liverpool were the heavy favorites to move on to the semifinals at Wembley Stadium.

But under-fire United manager Erik ten Hag and the squad had other plans. United were the dominant team for the first 10 minutes or so, and cashed in on their dominance thanks a rebound finish from midfielder Scott McTominay. They couldn’t add another one in the first half though, and Liverpool struck back twice at the end of the first half via midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and winger/forward Mohamed Salah. United scored via winger Antony dos Santos (playing at left back today) on 87 minutes though, which forced extra time at 2-2. Liverpool then went ahead again on 105 minutes via attacking midfielder Harvey Elliot, only for United to continue to fight back and get a 3rd from winger/forward Marcus Rashford. Finally, in the dying seconds of stoppage time and after a breathless 120 minutes of football, United winger Amad Diallo found the opposite corner with a low finish after a breakaway. Old Trafford erupted in joy as the ball rolled past Scousers keeper Caoimhin Kelleher for 4-3. Diallo ended up being sent off on a second yellow card for removing his shirt during the goal celebration, but it was an absolutely legendary 30ish minute cameo from the Ivorian winger.

I blitzed through the goals and major incidents recap mostly because there are so many other talking points to discuss. For one, ETH may have saved his job next season with this performance. I have long been a defender of ETH because I generally believe his footballing philosophy is one that can win matches, but it was becoming more and more difficult to defend him with each head-scratching lineup or substitution. But today, he got it 100% right. It was extremely unorthodox at times, with numerous players playing out of position and we didn’t seem to have a midfield late on in the match, but it somehow worked. I could have sworn I saw us in a 4-1-5 formation at some point! I also saw Antony at left back, Bruno Fernandes in central defense, and Harry Maguire was effectively a striker! It was ludicrous, but again, it worked. Bringing on Diallo and Antony ended up being brilliant moves as well. It was chaos ball, but maybe some chaos is just what was needed to make the Scousers uncomfortable.

But moreover, I think the big headline from today is not about ETH, nor is it about United beating their biggest rival in a classic football match. The biggest takeaway from today from the perspective of the supporters is that the Red Devils finally showed some fight. They kept trying to win the match and never stopped, and it paid off big time. Far too often this season and last, this has looked like a team that lacked a competitive spirit. Every once in a while they show some spine, but more often than not United have repeatedly shown a lack of backbone in bigger matches once they get punched in the face. Even with a lead, if they concede a cheap goal or a call from the referee doesn’t go their way, they have often just capitulated and lacked a desire to carry on fighting. That did not happen today, however. Indeed, it was just the opposite. They got a somewhat surprising lead, but conceded two very cheap goals just before halftime. It was sadly expected by many (including me) that they would yet again surrender and not really try in the second half. But they came out with dogged determination, Liverpool were a bit sloppy with some of their chances, and they got an equalizer late on to force extra time. They could have easily capitulated again when Liverpool went ahead 3-2 on 105 minutes, but they just kept running forward and getting the ball ahead to the attacking players. Again, it paid off when Rashford made it 3-3. That put them in a position to go and win it, and they took advantage of some questionable tactics by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to go and win the match.

Brilliant match today. Absolutely brilliant. Likely the best one during the ETH regime. To beat our biggest rival in the FA Cup quarterfinals as underdogs in the dying seconds of extra time is the stuff dreams are made of. Excellent matches from Rashford, Bruno, McTominay, Maguire, Diallo, midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, winger/forward Alejandro Garnacho, and Antony. Some special recognition to right back (left back?) Diogo Dalot as well, who did not put a foot wrong for 120 minutes. When this team believes in themselves, they have the ability to beat some of the best teams in Europe. Well done to the home supporters at Old Trafford too, who were raucous from start to finish.

It’s true this season has not gone well. It’s true that inconsistency and injuries have plagued the Red Devils all year. It’s true that we are still at the beginning of a massive overhaul that will continue for several more seasons. Today made all of that much easier to digest, though. I believe this will show both the Glazers and new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe that ETH is the man to guide us through this rebuild and get us back the promised land. All of the problems surrounding the club can be temporarily forgotten, because today we knocked the Scousers out of the FA Cup. Hope the lads get some good celebrating in tonight.

United have been drawn against Championship side Coventry City in the semifinals of the FA Cup, to be played in about a month’s time at Wembley. They have some difficult matches to be played in the Premier League between now and then, but all eyes are now on the weekend of April 20/21. The top 4 would still be a great achievement given how this season has gone, but honestly, if I had to choose, I’d want us to go and win the FA Cup. Let’s turn this crap season into something positive by finishing strongly with a trophy. Manchester City take on Chelsea in the other half of the semifinal.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Premier League – Another Away Defeat, This Time in Nottingham

Manchester United traveled to the East Midlands of England earlier today for a Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. United were looking to continue their winning momentum having beaten Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Boxing Day, while Forest were also looking to continue their winning form under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo. For a team like Forest in a relegation battle, every point they can scrape matters. The points mattered for United and manager Erik ten Hag as well, but for the visitors it was more about putting in a competent performance and playing with the consistency that has eluded them this season.

The atmosphere inside the City Ground was electric and high energy from the start, although the play on the pitch in the first half from both sides was decidedly dull. Forest were probably slightly better on the balance of things, mainly because United were absolutely anemic in attack. They put together some decent moves towards the end of the half, but the shots on goal were few and far between. Forest failed to score as well, but they looked much more cohesive when in possession. For the umpteenth time this season, United looked clueless in attack. A key substitution was made at halftime by ETH, with defensive midfielder Kobbie Mainoo being replaced by fellow midfielder Scott McTominay. More on this substitution below.

The second half was much more high-energy and uptempo from both sides. Forest grew into the game considerably well, likely buoyed by their home support. The opening goal came from midfielder Nicolas Dominguez, who slotted home past United keeper Andre Onana on the hour mark. Hard to say Forest didn’t deserve it, but the defending from United was very poor. As a defensive midfielder, McTominay was responsible for defending the edge of the box. For whatever reason though, he wasn’t there and Dominguez was given an opening from which to shoot. Onana maybe could have done better with his positioning, but McTominay has to be in position to make a clearance in situations like this one.

I was resigned to another away defeat for United given their lack of urgency going forward, but the Red Devils responded a bit (finally) after going down 1-0. Left back Diogo Dalot struck the post after a good move, and United got an equalizer on 78 minutes thanks to some good pressing from winger Alejandro Garnacho and a bad mistake by Forest keeper Matt Turner. Turner had been having issues playing the ball out from the back for most of the half, and Garnacho jumped on one of his many unconvincing passes. He won the ball about 20 yards out from goal, after which he found winger/forward Marcus Rashford to his left. The Forest defense was scrambling to get back, and Rashford was able to curve a shot along the ground past Turner for 1-1. The goal came about more because of the mistake from Turner than anything else, but of course it counted all the same. I would have been more than pleased with a 1-1 given how the match had gone, as well. Well done to Rashford for finishing clinically despite not being in good scoring form this season.

Unfortunately, United’s defense was undone again just four minutes later by attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. United were pushing for a winner, but were caught out on a swift counter-attack organized by winger (and former United player) Anthony Elanga. Elanga brought the ball forward before centering it along the ground for Gibbs-White, who curled a spectacular shot around center-back Jonny Evans that crept inside Onana’s left-hand post. Again, a fine move and finish from Forest, but where was the marking from United? Evans and fellow center back Raphael Varane weren’t communicating properly, and McTominay was again nowhere to be found when he was supposed to be covering the edge of the box. Gibbs-White is a talented player, and he was given far too much room to shoot. 2-1 to Forest.

United pushed again for another equalizer and were aided by a staggering 10 minutes of stoppage time, but the best they could muster was a deflected effort from midfielder Bruno Fernandes that was saved by Turner. A few more routine saves from the American keeper helped Forest out the rest of the match, and the Garibaldi Reds 2-1 winners on the day. It was their first ever victory over United at the City Ground, and it was a crucial three points towards their survival at the end of the season. All credit to Forest and Nuno, but United were bad yet again.

Frustratingly, there was again a lack of urgency and desire from the players until they were already down 1-0. I don’t know why they don’t start trying until they’re already losing. Another big factor was ETH’s initial tactics and substitutions. He insists on playing Garnacho on the left wing, with opposite winger Antony dos Santos occupying the right wing. This is a good idea if both are encouraged to cut inside and get shots away from distance, but teams have figured out that tactic and they know how to prevent it. Antony in particular was poor today. It’s not a coincidence that United improved when he was taken off and replaced by fellow winger Amad Diallo. Antony has scored just one goal in 33 matches in 2023, and he has not justified his £85 million price tag. I don’t know why ETH simply doesn’t swap Garnacho and Antony so they can ping crosses in with their preferred foot. The “cutting inside to shoot” tactic isn’t working and hasn’t worked, so why not try something different?

Further, taking off Mainoo for McTominay was utterly baffling from ETH. Mainoo has been one of our better midfielders since breaking into the first team earlier this season, and he was doing fairly well at helping to control the midfield. So why was he taken off? There was no injury or yellow card situation for him, but ETH still elected to take him off at halftime anyway. As has been discussed before on this blog, McTominay is not a defensive midfielder. He is simply not good at it and is much more suited to attacking than the defending. It could be argued that McTominay was at fault for both Forest goals due to being out of position both times. United may still have lost anyway, but I think Mainoo would have done much better at helping the defense than McTominay did.

This is the first match where I’ve really questioned what ETH is trying to do. He needs to stop trying to make the inverted winger tactic work, and he really needs to ensure that McTominay is not playing as a defensive midfielder. Is it stubbornness from the Dutchman? Lack of options? I know the injuries have been bad this season, but I think United could have nicked a draw today had Mainoo been on the pitch longer. ETH really needs to re-evaluate his tactics, and the team selection needs further scrutiny as well. Put Antony on the left, Garnacho on the right, and stick a center forward between the two of them with Bruno in behind. Let’s get a lot more players into the box and have the wingers play crosses in to them. And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, there needs to be a lot more desire and drive from a good portion of this United team.

United remain 7th in the Premier League table, but could fall as far as 9th once Brighton and Newcastle play their games in hand tomorrow. Next up, it’s a short trip to Wigan, England for a match in the FA Cup with Wigan Athletic. The FA Cup is our last chance at a trophy this season, and ETH really needs a victory there to restore some of the supporters’ faith in him. If they lose to a lower league side in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, the seat underneath ETH will become very hot indeed.

Glazers Out!

Red Devils Held to a Draw in Final Champions League Group Match

The sixth and final Champions League matches took place today and yesterday, and while that can be a vital fixture in some seasons, today it was not. Indeed, it was what is referred to in sports as a dead rubber match, meaning a match in the season that is of no competitive consequence to a team due to results from earlier matches in the competition. Manchester United knew going in they had already won Group F and would face the runner up from another group in the Round of 16 in February. As such, manager Ralf Rangnick rotated his squad completely, making 11 changes from the side that beat Crystal Palace last weekend. The opponent, Swiss side BSC Young Boys, knew that only a victory could help them continue European play this season. They needed a victory at Old Trafford and Atalanta to lose to Villarreal to capture a Europa League spot.

The match kicked off in very wet and wintery conditions, with a youthful United side on the front foot from the start. They were on the ball and running at the Young Boys’ back line almost immediately, and they were pressing very effectively when off the ball. They were rewarded for their efforts with an early goal as well, via future superstar Mason Greenwood on 9 minutes. The ball was worked up through the left channel, with touches from Nemanja Matic (in central defense, interestingly), midfielder Jesse Lingard, and winger Amad Diallo. Diallo played a ball to Luke Shaw on an overlapping run, and he was in behind the defense by the time he got to the ball. Shaw played a cross at about waist-height into the box, where it was met by Greenwood who hit it first time with an incredibly athletic kick. He hit it with his left foot seemingly around a Young Boys defender, and buried it into the bottom corner. Young Boys keeper Guillaume Faivre had no chance. Greenwood’s technique and instincts are absolutely insane for someone who is only 20 years old. He’s a future world-beater if he keeps developing and growing his game.

United had several good chances in the next 20 minutes or so and probably should have been ahead by more goals but for some excellent saves by Faivre. And unfortunately, it was Young Boys who got the equalizer on 43 minutes. The ball was given away cheaply by United midfielder Donny Van de Beek after a bad pass from Matic, and Young Boys forward Fabian Rieder was the first to pounce on it, beating out Aaron Wan-Bissaka to the ball. He unleashed a wicked curler of a shot from just outside the 18 yard box, and United keeper Dean Henderson had no chance to stop it. It was disappointing to concede after a very good opening 40 minutes or so, but credit to the Swiss side for cashing in on the gift given to them. If you give the ball away that cheaply in the Champions League, you can expect to be punished.

The match was 1-1 at halftime and it continued down the road towards a draw as the second half played out. Young Boys seemed to be galvanized by their goal and were definitely the better side in the second half, despite United forward Anthony Elanga having his shot from close range saved by Faivre after a classic United counter-attack. It could be argued as well that Young Boys could have had a winner when defender Quentin Maceiras missed wide from about 12 yards out. Rangnick also handed out debuts to academy products Zidane Iqbal and Charlie Savage, both of whom made a bit of history in their own right. Iqbal is the first British-Asian to make an appearance for the club, and Savage is the son of former player and current match commentator Robbie Savage. There was a nice moment when the play-by-play commentator let the senior Savage take over to introduce the younger Savage as he came on for United. You could tell it meant a lot to both of them, given how hard it is to become a professional footballer for Manchester United and the level of dedication it takes just to get to the level of coming on as a sub in a dead rubber match for a scant three minutes. The match ended 1-1 and United finished their campaign as group winners on 11 points. Young Boys are eliminated from further European play this season.

There are positives and negatives to be taken from this match, and Rangnick will have been given plenty of food for thought. He will need to work to reduce the number of times United give the ball away cheaply, that much is clear. It’s also clear that Greenwood needs to be given as much match time as possible. He has to compete for a place with Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, but from a team perspective that is a good problem to have. It was also good that so many youth players got a run-out, as it could be argued that Rangnick’s main objective today was to see what he has to work with. Credit to the new manager as well for using so many academy players. United’s footballing philosophy as a club has always been to develop our own talent as much as we can, and we got away from that a few years ago. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reinstated the policy, and I am happy it is being continued by Rangnick. It must be said that the experiment of Matic as a center back largely did not work, and Wan-Bissaka had a bit of a shocker. It’s hard to see him maintaining his spot in the lineup when fellow right back Diogo Dalot is hitting a good vein of form.

The draw for the Round of 16 will be held tomorrow. The Villarreal/Atalanta match was actually postponed to tomorrow due to excessive snow in Italy, so the final spot will not be decided until then. However, United can potentially draw Atletico Madrid, Paris St. Germain, Inter Milan, Sporting Lisbon, Benfica, or Red Bull Salzburg. I personally would like us to get one of the last three I listed. Atletico and PSG are giants and Inter has a glittering history in Europe. United will have the advantage (against whoever we get) of playing the 2nd leg at Old Trafford due to winning their group.

The Red Devils resume Premier League action next Saturday, away to Norwich City. More of the usual starters should be back playing, and 3 points will be the main item on the agenda. United need to keep building momentum in the domestic campaign so as to continue climbing the table.

Glory glory Man United!

Manchester United Lose Out to Villarreal in the Europa League Final on Penalties

I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed.

The Red Devils lost out on the chance to win silverware for the first time in 4 years after an epic penalty shootout that saw them lost 11-10. Goalkeeper David De Gea’s tame penalty was saved by Villarreal keeper Geronimo Rulli after the score was 1-1 at the end of regulation and the end of full time.

The match was cagey and sloppy by both sides, but several things went wrong for United that on another day may not have. For one, United were without club captain and center back Harry Maguire, still recovering from an ankle injury. That definitely contributed to Villarreal’s goal, scored from a set piece by Villarreal forward Gerard Moreno. The ball was played in from the left channel and no one bothered to mark Moreno, who scored from close range. It really was poor defending from United, who looked very disorganized on the play. The first half overall was poor for United, as we created very little up front and conceded such a soft goal. Down 1-0 at the half was a familiar position for United though, having won a whopping 31 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season. If any team knew how to make a come back, it was this one.

United did improve in the second half and created a few more chances, and eventually did get an equalizer through Edinson Cavani. This goal was also the result of a set piece, although this time it was a corner. The ball fell to Paul Pogba on the edge of the box, and he lashed a shot along the turf that came back off Rulli directly to Cavani for a tap-in. VAR checked for offside, but the goal stood. I thought after that United would kick on and get another, but Villarreal’s defense held firm and United could not capitalize on their dominance in possession.

Extra time was eventually needed, and United’s second half dominance waned significantly. The players looked tired, as manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hadn’t made any substitutions. Villarreal kicked into a gear a little and created a half chance or two of their own, but again there was never any real threat to De Gea’s goal. Penalties would decide.

And what a shootout it was. I don’t think I have ever seen a shootout in a professional match where all 22 men on the pitch had to take one. Not only that, but every single penalty was scored as well, up until De Gea’s low-energy shot. My nerves were absolutely shot at the end and I couldn’t imagine how the players must have been feeling. For those unfamiliar with penalty shootouts, they usually end within the first 5 shots from both teams. It’s rare to go to 6, and even rarer to go beyond that. All 22 men taking a penalty and 21 of them being scored has to be some sort of statistical record.

De Gea was crestfallen at the end and understandably so, but he isn’t the reason we lost this match. Certainly not primarily, at least. No, this match was lost primarily due to the tactics of OGS and a lack of execution from several major players. I said in the match preview that the big players such as Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Cavani, and Pogba would all need to show up, but it was really only Cavani and midfielder Scott McTominay that can hang their heads high today. Bruno was anonymous due to being man-marked out of the game by Villarreal. Rashford had his worst game in a United shirt I’ve ever seen. Pogba was too far back in terms of the position assigned to him, so he couldn’t contribute to the attack.

United beating themselves was the main theme, but not the only theme. The tactics of Villarreal manager Unai Emery were spot-on, and objectively he must be credited for that. They set up two banks of four just on the edge of the penalty box, and they always ensured that someone was following Bruno around and harassing him every time he was on the ball. He likes to play between the midfield line and defensive line, but their lines were so close together there was nowhere for him to receive the ball. The plan was to make Bruno retreat further and further back to get on the ball, and it worked like a charm for the majority of the match.

I think playing Pogba as a defensive midfielder next to McTominay was a mistake as well. Pogba has had success on the left hand side of the attack this season in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where he combines with Luke Shaw and Rashford to give defenses major headaches. I understand the thinking from OGS there, as it allowed him to put Cavani, Rashford, and Mason Greenwood on the pitch at the same time to potentially create a more potent attack. But due to the defensive positioning and discipline of Villarreal, those attackers were cut off from Pogba as he could not venture forward without shirking his defensive duties. He was too far back and Villarreal had too many men in the area.

But I think the biggest error from OGS today were all the issues surrounding substitutions. It was clear that a change of pace was needed around the 75th minute, yet OGS waited over 20 minutes to make a change. Emery had made several changes in the second half and it was clear that Villarreal were the fresher and more energetic side for it. I simply don’t understand what OGS was thinking there. We had dynamic players with pace who could run at more tired defenders in Daniel James and Amad Diallo, and while James was eventually brought on it was again too late to make a difference. I understand the depth of our squad isn’t where it needs to be, but I strongly believe that we have players who could have made a difference today had they been deployed earlier.

Further, the substitutions made by OGS didn’t really make sense to me. It was clear he was playing for penalties once extra time started, and I absolutely hate that strategy. Penalty kicks are a lottery, and a team like United shouldn’t be holding out for them when we have the firepower that we have. Besides, you play to win the fucking game! The most glaring example of this conservative approach was the fact that Rashford was left on the pitch when he should have been off much earlier. He lost possession more times than I can count today, and while I love what he’s done this season it was clear that today was not his day. Taking Greenwood off instead of Rashford was clearly a decision made with penalties in mind, and I think it was the wrong move. Rashford might be a better penalty taker than Greenwood, but at least Greenwood had showed flashes of competency today! He might have been able to combine with one of our pacey wingers to create something, you never know.

Also, lastly, if you are going to hoard your subs and play for penalties, at least put your penalty-saving goalkeeper in the match. De Gea is excellent at stopping shots from open play and distributing the ball, but hadn’t (and still hasn’t) saved a penalty kick since 2016. Dean Henderson was the keeper on the bench today for United, and he has had more success stopping penalties recently. It may not have made a difference, but I think OGS should have doubled down on his penalty-gamble and subbed on Henderson for De Gea. It would have given the Villarreal players something to think about and I think Henderson may have saved at least one of them. De Gea looked somewhat unsure of himself and as a result never really committed to any of his dives. He got near one of their shots but couldn’t keep it out. The point though is that if you want to gamble on penalties, you have to go all-in. You can’t half-ass it and then be mad when the gamble doesn’t pay off.

I do hope OGS has learned from this experience and that he uses it to bring us a trophy next season. I think Emery taught him a lesson today, and it’s a lesson he won’t soon forget. If you set up your team tactically to take risks, but then your players don’t take any risks and you don’t change the game plan, there’s a good chance you can lose a one-off final to less talented competition.

The season did end on a sour note but there is Champions League football to look forward to next season and the promise of challenging again. Going to a European final is progress, but we need to win something, and it needs to be soon. This upcoming summer transfer window will be absolutely crucial.

Premier League Final Day Round-Up, Plus a Preview of the Europa League Final

Going into the final matchday of the season, most of the important questions about how the league would finish up had already been answered. It was clear that Manchester City would be champions, and that Fulham, West Bromwich Albion, and Sheffield United were all to be relegated. Really the only question of any importance that hadn’t been answered was who would take the final two top-4 spots. City and Manchester United had already clinched 1st and 2nd respectively, but Chelsea, Liverpool, and Leicester City were all fighting for the final two Champions League places and all the riches that come with finishing in those two spots.

Liverpool beat Crystal Palace, Chelsea lost to Aston Villa, and Leicester lost to Tottenham despite being two goals ahead at one point. As a result, Liverpool finished 3rd, Chelsea finished 4th, and Leicester were left on the outside looking in. They, along with West Ham, will play in the Europa League next season. Great season for West Ham considering they weren’t really expected to finish so high, but a disappointment for Leicester finishing 5th when they had been in the top-4 for most of the season. They still have the FA Cup to hang their hats on, but to not qualify for the CL is a let down for that club. Arsenal and Everton miss out on European competition all together, which is also a disappointment for clubs of that size.

United took on Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineaux in the final match day of the season. Neither side had much to play for, and it showed by the team selection from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Wolves were perhaps a little bit more keen to win though, given that it was the last match of their beloved manager Nuno Espirito Santo. All of United’s regular starters sat out today in anticipation of the Europa League final on Wednesday, but I was indeed impressed with several of our youth players, including but not limited to Anthony Elanga, Amad Diallo, and substitute Hannibal Mejbri. They are young guys but they did very well today against an almost full-strength Wolves side. Elanga opened the scoring (and his United goal scoring account) after a peach of a cross from Daniel James on the left hand side. We conceded an equalizer to Woves via a Nelson Semedo finish from close range, but Juan Mata then converted a penalty after Donny Van de Beek was tripped in the penalty area by a Wolves defender. Some good defensive work from Axel Tuanzebe and Eric Bailly ensured that Wolves did not get another goal. Seeing so many academy products on the pitch today was awesome and the fact that they managed to win is a great sign for the future of the club. OGS understands the importance of this club’s academy and integrating players from there into the first team, as evidenced by the fact that he has given more first team debuts to youth products than any United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson left.

Today was likely the last match in the United red for Mata, who looks to be either headed into retirement or possibly back to his native Spain for one last season. He is an absolutely class player, and he is equally class off the pitch as well. His skills have diminished due to age, but he is an excellent team leader and his presence in the locker room was key for many of the younger players and new signings. You always need players who are good for the locker room, even if their skills are perhaps just not quite good enough for the pace and intensity of the Premier League. I hope he gets a testimonial match in his honor, but if he doesn’t he can retire knowing he is a Premier League winner, Champions League winner, and Euros winner with Spain. There’s a possible club ambassadorship in the offing for him as well. Thank you for your services, Juan Mata!

Overall, 74 points and second place is a big improvement on last season. I am content with it, but not fully satisfied. We need some reinforcements in the summer, but this is the closest we have been to the Premier League title since the departure of Ferguson. A legitimate title challenge next season is the next step for this club.

Only one match left to play now – the Europa League final against Spanish side Villarreal next Wednesday in Gdansk, Poland. I do like United’s chances, but a big worry will be the absence of center back and captain Harry Maguire. OGS said in earlier in the week that Maguire is very unlikely to play, which means that the normal pairing of Victor Lindelof and Maguire will need to be changed. It is either Tuanzebe or Bailly that will fill in for Maguire, and it’s unclear at this time who OGS will select. Both had good games today, and there are pros and cons to selecting either of them. Bailly is more athletic and experienced, but Tuanzebe tends to show up in big games and is very good mentally in terms of concentration and awareness. I could see it going either way, but if it’s me I pick Bailly. He is a former Villarreal player so he probably knows some of the players there still, and he has experience playing against the passing tactics of Spanish sides. He just really needs to concentrate and listen to what Lindelof tells him to do. He must be disciplined and likely cannot go off doing his own thing, which he sometimes tends to do.

Villarreal are managed by the Frenchman Unai Emery, and he is indeed very good at setting up his team(s) tactically when playing against United. He is a former Arsenal manager, and he has previously given United fits when the two squared off in the Premier League in seasons past. Villarreal does not have the star players we have, but never underestimate the ability of an Emery-coached side to play better than the sum of their parts. When you can’t match the individual skill level of the opposition, playing coherently as a team and sticking to your tactics is the best way to still get a result.

I think United are going to need to score, and score multiple goals, in order to win this match. Our defense looks shaky without Maguire, so I am not super optimistic on our chances of keeping a clean sheet. Players like Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, and Edinson Cavani will need to be in good form to break down any stubborn defending from Villarreal. I think Bruno in particular will have a good game. He is hungry for trophies and now that silverware is on the line, I think he is going to take his all-world form to an even higher level. Players like Pogba and Rashford have already helped us win the Europa League once back in 2017, so I expect them to have big games as well.

Next weekend is also the Champions League final featuring Man City and Chelsea, which I anticipate doing a preview/review for as well. It is Europe’s version of the Super Bowl, after all.

Glory glory Man United!

United Rotate the Squad, Lose to Leicester City

Manchester United lost to Leicester City today 2-1 at Old Trafford after fielding a team largely made up of second-string players. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made a whopping 10 changes to the team that beat Aston Villa last Sunday. This was done entirely in response to the grueling schedule United are playing right now, having played a match 48 hours ago and now having to play a rescheduled match against Liverpool 48 hours after this one. Three games in five days is absolutely insane, even for a big club such as ours. I understand the rescheduling was due to our own fans protesting, but I feel the Premier League could have potentially done more to ease the schedule issues.

It would be suicide to play all of our starters in all three matches, so it seems OGS picked this game to give everyone a rest. It was a gamble, but I think it’s a calculated one. Yes a loss would give the title to Manchester City in terms of the mathematics of the points, but he maybe thought we could scrape a draw or something like that. To be fair, we came close to pulling it off.

United were down though after a mere 10 minutes thanks to a rocket finish into the opposite top corner from youngster Luke Thomas. The celebrations were short lived however, as Mason Greenwood brought United level just 5 minutes later after some fine work on the right wing from Ivorian winger Amad Diallo. Diallo was a summer transfer brought in from Atalanta that has featured in a few key games this season, but today was his first Premier League start. The same was true of Swedish forward Anthony Elanga, on his first start today on the left side of a 4-3-3. Elanga is a product of our youth academy, and he is the 14th academy player handed his debut by OGS during his tenure as manager. Yes they are young and very raw, but these guys know how to play. There were many academy players in the team today, including Brandon Williams, Axel Tuanzebe, and even Greenwood himself.

United held on despite being largely out of possession until the 66th minute, when Leicester center back Caglar Soyuncu headed home from a corner. It was a good ball from midfielder Mark Albrighton, but United probably only have themselves to blame for it. OGS decided to bring on Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani to try and find a winner, but he made the sub right before the corner was taken. I think that created some confusion among the players as to who was marking who, because Rashford didn’t even jump despite being the closest man to Soyuncu. He clearly thought someone else was behind him when they indeed were not, and Leicester had the lead. Maybe next time we will make the change when there is no set piece to defend.

Despite the addition of Bruno Fernandes later on, United couldn’t find an equalizer and the final whistle went. It was a disappointing day overall, but there were positives that make it a little more digestible. Diallo and Greenwood combined well, and Tuanzebe had a strong day in defense. Also, in terms of the bigger picture, it is now insanely difficult for Liverpool to qualify for the Champions League next season. It’s not impossible, but very unlikely. I do derive a small amount of satisfaction from that. Leicester are 8 points clear of 5th place West Ham and look strong to finish 3rd or 4th.

Unfortunately, as alluded to already, United’s loss today means City cannot be caught mathematically and they have therefore won the 2020/2021 Premier League title. A genuine – if bitter – congratulations to them. You don’t win the title by 10 points on accident. They have been in incredible form all season, and have a candidate for Player of the Season in center back Ruben Dias. When you have a squad as deep as theirs its hard to argue with the results they produce consistently. They should be playing as well as they are, given the money spent on the squad. United’s league form has been very good for most of the season, but City did not suffer from the stuttering and inconsistent first 6-8 games that United had. As the old saying goes, you cannot win the title in the first 10 games, but you can certainly lose it.

United now can look to the Liverpool match and hopefully have a fully fit and at least somewhat rested squad to choose from. We will clinch at least 3rd place with all three points, maybe even second depending on how Chelsea does. They have to play Leicester in the FA Cup Final this weekend before resuming league play.

There was news from the bottom of the table at the weekend as well, with Fulham being the final team to be mathematically relegated from the Premiership after their loss to Burnley. The relegation battle has been an odd one this season in the sense that it’s not really been much of a battle. This is the earliest in any Premier League season that all three teams have been locked into relegation. There’s still three matches left for all those teams but they’ve been so poor that they don’t really matter. Normally the relegation battle goes to the final day! Commiserations to Fulham and good luck in the Championship next season.

4-4-2 Returns as Manchester United Secure Passage to the Europa League Semis

We’re back!

My deepest and sincerest apologies to all readers of this blog for the long hiatus between posts. It has been over 6 months since I last wrote, and my last post was about an England match of relatively little significance. There are many reasons I haven’t been posting, but the main reason was that I was just not feeling creative enough to provide the level of quality content I strive for. I try to teach while entertaining, and it can be difficult to muster the willpower to write in a way that does both of those things effectively. It didn’t help that United were having an up-and-down season at that point and England weren’t really doing anything inspiring either.

But, having said all that, I feel a sense of renewed vigor to continue with 4-4-2 and provide breakdowns and analysis of the remaining matches this season and maybe inspire a few new fans in the process. That was the original idea at least and I think I got away from that.

Anyway, it would be impossible to recap the up-and-down-but-now-going-up nature of this season in full detail, so I will just provide the important points. I think I’ll do a separate post about the complex puzzle that is the England national team later.

Manchester United:

• Are currently second in the Premier League. 11 points off Manchester City in first but 7 points clear of Leicester City in third. There are 8 games left to play.
• Secured passage today to the semifinals of the Europa League, where they will play AS Roma.
• Have been eliminated from the Champions League, League Cup, and FA Cup.
• Have FINALLY appointed a Director of Football and Technical Director, John Murtough and former player Darren Fletcher (respectively).

That last bullet point is the most important one. I have been complaining for years both online and off about the need for a DoF at this club, and now we finally have one. It was stunning that a club of this size didn’t have a football person at the helm of the transfer policy in the first place. It was however equally as stunning when the announcement was made. I thought Hell had frozen over given the owners’ stringent reluctance to improve the overall structure of this club. It remains to be seen how much deference and autonomy Murtough and Fletcher are given by the Glazers, the Board of Directors, and CEO Ed Woodward; but I am cautiously optimistic. I don’t know a ton about Murtough other than he has served in various capacities with the club for over 20 years, but I strongly believe that Fletcher wouldn’t have gotten involved if he wasn’t going to be listened to by the bosses. Anyway, perhaps the overall strategy behind our transfers and contracts we give out to players will be sorted out now, and we can build a team that challenges for trophies year after year.

Speaking of trophies, the best chance United have at winning one this year is in the Europa League. The second leg of the quarterfinals that was played just today saw United already ahead 2-0 on away goals, and the match was actually fairly boring. Edinson Cavani got a goal for United in the 6^th minute, and with things 3-0 on aggregate the result of the tie was never in doubt. The match was merely a passing and possession drill for the next 84 minutes and we even got another bonus goal thanks to an own goal from Granada. United cruise into the semis! AS Roma are a tough side who can cause problems for any team left, but I like our chances to progress to the final. Let’s get ourselves a trophy!

In terms of the Premier League, I think this might be our best season post-Ferguson. It is true we finished second under Jose Mourinho in 2017, but I think the club is headed in a better overall direction than it was under Mourinho back then. We aren’t just buying random superstars and hoping they can carry us to trophies. That strategy can work for a season or two but it is not a strategy for sustained success. Clubs must be able to develop talent at the youth level to sustain success, and that’s what we are beginning to see. Academy products Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, Scott McTominay, Paul Pogba, Axel Tuanzebe, and Dean Henderson have all seen significant playing time this season. Second place isn’t bad and we technically could still catch Man City in first, but the odds of that happening are pretty slim. Next season we have to challenge for the title though. I think our stumbles in the early part of the season and the dip in form we had in late January 2021 doomed us this year, but to be fair City have been in absolutely scintillating form and are in contention for 4 trophies still. We will almost certainly finish with more points than we did last season though and we are looking comfortable in second place, which means Champions League qualification next season. Leicester City, West Ham, Chelsea, Liverpool, and possibly Tottenham will duke it out for the final two qualification spots.  

In lieu of breaking down a match for this post, I’ll instead highlight some players who have done really well for us this season. Luke Shaw is in glistening form and is currently the best left back in England. He is solid in defense of course but where he really shines is in attack. He gets forward with ease and can pick out some positively sublime passes with that left foot of his. United attack primarily down the left side and find success there thanks to his link up play with the likes of Rashford and Anthony Martial.

But, in spite of the surge in form from Shaw, easily the best United player for the last season and a half or so is none other than our “Portuguese Magnfico” Bruno Fernandes. He is easily one of the best attacking midfielders in the world and has proven to be the best signing during the tenure of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. His vision and passing are second to none in England and his goal involvement stats (assists and goals) are off the charts. He is the creative engine of the team and when he doesn’t play the team looks completely different and simply not as good. I worry about him suffering from injury due to overuse, but so far he has adjusted to the pace of the English game splendidly and is handling the COVID-congested fixture list well. He’ll definitely be in the Team of the Season when it all ends.

I think lastly I should recognize the defense, in particular Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Eric Bailly, and the aforementioned Shaw and Tuanzebe. The attack has looked questionable at times this season but the back four, in particular the pairing of Maguire/Lindelof, has been largely reliable. Maguire has played a ton of minutes similar to how he did last season, and he has continued to be a very vocal and capable club captain despite some of his off-the-pitch issues about a year ago. Wan-Bissaka is the best defensive right back in the league. He isn’t great going forward and that’s slowly improving, but again I don’t think I have ever seen anyone as good at tackling and winning the ball cleanly as he is. It is a luxury to know that he can lock down an opposing team’s left side and not let anything past him.

I think in the summer when the transfer window re-opens United need to be active early and often. Let’s get our business done and bring in who need to promptly so they can meet up with the coaching staff and get ready for the season. I want to see an overall strategy where the team’s needs are met but we also spend our money wisely. I think a defensive midfielder is needed, as Nemanja Matic is aging rapidly and cannot play every match while still being effective. He’s very good still, but he needs help. I’d like to see us sign a young and athletic guy who goes out and hunts the ball down like a bloodhound, in the style of an N’Golo Kante. We probably can’t/won’t get him specifically, but someone like him would be great (Declan Rice?). The situation on the right wing still hasn’t been solved either. Are we getting Jadon Sancho? Are we not? Yes? No? Maybe? Whatever we do, I hope we don’t pay the king’s ransom that Borussia Dortmund are asking for him. It is not wise to spend £100m+ on a single position. Is the teenaged Amad Diallo the answer out on the right? He has shown flashes for us but hasn’t had enough time to really show what he can do. If we get a CDM and sort out the right wing I’ll be happy enough. Anything on top of that would be a bonus.

All locked in for the rest of the season and excited to see what happens. Glory Glory Man United!