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 – Narrow Victory in Luton

Manchester United traveled south to the outskirts of London for a Premier League match against Luton Town FC at Kenilworth Road earlier today. Luton, colloquially known as the Hatters, have been a tough nut to crack in their own stadium this season. They are very much in the relegation battle, but have taken teams like Liverpool, Man City, and Arsenal to the very brink already. They would have been more than happy with a draw in this match, as every point is vital for them as we edge closer to the business end of the season. United’s away form has improved of late, but they are still in 6th place heading into this match, needing to keep pace with Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.

The match got off to a flying start for the Red Devils, with striker Rasmus Højlund putting United ahead 1-0 just 37 seconds into the match. The United defense cleared a long ball over the top in the general direction of Højlund, and it should have been easily collected and recycled by the Hatters back line. However, the first touch from the defender was a very poor one, and it allowed Højlund to run on to the ball in behind the Luton defense. He took a touch to play it forward, another touch to take it around Hatters keeper Thomas Kaminski, then buried a low shot into an empty net from about 12 yards out. It was a bit lucky to be sure, but credit to Højlund for continuing to run and press. You have to be lucky in this game sometimes, but you also have to be in a position to take advantage of that luck when it breaks your way. Højlund is now the youngest player to score in 5 straight Premier League matches, and this goal was also the fastest away goal for United in over 30 years. I am very happy he has found his form, like we all knew he would.

Højlund and United were not done, either. They won a corner around the 7 minute mark, and the ball was played in aerially by left back Luke Shaw. Luton only half-cleared the cross though, and it fell to winger Alejandro Garnacho on the right side of the penalty box near it’s edge. He lashed a shot towards goal, and it took a deflection off Højlund’s chest before bouncing over the line. Kaminski had no chance, Højlund was just in the right place at the right time. Luck again played a role in this goal, but the chest control and re-direction of the ball seemed to be intentional from the big Dane. Højlund now had a brace, and it was again the fastest brace in the history of the Prem from United! No matter what we do looking ahead, Højlund needs to be leading the attacking line.

There was a hiccup for United about 7 minutes later though, when Luton took the opportunity to get themselves on the score sheet too. They looked like they were going to get ripped apart early on, but they regained some composure and pulled one back on 14 minutes via striker Carlton Morris. Midfielder Tahith Chong (a former United academy player) tried to get a shot away inside the box, but it deflected off the foot of center back Harry Maguire and up into the air. Morris was first to get his head to the ball, and it was too close to keeper Andre Onana to be kept out. It was a little bit of a soft goal to concede, but it was a reminder that losing focus for even a few seconds can lead to punishment. All credit to the Hatters for endeavoring and not falling apart after being down 2-0 early on.

That Luton goal set the tone for the rest of the half though. Worryingly, United seemed content to sit back and defend while Luton ran at them. Morris went close to getting another one on 36 minutes, and frankly the Red Devils were fortunate to get to half time with a lead. Midfielder Casemiro was on a yellow card so he was replaced with Scott McTominay at halftime, with Maguire going off as well. He was replaced by 36 year-old center back Jonny Evans.

The second half continued similar to the end of the first half. United would have the odd spells of possession here and there, but it was mostly Luton on the ball and they were creating chances. Paradoxically however, United’s chances were the better ones. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes and winger/forward Marcus Rashford both failed to score from good positions, and then Garnacho really should have finished the game off on 67 minutes after he was put through on goal by Rashford. Indecision struck him at the worst time however, and his effort was blocked by a retreating Hatters defender. United looked very promising on the counter-attack every time they went forward, but the finishing was poor. Højlund could have had a hat-trick as well, but he was denied from point blank range by Kaminski.

The score remained the same, and it made for a very tense finish for both sides. Luton were really piling on the pressure, and they had all the chances as the game drew to a close. Every time they got close though, a United defender was there to make a key block, or Onana was on hand to make a save. United were not doing enough to keep the ball at the other end of the pitch though, and I feared a late equalizer from Luton. Midfielder Ross Barkley had a header clip the cross bar towards the end of stoppage time, and while it raised the pulses of the fans, it ultimately did not go in. The final whistle blew shortly after that, and United won 2-1.

Once again, a win is a win. Can’t complain about three points on the road in the Premier League too much. However, this was much more difficult than it needed to be. At 2-0 after 8 minutes, this never should have been close. Yet again though, ETH had his men sit back and defend the lead and it nearly cost us three points.

I was browsing a Reddit thread on this topic in mid-week and an interesting theory was put forward – that there is a disconnect between what ETH wants his players to do, and what he believes they are capable of doing. He might think that we simply don’t have the players in midfield to possess the ball with ease. McTominay is not Prem-caliber defensive mid, Casemiro has aged a lot, and the possession abilities of injured center back Lisandro Martinez are sorely missed. Kobbie Mainoo has been the only midfield player showing any degree of consistency, but it’s unfair and unwise to rely on an 18 year-old to be your best midfield player. Christian Eriksen and Mason Mount were supposed to help with this issue, but Eriksen is about the same age as Casemiro and Mount has been injured more than he’s been fit this season. ETH may think that this defensive/counter-attacking style of play is the only style that’s sustainable for us over the course of 90 minutes. There was a little bit more possession today as opposed to last week, but again Luton had plenty of chances to find their equalizer. The solution to this problem is reinforcements in midfield over the summer, but we are still quite a ways off from being able to bring in fresh blood. United fans may be stuck with this nerve-wracking style of play until the end of the season.

Still, great games from Højlund, Garnacho (minus his finishing), Mainoo, and Evans. Evans needs praise in particular, not only for continuing to play at his advanced age, but his ability to consistently prove doubters wrong. I include myself in that category. I did not think there was much he could do for us any more at this level, but he was a rock today when he came on at halftime. A quick message as well to England manager Gareth Southgate – get Mainoo in this team! He’s a brilliant midfielder and he would fit in well in the middle of the park with the national team.

United remain 6th after this result, but they are a scant 5 points off Aston Villa in 4th place. United next play on February 24th at Old Trafford against Fulham. Another three points must be secured to keep the pressure on the clubs above us.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Premier League: Victory at Villa Park

Manchester United traveled to the Midlands of England for a Premier League match at Villa Park earlier today. United were in good form going into this match, thanks to some improved attacking play and the return of some key players from injury. Villa however were trending in the opposite direction after a very hot start to the season under manager Unai Emery. Despite beating Liverpool and Manchester City earlier this year, they have been in stuttering form recently and were at a risk of dropping out of the top-4 with a loss today.

Villa were somewhat better than United in terms of chance creation in the opening 20 minutes or so, but it was United who found themselves ahead 1-0 on 17 minutes through striker Rasmus Højlund. United had won a corner, and it was played aerially into the box by midfielder Bruno Fernandes. The ball was only partially cleared by the Villa back line though, and it was played back into the box from the opposite side by center back Harry Maguire. The ball fell straight to Højlund, who was given far too much space in the box by the Villa defense. He bundled the ball home past Villans keeper Emiliano Martinez, and then wheeled away in celebration. Not the prettiest of goals, but credit to Højlund for showing his striker’s instincts and getting the ball over the line. He has now scored in 5 consecutive matches and is positively on fire right now!

Villa kept up their chance creation throughout the half, but United were defending well and sitting back as they had a goal advantage. I was wary of this approach from manager Erik ten Hag, as inviting pressure on the road against a top-4 side usually does not result in positive outcomes for this squad. However, United were still 1-0 up at halftime and were nevertheless on their way to a massive result.

Villa continued much as they did in the first half – creating chances fairly frequently, but failing to finish them off either due to lack of composure or good defending/keeping from United. During this period of the match, United were limited to counter-attacks and playing hopeful long balls over the top. Villa were rewarded for their pressure on 67 minutes when midfielder Douglas Luiz turned the ball into the net from close range. United keeper Andre Onana had made some brilliant saves from very close just before that, but a failure by the Red Devils to fully clear their lines led to Luiz capitalizing on the Villa pressure. United’s defense is simply not good enough to keep a clean sheet on the road at this time, so it was puzzling why ETH elected to invite so much pressure by having the team sit back. The roar from the Holt End supporters at Villa Park also suggested that Villa would now go on to try and get a winner.

In response, ETH brought on midfielder (forward?) Scott McTominay and took off forward Marcus Rashford, and a collective groan went through the away end. Many thought this was ETH waiving the white flag and playing for a draw, but it was interesting to see McTominay take a spot further up the pitch in attack. United did not regain a strong sense of possession until the 80th minute or so though, and the hour was getting late to find a winner.

However, cometh the hour, cometh the man. Around 85 minutes, United had the ball forward and were probing the Villa penalty area. United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo did well to leave the ball for right back Diogo Dalot to put in a peach of a cross from the right wing, and McTominay out-muscled his marker to get his head on the ball. He redirected the ball goalwards, and the velocity on the header saw it go straight through the arms of Martinez and into the back of the net! 2-1 United, and what a thumping header it was. McTominay was given the opportunity, and he capitalized on it. Somehow, the Scotsman is United’s leading scorer in the Premier League this season with 7 goals. That is more goals this year than his past two combined.

Even though there was 6 minutes of stoppage time, Villa failed to really test United again, aside from a series of long-range efforts that amounted to little more than catching practice for Onana. The final whistle blew, and United had their first away victory over a quality side in nearly three seasons. You could see how much it meant to the players and manager, and a hard-fought win like this can do wonders for team chemistry and the locker room dynamic. United are still in 6th place, but the gap between them and 4th place Tottenham is now down to just six points. With 14 matches left in the season, there is still definitely a lot to play for. Given how crap this team was at the start of the year, it’s a borderline miracle that they are within shouting distance of the Champions League at this stage of the season.

I still don’t agree with the tactic of sitting back and trying to defend a slim lead, especially on the road against a decent side like Villa. United can be effective on the counter-attack to be sure, but why give the other team a chance of getting their footing again? Why concede possession for such long periods of time? Once we score, we should be possessing the ball as best we can in an effort to find another goal. There is still a missing element of ruthlessness in this United team, and that could be a problem in future matches. It’s a better idea to go and kill the game off early, so that the opposition doesn’t get the chance to believe in themselves a bit. I am sure ETH has his reasons for this style of play, and he will correctly point to the result as validation of his choice. Still, we shouldn’t have to consistently rely on a late substitution to get us over the line.

Nevertheless, three points is three points. Well done to the lads. Great games from Højlund, Maguire, Bruno, and Dalot. I can’t complain too much about 4 wins in a row. United next travel south to Luton Town next weekend, for a match with a relegation-threatened club of the same name. Luton will no doubt be in the mood to try and claim a big scalp by beating United, but there is no reason why the Red Devils should not come away with all three points next Sunday.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Manchester United…in Good Form?

First things first, I apologize for falling behind this past month or so. Been very busy in a number of ways and haven’t had time to write. However, there is one advantage in not having written a blog in approximately 26 days. It has afforded me the opportunity to analyze the club’s form over the course of a month, instead of writing and reacting on a match-to-match basis. This has allowed me to see a bigger picture of where the club is overall. A lot has happened!

For the first time all season, the Red Devils are in consistently good form. United have won 3 out of their last 4 matches, with the one off result being a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. Since that draw, United have beaten Newport County in the FA Cup 4-2, then beat Wolverhampton Wanderers in a 4-3 thriller in the Premier League, and just today beat West Ham at Old Trafford 3-0. They began the month of January in 8th place, but now find themselves in 6th in the table and in the 5th Round of the FA Cup.

Early in the season, we were struggling to both score goals and keep clean sheets. If we won, it was usually a tense 1-0 or 2-1. If we lost, it was usually by multiple goals. However, in the past four matches, manager Erik Ten Hag has clearly figured out the attacking situation. 13 goals in 4 matches is an excellent scoring record. I think a lot of it has to do with striker (and 21st birthday boy today) Rasmus Højlund finally finding some good form. It took him awhile to break his Premier League goose egg this season, but now that he has started scoring, he simply cannot stop. Another aspect of the improved attacking form is the move of winger Alejandro Garnacho out to the right wing, when previously he exclusively played on the left. Garnacho has multiple goals and assists over the past four games, and he has taken to playing on the right wing like a duck to water.

Now if the attack is improving, that usually means the midfield is improving as well. United have been helped in that department by the return of midfielder Casemiro from injury, but the real standout in the middle of the park is teenager Kobbie Mainoo. He is absolutely brilliant and way ahead of where most players are at 18. He can tackle, pass, dribble, shoot, and he reads the game exceedingly well for a player with such little experience. His winner against Wolves in late stoppage time was scintillating! He needs to continue developing physically so that he doesn’t get bullied off the ball as much, but Mainoo is easily one of the most exciting prospects out of the United Youth Academy in ages. If he can learn a thing or two about shithousery and aggressiveness from Casemiro, he’s going to be a terror to deal with.

Now, there are problems still. The scores listed above also indicate that (with the notable exception of today) United are still leaky in defense. A team like United should not be conceding 2 against Newport County and another 3 against Wolves. Conceding 7 goals in 4 matches is a below average defensive record, and there’s no two ways about it. Similar to how the attack and midfield have benefited from players returning from injury, the opposite has happened to the defense. Due to injuries along the back line, ETH has been forced to field 10 different center back pairings this season. And due to keeper Andre Onana being called up for international duty the past couple weeks, there was a different player in goal as well. In a position group where all four/five players need to work together, it’s exceedingly difficult to develop that chemistry and understanding when they can’t play together consistently. I was overjoyed to see center back Lisandro Martinez finally back from long-term injury the past few matches as well, but he unfortunately suffered what appeared to be a gruesome leg injury in the West Ham match today and likely faces another long layoff. He’s had rotten luck recently and his injury was the only sour note in United’s victory today.

United next travel to Birmingham for a match against Aston Villa in the Premier League, where that patchwork back line will again be tested. Villa are in the top-4 currently, and are having one of their best-ever seasons under wily manager Unai Emery. Here’s to hoping that United can continue this positive form and continue to pick up points. Beating a team above them can be huge for the top-4 race, as United are currently on the outside looking in. It is also a chance to improve the team’s away form under ETH, which has easily been his biggest weak spot.

Off the pitch news: I have been deeply concerned for the mental health of winger/forward Marcus Rashford recently. He seems to be struggling with something (based on the numerous news reports of his recent nightclub adventures) and I really hope the club and its staff are helping him with it. Professional athletes are still humans, and they can suffer from mental health challenges like any of us. No one outside the club knows what’s going on for sure so be careful what you read, but he does seem to be on the rebound in recent days. His mental health has to come first, so I hope he continues to improve.

On a lighter note, INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have gotten off to what I would call a satisfactory start as new part-owners of the club. The Glazers have set an admittedly low bar, but the fact that INEOS representatives have sat down and begun talks with the club’s official fan groups about the problems we’ve had for the past 12 years is a big step in the right direction. The Glazers don’t speak to the club’s fan groups and haven’t done so for almost the entirety of their tenure as owners, while Sir Jim and his people have begun holding talks within the first few weeks of buying 25% of the club. Of course, their success as owners must be measured on a long-term scale, but again this is a satisfactory start. The next step of course is for them to actually enact the changes requested.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

FA Cup: Victory at Wigan

Manchester United traveled 20 miles west to Wigan, England for an FA Cup 3rd round match with League One side Wigan Athletic at DW Stadium. This was the first FA Cup match of the season for United, and it is the sole competition left for them in which they can win a trophy. Manager Erik ten Hag is deeply aware that United supporters expect to win trophies, so he named a very strong side despite the lower league opposition.

Aside from a scary moment very early on, United were dominant in possession and chance creation the entirety of the first half. They had the lead going into halftime as well, thanks to a tidy finish from left back Diogo Dalot on 22 minutes from just outside the edge of the box. Striker Rasmus Højlund and winger/forward Marcus Rashford had both missed clear cut chances before the goal, so it was good to see one of the numerous chances actually go in. Rashford almost did have one go in after Wigan keeper Sam Tickle (wonderful name) spilled a save behind him, but he recovered the ball before it crossed the line. But United could not find another goal, and it was 1-0 at halftime. The Red Devils really should have been 3 or 4 goals ahead, and many supporters were worried that United had left the door open for Wigan to equalize.

United very much picked up where they left off as the match resumed in frigid conditions, but the weather was similar to that of United’s shooting: cold. Rashford continued to be wasteful, and he was playing indecisively when on the ball. His teammates weren’t much better, but the Wigan keeper Tickle was in fine form. He produced several top-class saves that kept the Latics in the match in both the first and second halves.

United sealed the victory on 73 minutes however when Bruno drew a foul in the box and United were awarded a penalty. Bruno was definitely clipped on his right foot by a Wigan defender, but he of course did a very good job of “selling” the penalty when he went down. He stepped up to the spot himself and sent Tickle the wrong way with a low finish for 2-0. United maintained possession and created a few more half-chances after that, but there were no more goals and the Red Devils secured progression to the 4th Round of the FA Cup at the final whistle.

First thoughts – a win is a win. It wasn’t the resounding beat down that United fans would have wanted against a team from two leagues below us, but the reality is that Wigan never consistently threatened us and we won by multiple goals. I’m very impressed with young defensive midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, and winger Alejandro Garnacho had a very good match as well. The domination in possession and chance creation today is largely thanks to those two players.

Rashford did get an assist on the Dalot goal, but other than that he still looks rather lost at times when he runs forward. He slows the ball down far too much when making a decision, and then usually makes the wrong decision. He is at his best when he is direct and runs straight at defenders, and someone on the United coaching staff needs to remind him of that. Højlund didn’t bring his shooting boots today unfortunately, but he got a lot more service than he usually does. With enough chances, they will start going in for him soon enough. It’s still unclear to me what midfielder Scott McTominay’s role was in today’s tactics. He missed a chance or two in the box like everyone did, but other than that he was largely anonymous. I do think there is a place for McTominay in this team, although I am not sure where he fits best. ETH needs to help him figure that out.

So yes, overall, more positives than negatives, but negatives remain nonetheless. Looking ahead, United have been drawn against the winner of the Newport County FC vs. Eastleigh tie in the 4th Round. That match will be replayed after they drew 1-1 in their own 3rd Round match today. I honestly had never heard of either of these teams before today, but that is the magic of the FA Cup. Newport are in League Two, which is one league below Wigan. Eastleigh however are in the National League, which is the fifth tier of English football! It’s incredible that a club that small has a chance to play against a Premier League club. What’s even better for those teams is that whoever wins will get to host Manchester United, which will earn them a nice chunk of change in the form of match day revenue. The date of the tie has yet to be decided. United’s next match however is at Old Trafford in on January 14th, when they host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

Before I sign off, a heartfelt farewell and Rest In Power to former German international and footballing legend Franz Beckenbauer, who died earlier today at the age of 78. He was a world-famous footballer in the 1960s and 70s, and he is widely considered to be one of the best players of all time. He started as a midfielder but made his name playing in central defense. He won the Balllon d’Or twice in 1972 and 1976, and was West Germany’s captain when they won the World Cup in 1974. He was also a prolifically successful manager when his playing career ended, managing West Germany to another World Cup win in 1990. He also won numerous titles with his club Bayern Munich, and helped turn that club into the titan that it is today. His name belongs among such others as Pele, Maradona, and Charlton. RIP.

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!

Manchester United: It’s Been Bad, But Is There Light On the Horizon?

It’s been a while since I last wrote, but truthfully there hasn’t been a lot to write about aside from bad news. Since their victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford on December 6, Manchester United have lost to Bournemouth (bad), lost to Bayern Munich (almost as bad), drew with Liverpool away (not too shabby), then lost again to West Ham (bad). I have been calling for the Red Devils to play with consistency this whole season, and they have responded with consistency – consistently being bad. Be careful what you wish for, I guess.

The biggest change at United in recent weeks is the acquisition of 25% of the club’s ownership stake by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his company Ineos. This sale has been pending for over a year and many were wondering if it would even happen, but the move was finally announced on Christmas Eve. More on this takeover below.

Things were heading down a losing path yet again today, when they hosted 3rd place Aston Villa at Old Trafford, one of the many fixtures on a busy Boxing Day. The Villans, coached by the ever-capable Frenchman Unai Emery, were up 2-0 by halftime. United looked rather listless as usual, and there was no pattern to their play. Many in the terraces and online were calling for manager Erik ten Hag to be sacked, mostly out of frustration rather than logic. The tactics were unclear, the defense was leaking goals, and there didn’t seem to be any fight in the team. It was shaping up to be another disappointing day, despite the presence of United legends Robin Van Persie and Edwin Van Der Sar in the stands.

But the second half of this match will be one for the memory banks of the United faithful. United were the better team from the resumption of play onward. Winger Alejandro Garnacho had a goal (dubiously) disallowed by VAR on 50 minutes for an alleged offside. He was undeterred by that setback though, and found himself scoring a goal that stood on 57 minutes. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes pressed at the right time and won the ball while Villa were trying to build possession, after which he played a brilliant pass up the left flank onto the run of winger/forward Marcus Rashford. Rashford squared the ball along the ground, and it fell to the feet of the onrushing Garnacho for a relatively simple tap-in back across the face of Emiliano Martinez’s goal. Villa were still up, but the game was very much on! Much better tempo and directness from the Red Devils.

Garnacho wasn’t finished, either. He got United’s equalizer on 71 minutes, and it was the result of another quick-moving and incisive attack. The ball was won in the center circle by midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who then played it out wide to Garnacho on the right wing. Garnacho brought the ball forward a bit more and then played it even further out to the right to Bruno on an overlapping run. Garnacho then moved more towards the center of the pitch, and Bruno pinged in a cross that was deflected into the exact space Garnacho was running towards. He hit it first time from about 12 yards out, and it took a minor deflection off a Villa defender before hitting the back of Martinez’s net! 2-2!

There was still plenty of time for United to find a winner, and that’s precisely what they did on 82 minutes. They had won a corner, with Bruno swinging in the ball from the right wing in the air. The ball took two deflections off of Villa players before falling directly to the feet of striker Rasmus Højlund. Højlund instinctively swung at the ball with his left foot while it was still in the air, and it banged into the back of the net off the inside of the left hand post. A true striker’s goal – predatory in nature. He was in the right place at the right time, and while it wasn’t a pretty finish, he did exactly what he needed to do in the circumstance. Højlund has scored 5 goals in Europe for United this season, but he had yet to open his domestic account before today. What a time to get your first Premier League goal, too! A late winner in front of the Stretford End at Old Trafford. That’s the stuff dreams are made of! You could see how much it meant to Højlund emotionally, too. The young man was in tears while his teammates and the crowd celebrated all around him. It was a huge relief for him, and everyone was incredibly happy for the lad. After an agonizing final 20 minutes and an even more agonizing 9 (nine!) minutes of stoppage time, the whistle blew and United had their first win in close to 3 weeks.

Well done from the front three in the second half today. Rashford looked like the Rashford of last season, Garnacho turned in a Man of the Match performance on the right wing, and Højlund did well to bag his first Prem goal and the winner. Great game from Bruno as well. He didn’t get on the score sheet, but his tenacity and technique played a role in all three goals. Quick and incisive chance-creation is key to the tactics and style of play of ETH, and it was on full display in the second half. The main takeaway though is that the players upped their tempo and desire today. It’s truly amazing what this team can do when they actually try. We have all the talent and skill a manager could ask for, but desire, passion, and determination have been lacking this season. There’s no reason why United can’t win every game they play if they play with the level of energy and belief they had today in the second half. They need to remember that when they play hard, they usually get a favorable result.

It will be interesting to see what United’s new part-owners do going forward. It was a good start to their tenure today, but there’s still plenty to work on going forward. The challenges to be faced are numerous. While it’s unclear what specific tasks are to be handled by Ineos/Ratcliffe, it seems they will primarily be football-related and less finance-related. The squad needs further revamping, the youth academy needs investment, the medical staff are behind on the times, and Old Trafford is in dire need of repairs and improvements. It’s a daunting task ahead of them to get United back to the top of European club football, but they should be given every opportunity and be afforded patience by supporters. Ratcliffe has a history of doing well in sports business, and more importantly he was a Manchester United supporter as a child. That means he understands what this club what means to people at the local level. He sees it as more than just a money-making venture, something the much-hated Glazers seem to be unable to fathom.

Ratcliffe and his team have taken a good first step in writing an open letter to the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST), a prominent fan group that has been leading the vocal criticisms of the Glazer family. In that letter, they made it clear that the results from the past 10 years or so are not acceptable and that he is just as “ambitious” as the club’s supporters are. And while the contents of the letter are important, they are of secondary importance to the mere fact that Ineos/Ratcliffe has taken the time to directly address the supporters. Ratcliffe has been part owner for a grand total of 2 days, and he’s already done more to address the concerns of supporters than the Glazers have for the better part of 18 years. All he had to do was write a letter saying “we hear you, and we’re going to try to fix things”. Of course, being a better owner than the Glazers is a low bar to clear, but he is definitely as emotionally invested in the success of the team as he is financially invested. If the club’s fortunes turn around in the next year or two, one would hope that a full sale of the club would be next on the cards. Ratcliffe will likely help improve things,

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out! Happy Boxing Day!

Premier League: A Tale of Two Matches – Newcastle and Chelsea

The past two matches have seen United lose away to Newcastle 1-0, followed by a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford earlier today. The Red Devils looked god-awful against Newcastle at the weekend and probably should have lost by a bigger margin. In contrast, they looked borderline spectacular against Chelsea and probably should have won by more. But there were only four days between these matches, so how can a team like United look so bad in one match and then play so wonderfully in the next one? Well, there’s several reasons…

Location, Location, Location

United have been dismal away from home during the tenure of manager Erik ten Hag. No two ways about it. They haven’t beaten a top-half of the table side away from home since 2021. St. James’ Park in the northeast of England is a cold and dreary place to play, and the fans there always create a tough atmosphere. United’s away form against the big clubs is easily the toughest nut ETH has yet to crack.

At home however, United are a juggernaut. They don’t lose often within the hallowed halls of Old Trafford. Indeed, they have claimed the scalps of some of the biggest clubs in Europe when playing in front of 75,000 screaming United supporters. Old Trafford has been a fortress during ETH’s time in charge, and it’s walls held firm for the most part again today.

The Opposition

Newcastle are a better team than Chelsea, as things stand. Chelsea have tons of new signings and a manager (Mauricio Pochettino) who is still trying to figure out his best XI players. Manager Eddie Howe at Newcastle has his lads drilled exceptionally well and they have the financial backing of an oil state, which has allowed them to bring in some very talented players.

Line-Ups

ETH shuffled the deck quite a bit between the previous match and the one today, largely because he had to. Forwards Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have been in poor form for weeks now, with Rashford playing particularly poorly in the previous match. Those two players were dropped to the bench in favor of winger Antony dos Santos and striker Rasmus Højlund respectively. Further, midfielder Sofyan Amrabat was given a start, paired with Scott McTominay in midfield.

Højlund and Antony both had stellar games, and Amrabat put in a very good shift as well. Antony won a penalty on 8 minutes that midfielder Bruno Fernandes failed to convert, and even though Højlund has yet to open his Premier League scoring account, he was tireless in his running today and put himself about on the pitch in a way that continually caused problems for Chelsea. Amrabat had a key tackle in the buildup to McTominay’s opener on 19 minutes as well. I am really happy with how Mainoo played when he came on as a substitute. He didn’t do particularly well against Newcastle, but his pairing with Amrabat in the center of the park really seemed to suit him. Mainoo has the energy and athleticism, while Amrabat has a ton of experience playing at the highest levels. Their styles of play compliment each other well.

Effort

You would think that a team full of professional athletes wouldn’t need to be told to play hard and put in good effort. Counter-intuitively though, it seems that’s exactly what was needed. The effort on display from the players in red was easily the biggest contrast to the loss against Newcastle last weekend. The majority of the team was guilty of bad effort last weekend, but I want to talk about a single player specifically.

I don’t know what’s wrong with Rashford. He’s in the “effort” section because he showed zero of it against Newcastle, and when he came on today against Chelsea in the closing minutes, he proceeded to again show zero of it. I just don’t get it. He’s not running anywhere. He walks or jogs when running is definitely required. I know he knows this, but no one is going to be a world-class footballer if they don’t run. The media is rampant with speculation that he’s squabbling with ETH or somehow unhappy with how things are going. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but his lack of effort is totally unprofessional. It’s okay to be frustrated or upset with the manager. It’s okay to not be happy when the team is in inconsistent form. The unacceptable thing is not trying! The professional thing to do would be to go out and give 100% even if you’re frustrated, so that supporters know you’re at least trying. I am a big fan of Rashford and have been since he came up through the United youth academy, but I’m not going to defend his lack of effort anymore.

Since this post is all about contrasts, let’s contrast Rashford’s lack of effort with another maligned United player – center back Harry Maguire. This is a man who was stripped of the captaincy in the off-season, and was only seeing so much playing time this year because of injuries to fellow center backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane. I don’t think I’ve seen a player take the amount of stick that Maguire gets on social media every time he makes a mistake. It’s absolutely brutal. Maguire’s season started off extremely rough and the noise around his form was quite loud, but he kept his head down and kept himself focused on the game. He was a rock at the center of defense today, his overall play in the month of November earned him the accolade of Premier League Player of the Month, awarded to him today. Rashford should take note of how Maguire ignored all the noise around him and just focused on working hard and playing hard. Even if Martinez and Varane were suddenly fit to play, it would be hard for ETH to drop Maguire due to his excellent form. Both of them are extremely talented players, but one is displaying focus and determination right now, while the other is not.

Tactics and Execution

Interestingly, the tactics in the Newcastle match and the Chelsea match today were not all that different. ETH does not deviate much from his preferred 4-2-3-1, with the players running a counter-press when out of possession, and building from the back when in possession. In order to effectively play the counter-press, every attacking and midfield player needs to know when to press and on which opposing player. Vitally, the players must be willing to run at the opposition, and not just let them have possession without pressure. If one player doesn’t press effectively, ETH’s system is practically neutered. This is almost exactly what happened Newcastle. We had an attacking player who didn’t feel like running anywhere, and as a result we didn’t create anything for the first 80 minutes.

Højlund, Antony, Bruno, Amrabat, and winger Alejandro Garnacho all executed the tactics wonderfully today. They were coordinated in their press and Chelsea often looked rudderless at times due to it. Amrabat pressing the ball in the attacking third is what led to United’s first goal! They forced Chelsea into a turnover in a dangerous area, and United punished the Blues for it. ETH football in a nutshell. The finishing was poor today and United should have had at least 4 goals, and that has to improve, but the chance creation was so much better today. Credit to McTominay for getting both United goals. The Scotsman is in truly wonderful attacking form this season, and being given license by ETH to roam forward a bit more has suited him well.

ETH has faced some frankly ridiculous media speculation in the past four days that his job may be in jeopardy if United’s poor form continued. The media were trying to generate headlines and clicks of course, but this match should end any wild conjecture that ETH will be sacked soon or that he’s somehow lost the locker room. It’s clear he’s the man to bring us out of this mess. He knows this team is far from perfect and that there is still a ways to go before we are back at the top, but we’re headed in the right direction. He has the tactical nous for the job as has been evidenced, and it seems he has finally learned to drop players in poor form. Man-management is a criminally under-appreciated aspect of what it takes to be the manager of a multi-billion pound football club. You have to be able to manage the often very large egos of professional athletes, and it’s a skill that takes a very deft touch. There is an abundance of evidence that the overwhelming majority of the players believe in him and what he’s trying to do. The Glazers still need to sell the team and leave, but it’s clear we finally have the right manager at the helm.

Conclusion

A changed line-up, better effort, and better execution are the main reasons why United were so much better today against Chelsea than against Newcastle last week. As has been said a thousand times on this blog though, the inconsistency has to stop. I won’t be celebrating this club’s resurrection until we win the Premier League title again, and inconsistent teams do not win titles. Well done against Chelsea today, but if we have another Newcastle away-type match, it means little.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Premier League: An Impressive Victory at Everton

Manchester United traveled 30 miles west to Liverpool for a match against Everton FC at Goodison Park yesterday. This was the first match after the resumption of the international break, and the Red Devils were happy to have left back Luke Shaw back in the team after a long injury layoff. Manager Erik ten Hag handed a debut to 18 year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who started alongside midfielder Scott McTominay in the center of the pitch. Everton, their supporters, and manager Sean Dyche were definitely motivated to get a positive result in this match, having (wrongly, in my opinion) been docked 10 points by the Premier League for violations of the Financial Fair Play rules.

Despite the restless and raucous atmosphere inside Goodison, it was United who got off to a flying start just 3 minutes into the match when winger/forward Alejandro Garnacho opened the scoring with an absolutely stunning overhead bicycle kick. I could describe it in detail, but Bill Shakespeare himself couldn’t put the words together to describe this beauty of a strike!

The goal went viral quickly, and if you haven’t seen it, give it a watch. It was good play from United to get it up the pitch quickly, but the cross from right back Diogo Dalot was a little bit behind Garnacho. All credit to the 19 year-old Argentine for his technique and the audacity to pull off something so grand. 1-0 to United!

Everton were unmoved, however. Despite being behind, they were mostly the better side for the rest of the first half. Keeper Andre Onana was on hand to make a double save around the half hour mark, after which the ball was cleared off the line by Mainoo. The United defense was holding up alright, but in attack they were again struggling to create chances for a second goal. Despite Everton’s dominance, they couldn’t capitalize and it remained 1-0 at halftime.

United got their second goal on 50 minutes, thanks to finally catching a break from VAR. Striker Anthony Martial looked to have been fouled in the box by Everton right back (and former United player) Ashley Young, but the referee did not give a penalty and also booked Martial for diving. VAR checked the incident though, and upon replays it was clear that Young stuck his leg out and tripped Martial in an effort to get to the ball. Martial’s yellow was rescinded and a penalty was given. Initially, midfielder Bruno Fernandes had his hands on the ball to take the kick, but then he walked over and handed the ball to winger/forward Marcus Rashford. Rashford stepped up and buried the penalty into the upper-left corner of the goal, with Toffees keeper Jordan Pickford unable to do anything about it. Rashford has been in poor goal-scoring form this season, so perhaps Bruno sensed he needed this penalty to raise his confidence a bit. Aside from this goal though, Rashford had another poor performance. His passing and awareness were bad for most of the game. He does not seem to be injured, but rather distracted. His head isn’t in the game, as it were. A very recent post of his on social media indicates he is mourning the death of a family member, which may be part of the reason for his absent-minded play. If that’s the case, I don’t blame him at all for playing poor today. I hope he takes care of his mental health first and foremost, and I think the penalty will help with his confidence. 2-0 to United!

United continued to run at the Everton back-4 in search of a third, and came close a few times before eventually getting that third goal from Martial on 75 minutes. The ball was won in midfield thanks to a good press, and there was an exchange of passes between Martial, Bruno, and substitute winger Facundo Pellistri near and beyond the center circle. Pellistri played a return pass to Bruno on the edge of the area, who found Martial on a run just ahead of him with a beautifully weighted pass. The Everton defense was all over the place, and Martial took a touch to knock it into space before deftly lifting the ball over the onrushing Pickford. 3-0 to United, and game over! Everton managed to hit the crossbar a few minutes after the third goal, but there was no major action after that.

For the first time this season, United looked convincing away from home. This is also the first time they’ve won by multiple goals on the road in close to a full season. All three forwards scored in this match, which is yet another positive that hasn’t happened often this year. The first goal will grab all the headlines, but for me the most important goal was the third one. The first goal was a piece of individual brilliance, and the second goal was the result of VAR actually working as it’s supposed to, but the third was the exact sort of goal ETH has been looking for all season. We pressed in midfield, won the ball back in the center of the park, and were quickly away down to the other end to create a chance. Press + passing = goal. That is the footballing philosophy that ETH wants this team to employ. We don’t need 70% possession. We don’t need 500 passes. We need to get the ball, pass the ball, and score a goal. It’s what this team is built to do, and it’s fantastic that they finally remembered how to do it. Brilliant from Martial, Bruno, and Pellistri. Also a quick shout-out to Mainoo, who had a very impressive debut. He’s only 18, but bossed the midfield like a man ten years older. His passing, positioning, awareness, and tackling were all excellent.

The challenge now is to go out and do it again in the next match. Consistency must be the next step in the process. It’s no coincidence that some good form has returned now that some key players have finally returned from injury. Everton are not the best team of course, but to win like this in a very hostile atmosphere is nothing to minimize. This was a big win, no two ways about it. As I have said many times though, winning like this means nothing if they can’t go out and replicate it.

United have won 5 out of their last 6 Premier League matches, and find themselves 6th in the table. They are just four points from fourth, and a scant six points off the top. They next play Galatasaray in Istanbul on Wednesday, which will make Goodison look like a tea party in terms of the atmosphere. Turkiye is an insanely difficult place for foreign clubs to play, and frankly I won’t be upset if the result is less than positive. The European campaign this season may already be doomed due to previous results, and I don’t want the club to have to play in the Europa League for the rest of the year should they fail to finish 2nd in the group. Let’s give it a good effort, but if we lose it’s not the end of the world. This team needs to focus on the Prem and the FA Cup the rest of the season.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Euro Qualifiers: England Win Group C!

The November international break saw England play their final two competitive matches before next summer’s Euro 2024 in Germany. They played host to minnows Malta at Wembley last Friday, after which they traveled to North Macedonia for the final qualifying match. England’s victory over Italy last October sealed their qualification for the tournament, but there was still the matter of winning the group so as to ensure they got a more favorable group stage draw next summer as a “seeded” team.

These matches were largely unremarkable. England beat Malta 2-0, thanks to a Maltese own goal followed up by yet another Harry Kane strike in the second half. North Macedonia was a trickier foe, with England managing a 1-1 draw against them earlier today in Skopje. Kane got the key touch on England’s equalizer today as well, but it was officially scored as a North Macedonian own-goal.

While these results were decidedly lackluster with England often looking devoid of creativity and invention, it’s important to remember the context in which these matches were played. For one, England had already qualified for Euro 2024 due to their excellent match last month and previous positive results. That meant that several key players (including star midfielder Jude Bellingham) pulled out from the squad to rest themselves during this long and grueling club season. For two, manager Gareth Southgate was attempting to experiment with tactics a bit and see what players on the fringes of selection would be worth bringing along to Germany next summer. Any time you experiment with lineups and tactics at the national level, there is bound to be some amount of disjointed play. Still, England won Group C by 6 points, which is an accomplishment of note given that Italy and Ukraine were in this group. Italy also qualified in 2nd place today, with Ukraine likely headed for a playoff after finishing 3rd.

Any time England plays, whether it be a friendly or the final of a major tournament, you can always expect a hyperbolic reaction from pundits and supporters. Only England fans can manage to find a way to be upset about a win or otherwise positive result in such spectacularly over-the-top fashion. Many England fans online and in the papers have taken these results as evidence of how the team will play next summer, which is rather asinine. Everyone needs to calm down and relax! These were effectively friendly matches, given their low-stakes. It’s very clear no one in an England shirt was taking them super seriously. I have every confidence that the lads will be able to turn on the juice again once things get hot in the kitchen next summer. The return of Bellingham and other regular first-team players will inject some life into the side as well. It’s true these matches weren’t inspiring or entertaining to watch, but England got the job done in the end. England have done all they need to do to set up a deep run in the tournament so far, and they did it with room to spare. I guarantee that things will look much different come tournament time.

As has been stated by me and many others many times though, qualification is usually not England’s issue. The Three Lions usually do qualify for all major tournaments. The measure of success for this current iteration of England under Southgate is success at the tournament itself. We’ve gotten very close to winning something several times going back to 2018, but they haven’t quite gotten themselves over the finish line. The form of Kane, Bellingham, winger/forward Bukayo Saka, and winger/forward Marcus Rashford will be vital to England’s chances. Kane and Bellingham are arguably the two best players in the world right now, so here’s to hoping they remain uninjured between now and next summer.

Southgate himself faces a big test next summer as well. This could be his last tournament as England manager, so he and all the players will want him to go out with a bang. There’s no better way to do that than by winning England’s first major trophy in what will be 58 years by then. There aren’t many concerns about whether or not England are talented enough to win. By all accounts, they very much are. The concern is the conservative play style usually employed by Southgate at major tournaments. England have at times looked unsure of what they’re doing going forward, opting instead to retain fairly harmless possession in the middle of the pitch. Southgate is also at times too unwilling to change things until its too late. Will he finally take the shackles off England’s talented attack? Will he opt to remain with playing conservative? A mix of the two? It’s unclear. We can only hope he has learned from his mistakes in the past and tries something new when the tactics are not going according to plan. He’s not a bad manager by any stretch of the imagination. Indeed, he is England’s most successful manager since 1966. But is he the right man for this England team at this time? We will find out next summer.

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