Manchester United in Disarray

The Red Devils lost to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday at Old Trafford, with the final score being 3-1. Midfielder Hannibal Mejbri got an impressive consolation goal, but the match had already been lost by that point. United were out-passed, out-possessed, and generally outplayed by a talented Brighton side. There was a goal disallowed for striker Rasmus Højlund that probably should have been allowed to stand, but there were a ton of problems for United that had nothing to do with the referee. Seagulls manager Roberto De Zerbi deserves praise and credit for building a team that consistently overperforms and exceeds their budgetary limitations.

Conversely, this has been statistically the poorest start to a United season since the 1970s. They have only won 2 of their first 5 opening matches, and have looked lackluster in all of them. A lot of things are going wrong at this club right now, some of which is bad luck, but a lot of it is avoidable. It seems like every day, even when there is no match to be played, more and more negative headlines keep rolling in.

The bad luck is mainly coming in the form of injuries, although at some point one has to question why injuries are always a concern for this club season after season. Nevertheless, we have a starting 11 of injured players in the training room right now, and that is a big part of the reason why the results are so poor. You need your most talented players to win games, but moreover you need those talented players playing alongside one another consistently to develop an understanding and chemistry. If that’s not happening due to injuries or other reasons, the team will simply not play as well.

But the injuries are just one aspect of United’s problems right now. A much bigger issue, and one that is completely within the players’ control, is EFFORT. If I had a dollar for every time a star player was caught being lazy and not giving a full effort this season, I could pay off my considerable student loan debt in full. I am sick and tired of seeing grown men who make six figures EVERY WEEK not giving a shit about playing hard. Playing football is the ONLY THING they have to do, and for whatever reason they are not playing their best. Out of the 13-14 players who touched the pitch on Saturday, maybe 4 or 5 of them truly gave their best efforts. It’s unacceptable. Manager Erik ten Hag needs to start dropping the big names from the starting line-ups to send a message that no one’s spot in this team is safe. A starting spot is earned, not given. It might be worth fielding a team of academy players for a match just to send a message to the rest of the squad. Right now, the culture of this team is awful and it is on ETH to remedy the issue.

Another issue is tactics, which is related to the injury crisis. Despite all the spending in the summer, we still somehow do not have the players to play in the style ETH demands. He wants us to control possession in the middle of the park, while also running a counter-press when out of possession. That can be an effective style of play with the proper players who are properly motivated, but as I have said before on this blog, tactics don’t matter if your players don’t care to play hard. There have also been some questionable substitutions made by ETH in recent games, which again is on him to fix. He did well tactically last season, so the regression so far this year is extremely concerning.

There are also problems off the pitch. Winger/forward Mason Greenwood was finally sold to Spanish side Getafe, and I thought we had done well to excise that particular tumor from the locker room. However, winger Antony dos Santos has also found himself at the center of a domestic violence scandal in recent weeks, with numerous allegations being made by his former girlfriend. Antony denies all allegations, but he has stepped away from the team and isn’t playing right now until the club determines the best way to proceed. Lastly, winger Jadon Sancho has not been selected to play recently, supposedly due to a locker room spat with ETH over punctuality at training. There has been a lot of back and forth in the media between Sancho and the manager, and that kind of distraction is always bad for team chemistry. I do like that ETH is holding players accountable and making everyone adhere to the same standards, but he needs to figure out a way to motivate Sancho and get the best out of him. Right now, that isn’t happening with any of the players.

And of course, there is always the bigger picture to consider as well. Any time there is a problem with a business, the owner ultimately carries all responsibility for it. The Glazers are no exception. I realize they were not on the pitch on Saturday and they do not set the team’s lineups and tactics, but their greasy fingerprints are all over the negative climate at the club. They do not invest their own money in the club or it’s facilities, and indeed they actively take money out of it. It is probable that the injury issues year after year are related to no investment from ownership in the medical staff and training room. They did spend (the club’s) money a little bit in the summer to bring in new players, but it is rumored that many of ETH’s first-choice targets were overlooked due to cost. Their biggest sin though is their laissez-faire approach that has left this club in a state of salutary neglect. They don’t care if the team wins too much, as long as they keep making money. This attitude of “we don’t really care” trickles down to everyone at the club, from the players to the training staff to the kit people to the janitors that clean the stadium after matches. If the owners don’t care about winning consistently, why should the players?

So yes, it’s a mess right now. This team needs to respond to the adversity, and it has to happen soon. The title is already gone, and the top-4 is in serious jeopardy if the team keeps playing in an unmotivated fashion. ETH’s seat will also become incredibly hot if the results do not improve, as will the seat of Director of Football John Murtough. Of course though, nothing will fundamentally change at this club for the better until the Glazers sell the team and get out of town.

It doesn’t get any easier for the Red Devils in the next match either, as they must travel to Germany for a Champions League group stage match against German champions Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Needless to say, I don’t have high expectations.

Glazers Out!

End of Summer Review: Women’s World Cup Reactions; Manchester United Season Preview

We are at the business end of the Women’s World Cup, with the semifinals all set to go. This tournament has been filled with surprises and upsets, which is indicative of a levelling playing field. Perennial favorites such as USA, Germany, Norway, and Brazil are all already out of the tournament, and we are left with four teams who have refreshingly never won the Women’s World Cup. Spain will play Sweden on Tuesday, with England pitted against co-host nation Australia on Wednesday. The matches will be played overnight in the United States and early in the morning Europe time. While the kickoff times have been absolutely brutal for anyone living in the USA, that’s really the only complaint anyone can have. The drama and level of competition in these matches has been nothing short of fantastic. England’s penalty shootout against Nigeria in the Round of 16 was electric, only for it to be topped by the longest penalty shootout in World Cup history (men or women) between Australia and France earlier today. 20 total penalties were taken before Australia finally won!

England have not been at their best so far this tournament in terms of style and flair, but they continue to win matches thanks to thoroughly resilient defensive performances and holding their nerve at the right moments. Pre-tournament injuries were always going to present issues to England this tournament, and unfortunately they have dealt with more player unavailability as the tournament has gone on. Superstar midfielder Kiera Walsh injured herself in the group stage and is not playing at 100%, while Lionesses winger and leading scorer this tournament Lauren James was suspended for this match and will also miss the semifinal against Australia after a red card in the Round of 16. England are fortunately blessed with strength in depth and experience at major tournaments, but they will need every ounce of willpower to get past the Australians in Sydney on Wednesday. The match atmosphere in the quarterfinal earlier today against Colombia was decidedly anti-England, but that will be amplified times ten in the match against the host nation and former British colony. The Matildas are in their first ever World Cup semifinal, and they will do all they can to secure a final on home soil.

But what happened to the Americans? They were the defending champs and a favorite to win it again this year before the tournament started. But they went out in the Round of 16 on penalties to Sweden, after struggling to make it out of their group. While their early exit was joyous to those of us who find USWNT fans’ arrogance and exceptionalism off-putting, it was certainly a major disappointment to a team that is filled to the brim with raw talent. Many casual “fans” who don’t follow the game closely pointed to the team’s political activism and collective attitude as reasons for the loss. That’s potentially a small part of the reason, but a much bigger on-the-pitch issue was their awful tactics. They seemed to be intent on walking the ball into the net, or in the alternative, waiting on a moment of individual brilliance to save them. There did not appear to be a coherent tactical plan from (soon to be former) manager Vlatko Andonovski. His substitutions usually did not make sense, and poor finishing from good chances didn’t help either. As referenced above, the playing field is much more level now in terms of talent and player development, and the Americans failed to take that into account. The result is a lackluster early exit.

Quick shoutouts to South Africa, Jamaica, Nigeria, Colombia, and Morocco. Everyone expected those five teams to go out early in the tournament, but they all defied expectations by making it to the knockout rounds.

***

Manchester United have completed their preseason tour, and the Premier League is officially back underway. The Red Devils’ first match of the new season is not until Monday 8/14 against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford, but all other Premier League teams played today or will play tomorrow. My first post-match article will be for the 8/14 match.

This summer transfer window has been a very successful one from United’s point of view. Refreshingly, there are still three weeks left in the window and United have already completed three key signings, a far cry from their usual methods of waiting until the very end of the summer before making a desperation signing. One gets the sense that manager Erik ten Hag has been the main impetus and driving force behind getting all of these transfers done. At the end of last season I said we needed a goalkeeper, a a ball-carrying midfielder, and a striker. As of the beginning of August, we have signed a goalkeeper (Andre Onana), a ball-carrying midfielder (Mason Mount), and a striker (Rasmus Højlund). While Højlund is young and will not be available until early September due to injury, his ability to find the back of the net is something United desperately needed. I cannot count the number of chances we created last year that weren’t scored due to poor finishing.

Given that the window is not closed yet, it seems there will be additional signings made to cover some of the departing players. Midfielder Fred, defenders Harry Maguire, Alex Telles, Phil Jones, Axel Tuanzebe, Eric Bailly, winger Anthony Elanga, and goalkeeper David De Gea all left Old Trafford this summer. It’s a massive clearing out, with the goal being to bring some balance to the weekly wage bill and also to make room for players who better fit ETH’s tactical system. De Gea and (former club captain) Maguire are the most obvious examples of this. Both were on massive wages, yet neither really fit the club’s overall football philosophy. It’s a tough decision to let them go, but I believe it’s the correct one. I’d like to thank all of these players for their services to United and I wish them all the best. United are heavily linked with midfielder Sofyan Amrabat and defender Benjamin Pavard, both of which could still come to Old Trafford before the end of August to replace some of the outgoing players.

United need to aim for the Premier League title this season. It has been over a decade since they last won it, and we finally have the manager and the squad to achieve it. Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and even Newcastle will present staunch opposition, but there is no reason why a team with this level of talent can’t make a title push. I think the main thing supporters want to see is improvement to our away form, which was horrendous against the “top 6” clubs last season. Moreover, it is no longer enough to shoot for the top-4 and being happy with meeting that goal. We need to be winning trophies. A deep run in the Champions League and one of the domestic cups is also expected. I am sick and tired of watching Man City win everything, like they did last year.

Unfortunately, there are no major updates on the sale of the club. Indeed, it looks more and more likely every day that the despised Glazer family will stay in control. They were supposedly close to selling over the summer, but it’s very unclear just how genuine those intentions were. They still need to go, and fan groups are planning protests throughout the season that will not stop until the leeches have finally left our club alone.

Speaking of protests, there is another batch of controversy brewing among supporters, and it has to do with the potential reinstatement of winger/forward Mason Greenwood to the team. Greenwood has been away from the club for the better part of two years, having been accused of domestic violence and sexual assault from his former (current?) girlfriend, and many have called for him to never wear a United shirt ever again. His criminal charges over the matter have been dropped, but many in the court of public opinion have already deemed him guilty based on social media videos posted by Greenwood’s girlfriend. The author of this blog is not qualified to make a judgment either way as to the veracity of the claims, but I think it is for the best if Greenwood went to play somewhere else. Whether the allegations are true or not, they will be discussed every time he touches the ball. This is the kind of locker room distraction that can really hurt team chemistry, and Greenwood (despite his obvious natural talents) was supposedly not one for team camaraderie anyway. The club should listen to the open letter posted by a female supporters group and terminate his contract permanently.

Here’s to the Red Devils in 2023/2024! Glazers Out!

A Strong Second Half Grants United Victory at Brentford

Manchester United travelled to west London earlier today to take on newly-promoted Brentford FC at Brentford Community Stadium in the Premier League. The club colloquially known as the Bees have performed well so far this season for a newly-promoted side under manager Thomas Frank, and their well-drilled counter-attacking style of football has been a welcome addition to the Prem. Unlike many other newly-promoted sides, their confident play has shown that no occasion is too big for them. They’ve gotten good results against Arsenal (win), Liverpool (draw), and had a very narrow loss to Manchester City earlier this season. United meanwhile were looking for any kind of positive to take away from the match, after the incredibly frustrating draw with Aston Villa at the weekend.

There were no goals scored in the first half so I won’t spend too much time on it, other than to say that the only good player on the pitch for United was once again goalkeeper David De Gea. United were creating nothing going forward. Brentford were very happy to let us have the ball, because for one they knew that we wouldn’t be able to do anything with it, and for two they also knew we’d be likely to give it away in a dangerous area. Both those of things happened in the first 45 minutes, but Brentford were thwarted by either a save from De Gea or poor passing/finishing of their own in the final third. United did get earn fair share of set pieces from which a team could normally create a chance or two, but the Red Devils are so abysmal from corners and set pieces this season it was almost like Brentford didn’t mind defending them. United have had 110 corners this season, and 0 goals have been scored from them. Shocking, really. Whoever the set piece coach is for us, I’d like to know what blackmail he has on upper management that allows him to keep his job.

Still though, at 0-0 there was all still left to play for. Whatever manager Ralf Rangnick said to the lads at halftime clearly worked, because United came out in the second half and played some thoroughly impressive football. We were quicker to the ball, more precise with passes, and generally just more willing to put in the effort needed. They were rewarded for their industriousness and precision on 55 minutes, and the goal came from United youth academy product Anthony Elanga. The ball was passed around in central midfield a few times before it eventually landed at the feet of Fred, who spotted Elanga making a diagonal run into the box from the left hand side. Fred played a laser-like pass over the top to him, after which Elanga took a touch his right foot that caused the ball to bounce in the air. Brentford keeper Jonas Lossl was reacted far too slowly to Elanga winning the ball, and the young Swedish striker was able to tap it in with his head for 1-0. A great run and great finish from the 19 year-old, who has now put in two or three very solid shifts in succession for the club.

Brentford’s misery was further compounded on 62 minutes, when United won the ball in midfield and quickly moved the ball towards goal. Scott McTominay intercepted a pass and alertly played a pass of his own to striker Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo played a smart chest pass onto the run of Bruno Fernandes, who was through on goal from about 45 yards out. He ran into the box with Brentford defenders chasing him, but he couldn’t be caught from behind without being fouled, Lossl was quick off his line to challenge Bruno, but Bruno made the correct choice by playing a very simple ball to his right for Mason Greenwood to slide home into an empty net. There was a quick VAR check for offside, but Greenwood was level with Bruno when the ball was played to him. There won’t be many easier goals for Greenwood this season, as the hard work was done by Bruno, Ronaldo, and McTominay. Normally 2-0 after 62 minutes is a winning score line, but given United’s recent penchant for choking away leads, the match was far from over.

United got a third goal however 15 minutes later, and the way it came about was similar to the second one. Brentford lost possession in midfield to McTominay again, and he showed a great degree of skill by beating several challenges on the dribble when he brought the ball forward. Bruno was running alongside him to his right, so he played a pass to him. Marcus Rashford, on as a substitute, was just off Bruno’s right shoulder largely unmarked due to Brentford’s left back being out of position. Rashford hit Bruno’s touch pass first time high up and at a tight angle, but Lossl could not get to the powerful shot and it rattled the upper right hand corner of the net. Rashford has not played well recently, but getting back on the score sheet with what was eventually the match-sealer will be good for his confidence. His pace is almost unmatched in this league, so when he is in the right head space he can really damage the opposition. Well done to McTominay and Bruno as well.

Once it’s clear your team is going to win, the only thing you are focused on at that point is maintaining the clean sheet. De Gea deserved the clean sheet for his performance not only today but the past few matches as well. But United’s leaky defense reared its ugly head and Brentford were given a consolation goal on 85 minutes. United failed to clear a long throw-in from the right side, and the ball pinged around the box a bit before falling to striker Ivan Toney, who poked the ball home in the confusion of the scramble. It was a poor goal to concede after a strong second half performance, but given Brentford’s strong performance in the first half it could be argued they were deserving of a goal.

The second half of today’s performance was the best United have played under Ralf Rangnick. He seems to have shelved his desire for us to play a 4-2-2-2 for the time being, in favor of a more familiar 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. The second and third goals for United today were classic Rangnick-ball; get the ball high up the pitch, play it forward, and get men running towards the goal. Quick and decisive. McTominay was probably Man of the Match for his role in both of those goals and his overall bossing of the midfield in the second half, and it seems that he will be a vital player for Rangnick’s system going forward. MOTM could also go to De Gea or even right back Diogo Dalot. Dalot was very good defensively in both halves, winning headers in the air all day. Very impressed with him and the position of starting right back should be his to lose.

Despite the strong second half, the incredibly poor first half shows just how much work still needs to be done. Rangnick can undoubtedly get this team to play well, now he just needs to figure out how to get them to do it consistently. Consistency has easily been the club’s biggest problem this season. It’s not even a problem where one game we play well and then in the next we don’t – it’s half to half or even 20 minute spells at a time. It could be argued we even started playing poorly towards the end of today’s match, which in turn led to the Brentford goal. It’s maddening to try and figure out why this happens. It has to be something mental, though. That’s the only reason why a team with such talented players and a good tactical plan suddenly turn to garbage during matches. Focus and concentration should be the mantra from Rangnick from now on.

United still sit 7th in the Premier League, but are only two points off of the vital 4th place spot with Arsenal and Tottenham also fighting ferociously in 6th and 5th. We can’t be too focused on table position right now though, it’s all about finding consistency in our style of play and winning matches. Next up is an absolutely vital clash with 4th placed West Ham on Saturday, January 22. A win against the Hammers would help us out immensely in the race for the top-4.

Glory Glory Man United!

United Escape Aston Villa; Plus an FA Cup 4th Round Recap

England’s version of March Madness got into full swing this weekend with the 3rd round of the FA Cup now in the books. There have already been a number of upsets and there are at least 2 clubs who will believe that they’re going on a Cinderella-run of sorts. A more in-depth review can be found below!

Manchester United’s particular 3rd round tie was against Aston Villa at Old Trafford, held earlier on today. Aston Villa are currently in the bottom half of the Premier League table, but they are an intriguing side nonetheless given that their manager is none other than former Liverpool player (and villain of Old Trafford) Steven Gerrard. He was easily their best player for most of his career, and he certainly caused one or two anxious affairs for United when he was on the pitch in midfield. I was hoping the lads would be up for this one given who the opposite manager is, as there is nothing Gerrard (and Liverpool) would like more than to knock United out of a major tournament.

But this was once again a lackluster affair from United. They did get the game’s only goal on 8 minutes via a header from Scott McTominay, but the victory tends to paper over the cracks of all the issues on display. Villa were the better side for most the game, in particular the second half. They even had the ball in the net twice, but both goals were correctly ruled out after VAR review. Raphael Varane was solid in central defense and David De Gea had a good day in goal, but make no mistake, this was an ugly match. Marcus Rashford looks like a shadow of himself. Mason Greenwood is developing some ball-hogging tendencies that usually result in him losing possession. Further, we can’t retain possession to save our lives as collective team. It’s the same problem that has haunted us for over a month now – we give the ball away far too easily and there’s no effort (or at least no coordinated effort) to win it back.

There is still some adjustment to manager Ralf Rangnick’s playing style going on, and I am not sure how much this particular squad has bought into it. To be fair, there is a question of whether playing with only two men in midfield is an effective strategy for United and that is something that needs to be addressed more in-depth as the season moves forward. However, the lack of effort in ball recovery is perhaps an indication that not everyone fulling co-signs to this new style of play. That is not good at all, for several reasons. For one, in football you have to play as a unit. If multiple players don’t want to play the tactics that the rest of the team is doing, it’s not going to work. For two, it speaks to a level of apathy that is unacceptable for professional athletes. They all get paid millions to play a kids game, and that seems to have been somewhat forgotten.

I also think that several of our players, most notably Rashford, are not in the right space mentally. Rashford is not aggressive enough, and Greenwood is probably too aggressive. Substitute Anthony Elanga did more on the left wing in 10 minutes than Rashford did in 80. I love Rashford and I want to see him succeed, so I’d like to see another senior member of the team or one of the coaches get with him and see what the problem is. He’s insanely talented, but he hasn’t looked the same since he returned to the club after the Euros this past summer.

In short, Rangnick needs to get this squad together. I was happy with Elanga’s energy and Varane’s discipline today, but that’s really about it. Rashford, Greenwood, Bruno Fernandes, and Edinson Cavani all need to improve. The whole squad does really, but those 4 in particular are playing well below their usual standards.

United will host Championship side Middlesbrough at Old Trafford in the next round of the FA Cup. The next fixture though is a repeat of this one – hosting Villa in the Premier League in 5 days’ time. If we play like this again against them, they will at least earn a draw or outright beat us.

***

A quick but important shoutout to three other clubs – Kidderminster Harriers FC and Boreham Wood FC. I won’t lie, I hadn’t heard of those two clubs before yesterday. But these two have made some serious waves by winning their FA Cup 3rd Round fixtures – by beating Reading FC and AFC Wimbledon respectively. What makes those two results so notable is that both Kidderminster and Boreham Wood are non-league teams, meaning they are comprised entirely of semi-professional players. There are 8 divisions in the English football pyramid, and both teams play in the 6th division, referred to as the National League. It’s always great to see the minnows earn a chance to swim with the big fish, which is exactly what these two have done. For their efforts, Kidderminster get the reward of hosting Premier League side West Ham United, while Boreham Wood will travel to play Championship side AFC Bournemouth. Both clubs stand to make a good deal of money from these fixtures, and for me there’s nothing cooler than semi-pros getting to try their hand against professional millionaires. Imagine you and 5 friends start a basketball team, and your get far enough into a tournament to get a chance at playing the LA Lakers or Chicago Bulls. That’s the equivalent of what is happening here.

Also a very special shoutout to Nottingham Forest FC, a Championship side who knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup yesterday at Emirates Stadium. Forest is my grandparents’ club and I have taken a tour of that club’s stadium personally, so I feel a special affinity towards them when they aren’t playing United. It’s a big achievement for Forest to take down one of the giants, and it was in no small part thanks to James Garner (no relation to the actor), a midfielder on loan to Forest from United. Forest have been devoid of major success for a few decades now so it’s great to see them get a result. Always good to see Arsenal lose in the FA Cup as well, as they have won it more times than any other club.

Wolves Defeat Man United at Old Trafford

The heavily congested Premier League fixture list continued this afternoon at Old Trafford where the Red Devils took on Midlands-based club Wolverhampton Wanderers. The club colloquially known as Wolves have been a bit of a bogey-team for United in recent years, as United typically struggles to dispatch them. They are good defensively, but have had a lot of trouble scoring goals. United were looking to continue on the improvements made during the Burnley match a few days ago. The biggest headline pre-kickoff was the inclusion of center-back Phil Jones in the United starting XI, as he has not played in roughly two years due to injury and mental health challenges.

But this match was nothing like the previous one, not for United at least. The first half was positively boring to watch for all fans, as neither side were good in the final attacking third of the pitch. United’s style of play was causing some rumblings and confusion as well. They seemed to be under instruction from manager Ralf Rangnick to sit back and try to hit Wolves on the counter-attack. That can be a good tactical approach to a match, but it was largely ineffective against Wolves. Wolves did not commit many men forward, and even when they did they were very effective at getting back quickly so United could not get the ball to the dangerous forward players. And indeed, if you had to pick the better team over the first 45 minutes, you would be hard pressed not to pick Wolves. United gave the ball away in promising positions more times than I bothered counting, with Wolves forming an effective block in midfield and defense.

It also appeared that Rangnick wanted our attacks to involve the fullbacks to a heavy extent, which again can work in certain situations. It did not today though. For all his defensive prowess, United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka cannot consistently cross the ball well to save his life. He puts a good one in every once in awhile, but today he was very poor. I counted at least 2 crosses where United had players in good position in front of the goal, only for his cross to be over the head of everyone. To be fair, his counterpart on the left side Luke Shaw wasn’t having a very good game either. So many missed passes today, and not only from those two. Almost every single United player was guilty of giving the ball away cheaply at some point. There were even moments when simple 10 yard passes were going astray, with Wolves more than happy to pick up on the loose ball in most situations.

Goalkeeper David De Gea had to make a few routine saves in the first half, which he was more than equal to. Wolves were having their own issues in the final third in terms of completely passes and not losing possession themselves. The real concern was that it took almost half an hour for United to get a shot on target, and it wasn’t even really a menacing shot anyway. Wolves keeper José Sá was hardly tested by it. Those of us who have been watching United for the past few decades know that 1 shot on target which took 30 minutes to register is not good enough. Unacceptable for Manchester United FC.

Halftime saw both sides at 0-0 though, so I thought this would be another match where we play like shit and don’t deserve to win, only for one of players to produce a moment of quality that earns us the points. But it was Wolves who remained largely on the front foot, with United struggling to gain a foothold. Around the hour mark Bruno Fernandes was brought on for a bit more creativity in midfield, and it was he who had United’s best chance to score. A cross came in from the left wing along the ground, and Bruno was unmarked as he ran into the box. He struck the ball first time with Sá beaten, only for his high and powerful shot to rattle the crossbar and back into play. Cristiano Ronaldo (captain on the day) tried to get his head to it, but he couldn’t get a good angle on the rebound and the chance was gone.

Several half chances were created by both sides after that, but the respective defenses cleared the ball away each time. I was actually somewhat impressed with the United defense up until the 80th minute or so. Jones cleared a pass with his head that fell to Wolves’ Portuguese midfielder João Moutinho, who let loose a shot with his left foot from just outside the United penalty area. It cleared a sea of bodies before rolling into the left hand side of the goal with De Gea unsighted. It was a shitty goal to concede, but it did seem to be coming and it’s hard to argue that Wolves didn’t deserve it. United had asserted some dominance from 60 minutes to about 80 minutes, but Wolves were back on top after that.

Bruno did well to force a save from Sá in stoppage time from a free kick, but that was really the only dangerous chance United created after the goal went in. The full time whistle went and United were losers on the day, 1-0. Wolves beat us in almost every single statistical category, including a shocking 8-1 margin in their favor for corners taken.

The tactics were a problem today. So was taking off United’s best attacking player in Mason Greenwood for an out-of-form Bruno. However, those problems were minimal in comparison to the main problem: the collective attitude and communication of the United players. You can have the best tactical plan ever and make all the right substitutions, but if the players aren’t executing the plan and doing the simple things correctly then there is no hope for victory. Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani were mostly invisible today. Jadon Sancho gave the ball away frequently. Marcus Rashford was running around like a headless chicken. Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic were overrun in midfield consistently. Neither fullback could put in a decent cross. There were times when it seemed like the players had never even met one another before. The list of issues goes on and on. No pressing, no aggressive challenges on 50/50 balls, and just a general lack of interest in doing the routine and basic things all professional footballers are capable of doing. It makes the fans want to pull their collective hair out.

Rangnick needs to re-think using a two-man midfield. It stopped working under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and has not really worked during Rangnick’s tenure either. I thought it might be better for Ronaldo to have a second striker up there with him, but a much more pressing need is stability in the midfield. If we can’t hold possession against Wolves, we will really struggle against teams that are actually good. It’s extremely difficult to tell what Rangnick is doing that is different from what OGS was doing, and while that might be partially on Rangnick it is more on the players. Even if the tactics are crap, I expect full commitment and high energy from every single player we have. They are too talented (and too well-paid) to be as static as they are. As I said after the dismal draw at Newcastle, a fire needs to be lit under the players’ asses. I say we bench the superstars for a match and put the youth team out there. They may not be as technically gifted or strong, but they are guaranteed to try hard and put in a shift.

De Gea was good today like he usually is, as was Jones and center-back Raphael Varane. Yes Jones was partially responsible for the Wolves’ goal, but he had a very solid performance today overall given that he hadn’t played in two years. He got a lot of stick on social media after some poor performances in 2019 and early 2020, so I am glad to see that he is getting praised today. He was even the guy that won the foul where Bruno almost scored late on. On the very long list of United’s problems, Jones is right near the bottom. All credit to him for putting in some work today, because many of United’s players did not.

United host Aston Villa at Old Trafford next Monday, January 10th. I have zero expectations, but I’m sure I’ll still be disappointed. I expect a massive clear-out and rebuild this summer if the players continue to show a lack of interest and execution. It’s beyond maddening because on paper this is a very good team, and this was supposed to be the season where we returned to our rightful place at the top of the table. That’s not happening now though. We have all the talent necessary to win, but you don’t win in the Prem on talent alone.

United Improve, Finish 2021 With Three Points

The final Manchester United match of calendar year 2021 took place this afternoon at Old Trafford, with the hosts taking on Yorkshire based club Burnley FC. The Red Devils and manager Ralf Rangnick were looking to improve on their last performance against Newcastle in which they were decidedly second best, while Burnley were playing their first match in almost three weeks due to a Covid-19 outbreak among their squad. Burnley is a well-coached side defensively in most games, but they lack the ability to consistently score. Rangnick, clearly disappointed with the side he fielded last Monday, made six changes to the team.

The match got underway with high intensity from both sides, and that intensity resulted in clear goal-scoring opportunities for both sides. Burnley striker Chris Wood likely should have scored in the first 5 minutes but his free header went wide, and United striker Cristiano Ronaldo should have also opened the scoring just two minutes after Wood’s missed chance. He was through on goal after a great pass from left back Luke Shaw, but he blazed his shot over the bar while being harassed by a Burnley defender. United did get the opening goal though, and it was the earliest goal they have scored in the Premier League all season. The ball was played out to the right wing to right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who did well to find striker/winger Mason Greenwood in the penalty area. Greenwood attempted a dribble before firing a shot, but it was blocked by the Burnley defense. He carried on though and recovered possession to the right of the goal, after which he played the ball back out to Ronaldo along the ground. Ronaldo’s first touch was heavy however as he attempted to get the ball onto his left foot. I thought Burnley might clear it, but the onrushing Scott McTominay was there to seemingly take the ball away from Ronaldo and lash a shot into the bottom corner of the net. It was a wonderful strike from about 18 yards out, and he placed it into a very narrow corridor between the post and Burnley keeper Wayne Hennessey. McTominay is not known as a goal-scorer usually, but he can contribute about 5 goals per season from his position in defensive midfield. United had failed to score in the first half hour all season, but they broke that trend today. The first goal in a match is always an important one, and far too often this season and last we were the ones to go behind first.

Of course, the first goal doesn’t mean much if you don’t add a second or third one. The Prem is just too good talent-wise to try and defend a 1-0 lead for 82 minutes, even against an offensively-inept Burnley side. United did add a second however about 20 minutes later, largely thanks to the work of Shaw and winger Jadon Sancho in the left channel. Shaw brought the ball forward and tried to play a cross to Ronaldo, but there wasn’t enough air under the pass and Burnley partially cleared it. The ball came back in the direction of Shaw though, and he got a bit of luck when two Burnley players collided trying to clear the ball and it fell straight to him about 40 yards from the goal. He spotted the overlapping run of Sancho and played it to him. Sancho took the ball down the wing and into the box, before cutting inside on his right foot and firing towards goal. The ball took the slightest of deflections off Burnley defender Ben Mee before rolling past Hennessey and into the far corner. While the Dubious Goals Committee (yes, that’s a real thing) eventually scored it as a Burnley own-goal, Sancho deserves most/all of the credit for creating the opportunity. Sancho seems to be a player who needs confidence to play well, and contributing to a goal like that will do wonders for him. Mee likely did get a touch on the shot, but was just unlucky with the deflection he got.

United were not done, either. Greenwood found himself on the ball on the left wing on 35 minutes, and he spotted Sancho on the opposite wing. He played a long ball to him over the top, and Sancho did well to get it under control and take a dribble or two towards the goal. McTominay was again rushing in from midfield, so Sancho played a casual ball to him along the ground. McTominay struck it cleaning first-time from the edge of the box, and Hennessey made his finest save of the match up until that point by pushing the screaming shot onto the post. Unfortunately for Burnley though, the rebound off the post fell directly to Ronaldo who was completely unmarked. He tapped the ball in with the outside of his right foot, and Ronaldo won’t score many goals easier than that one. He wheeled away and did his trademark “SIUUU” celebration, with McTominay right there alongside him. Ronaldo is the club’s top-scorer through the first half of the season, with 14 goals in all competitions.

The festivities were dampened slightly just a few moments later however, as Burnley broke through for their first goal of the match on 38 minutes. Burnley had the ball right around the halfway line when it was played forward towards Wood, but the pass was intercepted by United center-back Eric Bailly. Bailly’s touch was heavy though and it fell directly into the path of striker/winger (and former England international) Aaron Lennon about 40 yards from goal. Lennon ran at the United defense, riding a challenge from midfielder Nemanja Matic and being closely watched by center-back Harry Maguire. There was a lot of space for Lennon however, and he was able to hit a sort of re-direct shot away from Maguire and along the ground. I thought keeper David De Gea would save it due to the lack of power on the shot, but he didn’t get to it in time and Burnley found themselves on the score sheet completely against the run of play. Well done to Lennon to turn back the hands of time and produce a finish in the way that he did, but it was a poor goal to concede from United’s point of view. Bailly’s heavy touch and Maguire’s indecision in making a tackle and then ultimately covering the wrong angle allowed Lennon to get into that dangerous position. Still, it was 3-1 at halftime and most felt that United were in control.

In contrast to the fun and entertaining first half, the second half was mired in the doldrums. Neither side really went forward, although for different reasons. It seemed United were deliberately holding back while Burnley simply had no idea what to do with the ball when in possession. Frustratingly, there were several times when United seemed like they would be able to break forward and create a chance, only for someone to play the ball backwards and the chance would be gone. Rangnick himself was also visibly frustrated on the touchline when an opening was wasted, much to the delight of the United faithful. Burnley’s best chances came from set pieces, but the best chance overall in the second half was United’s thanks to good counter-attacking play from Sancho, Ronaldo, and striker Edinson Cavani. Cavani’s acrobatic shot was ruled out for offside after he forced the best save from Hennessey on the night. Had the ball gone in it would have been an interesting situation though, as VAR showed that Cavani appeared to be onside when Ronaldo played it to him. The matched ended 3-1 with all four goals scored in the first half.

Make no mistake, United showed a lot of improvement today, particularly with the front 4 plus McTominay. The player affectionately known as “McSauce” was easily Man of the Match, not only for his goal contributions but also for his industrious work rate. He seemed to be everywhere today. It is also a good thing that United scored 3 goals without Bruno Fernandes stepping on the pitch. Far too often last season and somewhat in this season we rely on him to produce a moment of magic that leads to a goal. Other teams saw that, man-marked Bruno, and all of a sudden we weren’t scoring as much. The energy from the team overall was much better overall as well, and we looked more cohesive pressing the ball. It’s true that Burnley aren’t very good and probably employed the wrong tactics today by failing to press United when on the ball, but you can only play the team put in front of you. Good shifts put in by Sancho, Ronaldo, Shaw, Cavani, Greenwood, and substitute Diogo Dalot.

That being said, there is still room for improvement. The back four still looked shaky today, similar to how they did against Newcastle. It’s true that Victor Lindelof is out with Covid-19 and Raphael Varane is still adjusting to first-team football after an injury, but it seems no matter what center-back pairing we play there is always someone who makes errors throughout the match. Bailly was mostly OK aside from his bad touch that led to the Burnley goal, but Maguire had another poor performance. He seems so indecisive whenever he needs to make a tackle. He’s a great passer of the ball, but his defensive positioning and decision making have been poor for several weeks now. He needs to be on the bench for a match or two so that he can get his head right. Defending is just as much a mental task as it is a physical one. Maguire has no issues physically, but the mental side of his game is in shambles. I am sure he will get back into good form at some point, and hopefully it’s sooner rather than later.

Still, United have cracked the top 6 in the table, and they are level for 5th on points with West Ham but with a game in hand. United’s next match is Monday, January 3, when they will host Wolverhampton Wanderers. They are a much tougher test than Burnley, so hopefully the good form continues. It’s odd to have a Premier League match on a Monday early afternoon/early morning America-time, but the fixtures are heavily congested at this time of year.

Glory Glory Man United, and Happy New Year to all! Here’s to Manchester United and England in 2022!

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!

Ralf Rangnick’s First Match in Charge Ends In Victory

Manchester United continued their Premier League season today against London-based side Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. New manager Ralf Rangnick was in the dugout/on the touchline for this one, having had his required paperwork sorted out.

He lined United up in a familiar-looking 4-2-3-1, with Scott McTominay and Fred in defensive midfield. The specific players used were fairly expected as well, bar the presence of Diogo Dalot at right back and Jadon Sancho starting on the right wing ahead of Mason Greenwood. But despite using a lot of the same players the previous manager was using, it was clear from the first 20 minutes or so of play that there was a clear plan for how Rangnick wanted them to play. When in possession he wanted us to get the ball wide and incorporate the fullbacks, the aforementioned Dalot and left-back Alex Telles. The fullbacks were to provide crosses into the box towards striker Cristiano Ronaldo and let him work his magic. It seems the players were also encouraged to shoot more from distance, since I saw a lot more of that than we usually do. Bruno Fernandes was denied by Palace keeper Vicente Guaita from distance on 25 minutes, Ronaldo forced Guiata into another save with a fairly tame effort a few minutes later, and Dalot was unlucky to see his shot flash over the bar just before half time after some fine dribbling and combination play in the right channel.

Despite it being 0-0 at halftime, I was impressed with how United was controlling the game. It’s true that Palace were defending well and doing enough to keep us from scoring, but they had offered absolutely nothing going forward. Our tackling and winning back of possession was consistently excellent, and the only vague chance Palace had was a shot from distance by Ghanaian striker Jordan Ayew that went wide. For the first time in a long time, United looked solid at the back. Also for the first time in a long time, there seemed to be a coherent plan for pressing.

After the resumption of play it was United creating the opportunities yet again. Ronaldo came close to connecting on a header on 50 minutes only to be foiled by a punch clear from Guaita. Telles was also denied by Guiata on 67 minutes after his free kick was touched onto the cross bar and away by the Palace keeper.

Palace had their best chance of the match however on 74 minutes, and it was lucky for United that they did not capitalize on it. United failed to clear a cross from a corner and it was knocked back across the face of goal by Palace defender James Tomkins. The ball fell directly to Ayew in space, but he lashed a shot the other way across the face of goal and wide left. Ayew really should have done better as the United defenders were nowhere near him and keeper David De Gea was wrong-footed. Ayew has been in poor form as a striker recently and perhaps his lack of confidence did not help him in that situation.

But it was United who broke the deadlock on 77 minutes via an unlikely source – the diminutive and enigmatic Brazilian, Fred. Dalot was on the right wing and he played a crisp diagonal pass along the ground to Greenwood (on as a sub) in the box. Greenwood tried to dribble around his defender but was walled off, so he laid-off a pass sort of diagonally and behind him into the path of Fred. Fred had flashed down towards the edge of the box when he saw space open up. He hit the ball from about 20 yards out using a sweeping motion with his right foot first-time, and it floated beautifully with curve into the far corner of the net. It was a truly sumptuous strike, although completely unexpected from him. He is a tackler and winner of the ball. He starts the attack usually, he does not finish them. Still, no matter the source, it was a wonderful finish and Fred should take pride in how well he played today overall. He, Old Trafford, and even Rangnick himself could not contain their celebrations. It was a deserved goal given United’s dominance in the match.

There was truthfully not much further action after that, as United focused on keeping the ball and ensuring that Palace did not have a chance to score. Credit to the 36 year-old Ronaldo for sprinting back after 95 minutes of play to help defend a throw-in. Aside from that noteworthy moment, the match had slowed down immensely and Palace looked to be out of ideas. It ended 1-0 with Fred’s goal being the winner.

This was a very professional match from United. We were getting the ball forward to try and create chances, and the press was coordinated when we needed to win the ball back. It’s clear that Rangnick’s system will take some getting used to and the players can’t be expected to execute it perfectly on the first try, but there was a lot to be happy about with this match. It’s always a big plus to get a clean sheet, and this one was especially needed given United’s penchant for leaking goals this season. The clean sheet came as a result of United controlling the match almost from start to finish. We made a midtable team look like a midtable team, which is something that we have struggled to do all season. Aside from the odd set piece, Palace created nothing in attack and never really looked like scoring.

Fred was Man of the Match, not only for his goal but also for his pressing and breaking up of play in the middle of the park. He is an industrious player that always seems to play well for Brazil but is inconsistent for United. But I think Rangnick will figure out how to get the best out of him. Fred is our best presser of the ball, and Rangnick eventually will have system of pressing implemented where he will feature heavily. Very special performances from Dalot and Telles as well. It is important that those two are in good form, because it lets Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw know that their respective starting spots in the squad are not guaranteed. Sometimes there is nothing better for a group of players on a team than some friendly internal competition for places. One final shoutout to center back Victor Lindelof for yet-another solid defensive performance, with several key clearances and tackles made.

I think things will only improve from here. The final match of the Champions League group stage is next Wednesday, with United taking on BSC Young Boys at Old Trafford. United have already won their group however so I expect a lot of squad rotation from Rangnick during this fixture-congested part of the season. It is vital to keep the best players fresh and free of risk of injury.

Glory glory Man United!

Ronaldo Rescues United – Again

Mancheser United travelled to Bergamo, Italy to play Atalanta BC this afternoon/evening at Gewiss Stadium. Champions League Group F is still hotly contested, with United coming in top of the group on 6 points while Atalanta were level-second with 4. Both sides would have been eyeing a victory beforehand here. United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was desperate for a convincing win to build off the victory over Tottenham at the weekend, while the Italian side probably smelled a little blood in the water. Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini and their collective players knew we’ve been in poor form recently, and if they could manage to beat United in the Champions League it would go down as one of the most famous nights in the club’s history.

The energy and intensity of the local crowd was matched by the Atalanta players from the get-go though, and it was clear that this was going to be a very tough match for the Red Devils. United did a get the first real chance of the match though, via a deflected shot from Scott McTominay that hit the post. Atalanta grew into the game though, and their Colombian striker Duvan Zapata was causing a lot of problems for the back line with his physical style of play. He was able to consistently hold off United’s defenders and keep the ball while his teammates ran forward, and on several occasions he even created chances for himself.

United were undone just 12 minutes in after Atalanta was allowed far too much time on the ball around the edge of the box. Striker Josip Iličić was found by a neat pass along the ground from Zapata, and he struck the ball along the ground towards keeper David De Gea’s goal. De Gea’s vision appeared to be blocked by another Atalanta player in front of him, and the ball squirted underneath him and into the back of the net. It was a very soft goal to concede due to the lack of power on the shot. It must be pointed out that the Atalanta player blocking De Gea’s vision was probably in an offside position, but VAR reviewed it and the goal stood. It’s true the offside player didn’t touch the shot as it went through, but given his role in blocking the keeper’s vision I think he was contributing to the play. In that situation, the flag should have gone up. Still, the Red Devils were in a familiar position this season, down 1-0 early to inferior opposition.

Atalanta could have easily had a second goal on half an hour when Paul Pogba played a dangerous backwards pass in the air towards De Gea, which was seized upon Zapata. The ball fell to him in acres of space inside the United box, but he took a shot just as Ivorian center-back Eric Bailly was arriving on scene. Bailly threw his body into the path of the shot, where it the top of his shoulder and flew over the bar. An heroic block from Bailly that was as valuable as a goal. VAR checked for handball, but no penalty was awarded.

United found an equalizer in first-half stoppage time though, and of course it came from none other than Mr. Champions League himself, Cristiano Ronaldo. United won a throw-in in the attacking third, and it was moved around quickly in midfield before Bruno Fernandes ran into the box in front of his man. He was found by Mason Greenwood via a crisp pass along the ground into his feet. Bruno then played a backheel onto the onrushing Ronaldo, who struck it sweetly into the left side of the net. It was a brilliant bit of team play, and it was a good finish to cap off our best move of the match. Ronaldo simply cannot be stopped in the Champions League. Bruno probably could have a had a shot himself given that he had beaten his marker, but he definitely made the right decision by leaving it behind for his fellow countryman.

At halftime it was 1-1 and although it had been a rough start, I felt that United would capitalize on their sudden momentum into the second half. I was wrong. Despite Bruno having a shot early on blocked, it was the Italian side that took the lead again, and this time Zapata could not be stopped. A ball was played over the top to him, and he found space between Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Bailly to run into. Harry Maguire (also on a shocker) couldn’t get over in time to close him down, and Zapata tapped it past De Gea from close range for 2-1. Initially, the goal was ruled out for offside, but after a very lengthy VAR check the offside call was overturned and Gewiss Stadium erupted into celebration again. This was quite an unprofessional goal to concede. Several United players were just stood there with the arms raised calling for offside, all while Zapata was in on goal. Ok yes the call was questionable, but questionable calls happen all the time! The players have to be switched on enough to go and clear the ball anyway, even if they think it’s offside. Really poor to see from an effort point of view. Play until you hear a whistle – it’s as simple as that.

Edinson Cavani replaced a largely-ineffective Marcus Rashford soon after the 2nd goal, which didn’t really change much. Nemanja Matic came on for Pogba shortly after that, which was probably 20 minutes too late. Pogba needed to be off much sooner, given how poor he played. Atalanta continued having the better of the chances, and I thought United were heading towards defeat in northern Italy. More substitutions were made on 85 minutes, with Jadon Sancho and Donny van de Beek (VDB) coming on as well. And finally, a positive effect was felt. Those two contributed more in 10 minutes of play than Pogba did in 70+. Why they both weren’t on earlier is a mystery to me as both contributed to the late equalizer.

Sancho and VDB combined well down the left side, with VDB eventually getting a cross in along the ground. It was only partly cleared by Atalanta, and the ball fell to Ronaldo on the left side of the edge of the penalty box. He dribbled parallel to the goal for a bit before finding Greenwood, who juggled it a bit in the air haphazardly before getting it back to Ronaldo. Ronaldo hit it on the volley first time low and with power diagonally across the box, and the ball went under Atalanta keeper Juan Musso at the far corner for 2-2 in the 91st minute. Unbelievable. Ronaldo is simply other-worldly. You can keep him quiet for 88 minutes but if you slip up in just two of those minutes, he can hurt you. Both of his goals were well-taken but the finish from outside the box on the 2nd goal was truly stunning. United would be bottom of this Champions League group if not for him.

VDB then almost won it from United from close range at a tight angle just minutes later, but Musso produced a fine save to deny him. The final whistle went and the points were shared. United still lead Group F, but they are level on points with Villarreal at 7 apiece. Atalanta sit 3rd with 5 points. United are still in the driver’s seat to win the group, but the match against Villarreal in a few weeks’ time in Spain is now the pivotal match in the group. Win, and we’re essentially through to the knockouts. Lose, and we stand a very good chance of missing out on the next round and being forced to play in the semi-dreadful Europa League.

Needless to say, no one was convinced by this performance. Yes we got a point away from home in the Champions League, but it was an awful bloody struggle to get it. OGS got his tactics wrong – again – and we had to be rescued by two moments of brilliance at the end of each half. The back three didn’t work today, and who knows how long OGS would have stuck with it if he wasn’t forced into a change by an injury? It’s clear that Gasperini and his staff watched our performance against Tottenham and figured out a way to stop us from hitting them on the counter attack. It was a simple move on paper, really. He just told his back line to play further back towards their goal than Tottenham’s back line did, and we couldn’t get any runners in behind them like we did at the weekend. They also knew – again – when to press us and who to press, and that was usually Maguire. His poor positioning was directly responsible for their second goal. I think he needs a benching for a match or two to get his head right because he is not playing up to his full abilities.

Gasperini needs to be credited for making a tactical switch at halftime as well. He assigned a normally more attack-minded midfielder to instead man-mark Bruno, meaning he was to follow Bruno around whenever Atalanta were off the ball and make it impossible for him to be the playmaker he normally likes to be. For most of the half, it worked. Pogba was having an absolute shocker of a match and with Bruno man-marked, we had no one to create for us in midfield. We couldn’t keep consistent possession, and even when we did manage to gain a foothold, the ball was promptly surrendered again. Again, I cannot a recall a match in which I have seen Pogba play so poorly.

All in all, Atalanta won this match from a tactical perspective. It was domination by them for the majority of the time. They had better chances. However, United were more clinical. We only had maybe 3-4 shots on target the whole match, but we made 2 of them count thanks to the magic of Ronaldo. However, this style of play is unsustainable. You cannot give your opponent the lead twice in a game and expect to get something out of it every time, because you won’t. I am gravely concerned about our defending, in particular the lack of communication along a back line that was so consistent last season. Seeing Raphael Varane go off injured again was a large black mark on the match as well, because he is now probably unavailable for the Manchester Derby on Saturday.

I do think it’s time for OGS and Manchester United to move on from each other. He keeps making the same mistakes over and over again, and there is still no clear style of play. He refuses to bench out-of-form players, and he routinely makes either the wrong substitution or waits too long to make the substitution altogether. I understand we need a defensive midfielder, but rollercoaster form like this is not acceptable given the talent we have. We need a manager with a solid vision for the system he wants to implement and a clear path for how to do it. I appreciate everything OGS has done for this club both as a player and manager, but I do feel that his unwillingness to make changes and inability to make effective changes means that he has taken us as far as he can take us. If the City result is negative, I can see his time being over.

Man of the Match = Eric Bailly. Several key blocks and tackles won in crucial areas, coupled with a magnificent work-rate. Best player on the pitch by a mile wearing red.

United return to Old Trafford on Saturday for the Manchester Derby. I’m not optimistic. Maybe we get a few moments of magic like we did today, but keeping Manchester City from scoring will be a very tall order indeed.

A Dismal Defeat at Leicester

The Premier League resumed play after the most recent international break today with Manchester United travelling to the King Power Stadium for a match with Leicester City. United had been in stuttering form going into the break, and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knew that the seat under him would reach a boiling point if United failed to do anything but win. The Foxes have had their own stuttering start to the season, but they always seem to play United tough and they certainly are not scared of us. United were without center back Raphael Varane (injury), midfielder Fred (rest), and striker Edinson Cavani (rest).

United struck firs from a stunning goal by Mason Greenwood, but Leicester soon equalized via Youri Tielemans after a calamitous error from center-back Harry Maguire at the back. At halftime it was still 1-1, despite Leicester probably being the better side. United were not creating a lot of good scoring chances, and I feared that we would concede again at some point in the second. Despite being level at 1-1, it was the same United we have seen for the past few weeks: lots of possession, but no consistent goal-scoring threat compounded by shaky defending.

Despite United being more dominant in the second half, Leicester fought back resiliently and went ahead via center-back Çağlar Söyüncü, who tapped in a loose ball past David De Gea. Leicester probably could have been ahead before that though, but De Gea was in good form today and prevented at least two shots from going in before that one did. United were at 6s and 7s in defense though and Söyüncü took advantage.

United did fight back however and made it 2-2 on 82 minutes after substitute Marcus Rashford got his first United goal of the season, having recently returned from shoulder surgery and a bit of rest. I thought we had at least rescued a point at that time, but shockingly Leicester were ahead again 3-2 directly from the restart. Leicester striker Jamie Vardy poked home a cross from the left side just seconds after United had scored, and again the back four was nowhere to be found. United looked deflated after that. You could see the heads drop and the disappointment setting in. Leicester got their fourth in injury time via forward Patson Daka, and the match was well and truly over.

So who is to blame for such a dismal performance? It’s always hard to allocate blame for a loss given the team nature of football, but that’s not to say it’s impossible. Maguire easily had his worst performance in a United shirt. Paul Pogba was ineffective in midfield. Nemanja Matic looked slow and tentative. Bruno Fernandes had cameos of good play but was largely anonymous. Greenwood, Rashford, and De Gea played well, but just about everyone else played very poorly. I’m not sure Maguire was 100% match fit, but OGS played him anyway. He admitted afterwards it was a questionable decision to start Maguire, and clearly it was not the right decision. That was just one of the problems today, though.

The team mentality is wrong. The tactics, particularly in midfield, are wrong. It’s true we are short a solid defensive midfielder, but the problems run deeper than that. We are not playing with confidence. We are not playing with arrogance. We are a team that is capable of producing good moments of play, but we do not consistently pressure the opposition and we seem to lack a distinct style of play. We do not know what to do with the ball when we have it, and there is no urgency to win it back when we don’t have it. We also seem to be inflexible tactically, in the sense that we cannot deviate from whatever plan is put in place at the start of a match. Once the opposition figures us out, it’s fairly simple for them to grind out a draw or even a win like what happened today.

So what do we do in midfield to fix it? Well, there’s no easy answer there. It’s clear that Matic cannot be used consistently anymore due to his physical deterioration, but the more-athletic duo of Fred and Scott McTominay do not create enough going forward when they play together in the center. Pogba probably needs to feature in most of our midfield set-ups due to his passing talent, but if there is no one making runs forward in front of him he tends to play the ball sideways and backwards too much. Other teams have also figured out that man-marking Bruno is a good way to keep him from getting on the ball and creating. You could move Bruno to the wing so as to allow for a three man midfield of Pogba/McT/Fred and to give him more space to create, but then you sacrifice Greenwood, Jadon Sancho, or Rashford as a starter when all 3 of them would expect to be starting each match. It’s a real pickle in terms of tactics and man-management. United have all the weapons in the world, but we simply cannot figure out how to get them all firing at once.

All of these issues fall squarely on the head of OGS. He has to figure this out. He has to do something – anything – different to fix this. United fans were clamoring for the Board of Directors to support OGS and give him what he needs to help us win, but now that they’ve (largely) done that he has to deliver. In the last few matches however, he simply hasn’t. It’s far too simple right now for the opposition to figure us out and slow us down. We have the talent to win games with moments of brilliance, but those moments simply aren’t enough over the span of a 38 match season. If OGS does not figure this out and the poor results continue, I will be surprised if he makes it to November as manager. I love what he’s done for this club as a player and the club is undoubtedly better off than it was when he first got here as manager, but I fear he has taken us as far as he can. My personal affinity for the man prevents me from calling for his sacking, but many others both on TV and online have no such qualms.

OGS has another chance to right the ship at midweek, as United return to Old Trafford to take on Italian side Atalanta in the Champions League. Anything less than a win could very well lead to OGS’s sacking, as much as it pains me to say it.