Premier League: A Deserved Victory Over Wolves

Manchester United hosted Midlands-based side Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier today at a sun-drenched Old Trafford in the Premier League. This match was of high importance to United and manager Erik ten Hag, as they needed a victory to ensure that they could temporarily hold off Liverpool in the race for the top-4. Wolves and manager Julen Lopetegui on the other hand did not have much to play for, given that they are mathematically safe from relegation and are unlikely to reach a European qualifying place. Matches against Wolves usually aren’t high scoring, but United fans would be fine with that as long as there was a victory. Striker Marcus Rashford was worryingly absent due to a leg injury, but there was a boost for United in defense with the return of center-back Raphael Varane. In attendance today was former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, along with former winger (and club legend) Park Ji-sung. Both are fan favorites and their presence helped create a very positive atmosphere at kick-off.

While both sides were slow out of the gate, United were the team showing the impetus as the first half got going. Winger Antony dos Santos went close on 8 minutes after Wolves gave the ball away in their own end, only to see his shot from about 20 yards go just wide of Wolves’ reserve keeper Dan Bentley’s post. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes then forced Bentley into another save on 27 minutes from a free kick on the left wing. United eventually got their deserved breakthrough on 32 minutes. Bruno did well to win the ball in midfield, and he then played a 1-2 with fellow midfielder Casemiro before bringing the ball forward into space. Bruno played the ball ahead onto the run of Antony, with Bentley forced off his line to try and minimize the angle for Antony’s shot. Antony did not shoot though, instead opting to smartly cross it to striker Anthony Martial. Martial was mostly on his own at the back post with Bentley stranded in no-man’s land, and he took his chance to bury a shot from about 9 yards out. A very well-worked goal for the Frenchman, and it’s good to see him back on the score sheet. Bruno was the engineer of the goal however, and credit to Antony for making the right pass at the right time.

The Red Devils forged a few more half chances after that, but they went to the locker room for orange slices up 1-0 after 45 minutes. Martial maybe should have made it 2-0 after a sensational lung-bursting run from Antony down the right wing on the counter in first half stoppage time, but his shot was tame and an easy catch for Bentley. ETH and the supporters in the stadium were still mostly happy with the score line, though. It had been one-way traffic for United, with Wolves failing to register a shot on target.

While the second half again got off to a slow start for both teams, the aforementioned one-way traffic soon resumed for United. Antony had a shot that was again just wide of the post on 59 minutes. United probably should have had a second on 73 minutes after a good run into the box from winger Jadon Sancho, but his low and powerful shot was pawed away by Bentley. A very good save from the Wolves reserve keeper, but Sancho likely should have done better from 12 yards out in space. Bentley again did well just a few minutes later when he got down low to get a hand to a long-range and dipping effort from Casemiro. United were keeping the ball in the attacking third though, and Bentley was called into action yet again as the clock struck 90 minutes. Bruno and Antony combined well on the right wing, with Bentley diving down to parry Antony’s shot out behind for a corner.

A staggering 6 minutes of stoppage time was given by the referee, and for the first time all match Wolves tried to get forward. This ultimately ended up biting them in the rear end though, as United were 2-0 up on 94 minutes thanks to substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho. The ball was cleared away by left back Luke Shaw, and it eventually fell to Bruno inside the center circle. He spotted Garnacho on a diagonal run ahead of him, and he played it into the feet of the Argentine teenager perfectly. Garnacho carried the ball into the box, after which he took a touch on the ball to get his marker to commit to the challenge. Bentley and the defender both moved to Garnacho’s left, so he struck the ball to the keeper’s right and clanged it in off the right-hand post! A great way to kill off the match and seal all three points for United. Garnacho was on his first appearance after a long injury lay-off, but he did very well to show the Old Trafford faithful what they are going to get all next season. He’s only 18, but he’s shown this season that he will be a vital part of the United attack for years to come.

The whistle blew for full-time not too much longer after that. A vital win for United who were the more dominant team, but Wolves were very poor in attack today. It was clear that their level of motivation was low. The only player from the opposition who covered himself in glory was Bentley, as the match would have been well over much sooner if he hadn’t contributed with his fine saves. Not bad for a lad on his Premier League debut, in the end. Was the finishing poor from United today? Maybe, but it’s hard to tell sometimes when the opposing keeper is playing a blinder. What is clear is that if Antony can add an end product to his game next season, he will be one of the most dangerous wingers in the world. He went close several times today. A quick shoutout as well to right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. He was fantastic in defense yet again for United, and he has added an attacking element to his game that was not present in previous seasons. Most everyone played well today, even if Wolves were poor on the ball. The visitors finished the match with 0 (zero) shots on target.

With this win and Newcastle’s draw earlier in the day, the two teams are level on 66 points in 3rd and 4th place. Newcastle are ahead on goal difference, but there are still three matches left to play. United have crucially secured a four point gap between themselves and Liverpool, which was the principal and primary mission of the day. Being pipped to the top-4 by the Scousers after their sub-par season would be very negative for United, but they took a big step towards the Champions League today. They need six points from the remaining nine to mathematically guarantee the top-4.

Next up is a trip to the south coast for another Premier League match with AFC Bournemouth next Saturday. United have been poor away from home this season, but Bournemouth are similarly situated to Wolves. They are safe from relegation and have very little to play for. Perhaps their motivation will be a little low as well. United will also hope that relegation-strugglers Leicester City can get a positive result from their match against Liverpool tomorrow. That isn’t super likely though, so United will need three points next week.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Premier League: Defeat at Newcastle

Manchester United travelled to the northeast of England yesterday for a Premier League matchup with Newcastle United at a cold but sunny St. James’ Park. This was going to be a crucial battle in the race for the top-4 and Champions League qualification next season. The Red Devils had a chance to cement their vice-like grip on 3rd place, which is where the club has been for most of the season. Newcastle and manager Eddie Howe are looking to appease their new Middle Eastern owners who have invested heavily in the team. Newcastle are a big club with a rich history, and their supporters always expect them to be challenging at the highest level. This was a re-match of the League Cup final earlier this season, which United won 2-0.

The Magpies were the better team from the outset, aided by a thunderous atmosphere provided by the Newcastle supporters. The atmosphere and their form would continue for the majority of the match. They had better possession and were creating all the chances, while United were struggling to figure out their own tactical plan. Keeper David De Gea made a double-save about 15 minutes in to keep out striker Alexander Isak and then the follow-up from Bruno Guimarães. Midfielder Sean Longstaff also saw a longer-rage effort fly just wide of the post about 15 minutes later after a neat passing move. United’s back line – marshalled by center backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane – was playing well, but the midfield and forwards were incredibly disjointed. Manager Erik ten Hag employed a midfield three of Marcel Sabitzer, Scott McTominay, and Bruno Fernandes in this match, and it must be noted that United were completely overrun in midfield for most of the match. United’s best chance was striker Wout Weghorst firing into the side netting of keeper Nick Pope’s goal. More on the tactics below. Still though, after 45 minutes it was 0-0, but it was largely thanks to Newcastle being wasteful in front of the goal.

United fans would have expected ETH to make a change or for the players to respond after playing poorly in the first half, but that never materialized. Newcastle largely picked up where they left off from the first half. Better on the ball, more energetic in picking up the second balls, and had more chances going forward. Newcastle eventually did cash in on their dominance on 65 minutes via midfielder Joe Willock. A cross was played in from the right by Guimarães that overshot most of the attackers, but found winger Allan Saint-Maximin at the back post. Saint-Maximin headed the ball back across the face of goal, and Willock was able to head it in from close range. The goal had been coming, but it’s unclear why De Gea didn’t collect the header from Saint-Maximin back across. It appeared he could have disrupted the flight of the ball, but he mystifyingly just watched it in the air. The marking on Willock was also poor, with Varane not getting close enough to him. A good goal from Newcastle that was thoroughly deserved.

ETH had made changes about five minutes before the goal bringing on striker Anthony Martial and winger/midfielder Jadon Sancho, but they largely failed to inspire the United attack. Every once in a while there would be a half chance created, but Newcastle looked more likely to get a second than United did to getting an equalizer. The Magpies did indeed get their second on 88 minutes, and it was a very simple goal in the end. Right back Kieran Trippier played a free kick from the right wing near the corner flag into the box, with striker Callum Wilson being on hand to head home from five yards out. Poor marking again, and it was bad free kick to concede by Red Devils left back Luke Shaw. His foul in that area was needless and he has to know the danger of giving a player like Trippier a dead ball opportunity from that position. Well done to Wilson for being in the right place at the right time, but the marking has to be tighter on him. The final whistle blew after 3 minutes of stoppage time, and Newcastle won 2-0.

ETH got his tactics and substitutions wrong in this match. Plain and simple. It’s true that we are without our two best midfielders in Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, but that’s no excuse for the tactics being so poor. Sabitzer and McTominay were largely invisible for most of the match, and it was unclear what United were trying to do in terms of the overall game plan. It seemed like some of them were trying to play the counter-press and win the ball high up the pitch, while other ones were trying to play possession and keep the ball. The result was Newcastle domination. The substitutions didn’t make sense, either. McTominay and Weghorst should have been off at half-time, yet they were left out there an additional 15 minutes. Martial is clearly not fully match fit yet, and Sancho’s decision making was (not for the first time) poor. I also didn’t understand taking off Martinez and Varane, given that they had been two of our better players on the day. The second goal was almost a direct result of the shuffling of the back line. Also, it’s becoming more and more clear that De Gea is not the best keeper for ETH’s system. His distribution is simply not good enough for a manager that wants his team to build from the back. There was an interview conducted with Newcastle winger Jacob Murphy after the match, and he said that he and his teammates noticed De Gea’s indecision with goal-kicks early on. Newcastle’s high press kept United penned into their own half for most of the game, with De Gea consistently unable to find an outlet. Either ETH must change his overall philosophy, or United need a new goalkeeper in the summer. I don’t see the former happening.

The tactics in this match were one problem, but a much bigger problem was the lack of energy and motivation on display from most of the team. This team’s mentality was a big issue last season under former managers Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, and it seems those old issues reared their ugly heads yet again. I saw a lot of the players quit trying in this match towards the end, and that is frankly unacceptable. Shaw said as much in his post-match interview. The opportunity to take something from this match was there until the 88th minute, but United acted like they were 4-0 down for most of the second half. ETH must fix this issue first and foremost. Our away form against the big teams this season has been dismal as well. He has to get in his players’ faces as a collective and hold them accountable for such a crap result. He has done that before, and the team usually improves as a result.

But this loss puts the cat amongst the pigeons in the race for the top-4. Arsenal and Manchester City have the top two spots almost guaranteed, but now we have United, Newcastle, and Tottenham Hotspur all jockeying for spots 3 and 4. All three teams are currently level on 50 points, but United’s goal difference is vastly inferior to the other two. Tottenham have two games in hand so there is that advantage for the Red Devils, but United are definitely in a dog fight now. The next match is also against a dangerous Brentford side on Wednesday April 5, and they have already beaten United earlier this season. United are temporarily down to fifth, although they could finish the match week in 4th if Tottenham lose today. In any event, there was a big chance in this match for United to gain some breathing room over those rivals, but that opportunity was squandered. Fifth place is not acceptable for a team of this caliber.

Manchester United Are Your 2022/23 League Cup Champions!

Manchester United travelled south to London today for the League Cup final against Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium. 87,000+ fans from all across the north of England packed themselves into the national stadium today, creating a cauldron-like atmosphere despite the chill in the air. United had a chance to win their first trophy in six years today, with Newcastle not having won a major trophy in a whopping 54 years. Managers Erik ten Hag and Eddie Howe knew that while the League/Carabao/EFL Cup is not the most revered trophy in England, winning today would still be a major milestone for either club. United are on their way back to being a dominant force after a decade of mediocrity, while Newcastle (backed by billions of Saudi Arabian dollars) are looking to establish themselves as one of the top English teams.

The match got off to a fierce start, with Newcastle doing all the early running. They showed their pace and quickness in attack right off the bat, but it was United who got the first big chance of the game on 14 minutes when striker Wout Weghorst failed to get clean contact on the ball from a promising position in front of goal. Magpies reserve keeper Loris Karius, a storyline unto himself, saved easily due to a lack of power on the shot. United winger Antony dos Santos then got a shot away a few minutes after that, but it was also a routine catch for Karius. Newcastle then had their best chance of the match around the half hour mark when a ball across the face of the United goal from midfielder Sean Longstaff found winger Allan Saint-Maximin on the left side of the box. Saint-Maximin expertly danced around right back Diogo Dalot, but his shot was saved by United keeper David De Gea at his near post. Saint-Maximin was routinely causing problems for United down the left wing in the first half.

But just as Newcastle were beginning to establish themselves, the Red Devils hit them with a sucker punch on 33 minutes. Striker Marcus Rashford was fouled on the left wing in a forward area, and United were awarded a free kick. Left back Luke Shaw elected to take it, and he played in an absolutely divine aerial ball into the box. Midfielder Casemiro was running onto it along with several other United players, and he got his head to the ball before anyone else did. He didn’t need to do much with it either given the pace and accuracy of the pass. He just redirected the ball on goal, and it flew into the right side of the goal with a diving Karius unable to keep it out. The United supporters at the opposite end roared their approval, and after a fairly lengthy VAR check for offside, the goal stood. 1-0 to United! Casemiro was in the right place at the right time, but Shaw deserves a good heaping of credit for the absolutely perfect free kick.

United doubled their advantage just six minutes later. After a bit of sloppy play in midfield, the ball eventually fell to Weghorst in a bit of space on the left side. He brought the ball forward to the edge of the area since no one was near him, then expertly played in Rashford ahead of him on an overlapping run. Rashford took a touch and then got a shot away with his left foot from a tight angle. Unluckily for Newcastle, the shot took a massive deflection off the leg of center-back Sven Botman and bounced into the air. It went over Karius’s head and into the goal for 2-0! Great run from Rashford, but there was undoubtedly a bit of luck about the finish. When you are in the form Rashford is in though, luck tends to be on your side. It could have been awarded as an own-goal, but Rashford was ultimately credited. As the oft-repeated saying goes, it doesn’t matter how the ball goes in, as long as it does. Weghorst forced another save from Karius at distance during a lengthy first half stoppage time, but after 45 minutes it was 2-0 to United.

Dalot was substituted off for fellow right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka at half time due to being on a yellow card and generally having a tough time with Saint-Maximin. AWB coming on proved to be immense for United at the back. He made a key tackle in the middle of the pitch right away that led to United’s first scoring chance of the second half, although Newcastle did get back and get a block in to make the save easy for Karius. Substitute midfielder Marcel Sabitzer also got himself involved, winning a tackle in midfield and then playing a brilliant ball through to Rashford who’s shot was saved by Karius. For the final 20 minutes or so though, it was all Newcastle. United seemed content to sit back and defend their two goal lead. That is a risky tactic at times, but the form of defenders Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, and AWB was absolutely sensational. Every time a Newcastle player was in position for a shot, there were at least 3-4 red shirts in the way. Casemiro, midfielder Fred, Sabitzer, and midfield substitute Scott McTominay all put in very good defensive shifts today. Every time extra cover was needed, one of them was there to provide it.

Winger Jacob Murphy went close for Newcastle on 88 minutes when his long-range swerving shot had De Gea beaten, but it flew just wide of the post at the last second. De Gea then had to claw away an awkward header in stoppage time, and midfielder Bruno Fernandes was denied a third United goal later in stoppage time after a last-ditch save from Karius. After an eternity of stoppage time, the final whistle blew and United won 2-0! League Cup champions, and the first major trophy for United since 2017! I was so happy when Bruno and club captain Harry Maguire raised the trophy over their heads!

This match really boiled down to the more clinical team being the winners. Both sides had plenty of scoring opportunities, but United were simply more ruthless in front of goal. ETH was again prescient with his substitutions, most notably the one where he brought on AWB. With him on, Saint-Maximin was nullified and Newcastle looked short of ideas in attack. They still played with a high intensity and fought until the end, but it was a defensive masterclass for United in the second half today. The team spirit and attitude from everyone was excellent. These lads are playing for each other, and they very clearly believe in what the manager is preaching to them. Once the two goals went in, United were never going to give up that lead.

So, an important feather in the cap for ETH, and a great week for him overall. He eliminated Barcelona from Europe on Thursday, won the first trophy available to him to win today, and has United looking good for a top-4 finish. He’s truly worked wonders for us this season. United have looked good at times previous to this under former managers Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho, but inconsistency always haunted them. Under ETH, it feels like there is more of a tactical plan, and moreover we have the players capable of executing that plan. Every single player in the squad knows what his jobs are in a given situation, and that leads to consistency in results. Credit to his staff as well for understanding and implementing what ETH wants done each match. It is safe to say that United have finally found the transformative manager they were looking for all these years.

The lads will celebrate tonight, and celebrate they should. But it’s back to work again tomorrow, as there is no break in United’s incredibly congested fixture list. United host West Ham United in the 5th Round of the FA Cup at Old Trafford on Wednesday. They will be looking to cause an upset, as United will be heavily favored. The sky is the limit for this squad under ETH though, and he will feel his side is more than capable of advancing towards another trophy. To paraphrase Bruno after the match, “We aren’t done yet.”

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

The Saga of Cristiano Ronaldo

There was no Manchester United match today, but the Red Devils find themselves in the headlines nonetheless. There is currently a bit of drama going on behind the scenes, and it centers on Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo. He not only left the bench area and walked into the tunnel before the match against Tottenham was over yesterday, it is now also being reported that he refused to warm up and go onto the pitch as a substitute after his presence was requested by manager Erik ten Hag. He also left Old Trafford before the rest of the team returned to the locker room and did not take part in team celebrations. Sadly, when the headlines should have been centered on the club’s very thorough victory over Tottenham, they were instead centered on the drama being created by Ronaldo. This post will not be a biography of the man, but rather a chronicling of his time at the club and perhaps some insight into how things got so negative.

Ronaldo was first signed to United from Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon by former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson as a right-winger for the modest price of £12 million in 2004. His dribbling and pace were electric even at age 18, and there was a general consensus that he could be something special if he was developed properly. He steadily improved over the next four years, and won the Ballon d’Or in 2007/08 after scoring a whopping 42 goals in a single season. His boyhood dream was always to play for Real Madrid though, so in the summer of 2009 he was sold to the Madridistas for a then-record fee of £80 million. United fans were sad to see him go, but given that we made almost £70 million from his transfer, it was viewed as a good bit of business for the club. During his time at Real Madrid and then Juventus, he would go on to become the most dominant goal-scorer in the history of modern football and won a plethora of trophies, both team and individual. He shattered statistics and set records every time he stepped on the pitch. Along with Lionel Messi, he is widely regarded as the best player of the past 10-15 years or so, and he is probably one of the greatest to ever kick a football.

After Ronaldo’s contract was up at Juventus, it became clear he sought a move elsewhere. He elected to re-join United at the age of 37 and play for then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Supporters were over the moon with this signing. For one, the transfer fee was a very manageable £12 million again, and while his contract carried a very high salary, it was one United supporters were comfortable with given his stature as a player and club legend. He was seen as a vital piece of the puzzle that would help United challenge Manchester City and Liverpool for the Premier League title.

Unfortunately, the 2021-2022 season turned out to be one of the worst seasons for United in 50 years. It seemed that Solskjaer couldn’t quite figure out how to integrate Ronaldo into his team tactics. Or, conversely, perhaps it was Ronaldo who could not adapt to Solskjaer. Whatever the case, the team seemed to suffer when Ronaldo was on the pitch. That issue became more apparent after the sacking of Solskjaer and subsequent appointment of Ralf Rangnick. While Ronaldo was still scoring goals, it seemed like the tactics had to be centered on him producing in order for United to get a good result. That made the club one-dimensional and easy to stop from a tactical point of view. Ronaldo still managed to finish the year as top scorer for the club in what was otherwise a season to forget.

After United failed to qualify for the Champions League last season, the rumor mill began buzzing last summer that Ronaldo was going to leave. Ronaldo sees himself as a top player, and the top players all want to be playing in the Champions League. The problem for Ronaldo however was that there were (and still are) very few clubs who can afford the wages he wants. United, Real Madrid, Man City, and Paris St. Germain were probably the only ones who could afford him, and no offers from any other club were made. As he was not willing to take a significant pay cut, he was left with staying at United and getting used to life under ETH.

It has become clear though that once again, Ronaldo’s style of play does not really fit with this manager’s. ETH requires all of his players, including strikers, to press defenders when off the ball to try to win it high up the pitch. The press is everything in ETH’s system. Ronaldo however doesn’t like to do that too much, probably because he is 38 and can’t continuously do that for 90 minutes. The stats tell the story. When Ronaldo is on the pitch for 90 minutes, United average just under one point per result. When he is not on the pitch, United are averaging 2+ points. The team plays better when they don’t have to worry about constantly feeding Ronaldo. United are a much better side when they are able to spread the ball around through different focal points of attack. For all his legacy and skill, he simply does not fit in with this team. He could still do very well elsewhere, but at United under ETH, he is a square peg in a round hole.

Usually though, the square peg at least tries to fit into the round hole. Ronaldo has not been trying. His attitude has been piss-poor recently, and it culminated with his shenanigans yesterday. His ego has always been massive, but he is now bordering on petulance. He needs to accept that Father Time is undefeated and that he is not the player he once was. He needs to accept that he doesn’t deserve a place in the team just because of who he is. He needs to remember something Ferguson undoubtedly told him almost 20 years ago – no one man is bigger than Manchester United. He has scored 1-2 important goals this season, but his finishing has been well below his usual standard and as stated above, if he’s not scoring then he’s not really contributing. Indeed, he may even be harming the team’s chances to win by being on the pitch in certain cases.

ETH has elected to leave him out of the squad to face Chelsea on Saturday as punishment for his selfish antics. He is also not allowed to train with the team. As a result, it is now a matter of time before he leaves the club for what he will believe to be greener pastures. For Ronaldo, the January transfer window can’t come soon enough. That pay cut he was unwilling to take when he left Juventus might be easier to stomach now given that he is not playing at all. I could see him returning to Sporting Lisbon on a heavy discount for that club, given the generally lower level of skill in the Portuguese league and that he is revered as a literal god in Portugal.

To be clear, ETH has made the right move by leaving him out. Refusing to go on the pitch and leaving before a match has ended is inexcusable for any player, and it must be punished. It could be argued that the culture of this club for the past 5-7 years has been one where players are pampered and great care is taken not to upset them. That culture can be effective, but ETH is laying down a marker on a change in culture here. He is sending a message not only to Ronaldo, but to the rest of the team as well. He is telling everyone that it doesn’t matter who you are or how much the club is paying you, if you disrespect the manager and/or club, there will be consequences for it.

It is sad that Ronaldo will be leaving under such negative circumstances, but this is what happens to a footballer who has aged physically but perhaps not aged emotionally. What is of vital importance however is that he not tarnish his legacy as a Red Devil. He did a lot for us in his time here, but he risks people forgetting that with his selfishness and egoism.

Thank you Ronaldo for your services, but it’s time to move on.

It’s Just Embarrassing At This Point

Manchester United took on Premier League strugglers Everton at Old Trafford yesterday and it’s up there with some of the worst performances I have ever seen from the Red Devils. No disrespect to Everton but they are having one of their worst ever seasons in their history, and were ripe for a scalping. On paper, United should be winning a match like this one 3 or 4 to nil. Everton can’t score consistently, and they’re even worse at defending.

But did that happen? No, of course not. Not with this United side. They simply didn’t care. Never seen anything like it in almost 25 years of watching this sport. Never seen a side full of multi-millionaire professional footballers look so thoroughly nonplussed and disinterested. United lost 1-0 thanks to a first half goal from Everton’s Anthony Gordon. His shot from the edge of the box took a nasty deflection of center back Harry Maguire and wrong footed David De Gea. An unlucky goal to concede, but United had put together their most dominant spell for about 20 minutes prior to the goal and probably should have taken advantage of that possession.

But after Everton scored the drive was gone. The initiative and hustle evaporated like a puddle of rainwater on a hot summer’s day. There is no fight in this team. No fight in these players – not enough, at least. Every once in awhile an individual would contribute a helpful tackle or key forward pass, but it always came to nothing. Every single one of the players who put on the shirt yesterday should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. It’s fine to lose, but to lose to a crap team like Everton due to effectively rolling over and quitting is unacceptable.

Manager Ralf Rangnick doesn’t believe this side deserve European play next season, and frankly I agree with him. I applauded his appointment when he took over for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but there is only so much he can achieve given his interim status as manager. I think a lot of players are already looking to the summer, with an eye towards the exit door. To be clear, I think Rangnick is a problem, but he is not the problem. The problem is the lack of overall stewardship at this club. Every decision that’s been made so far in an attempt to improve the results on the pitch has backfired spectacularly. Our squad’s wage bill is heavily overinflated and they consistently underperform. The mentality of the team could not be any worse. Win, lose, or draw – they don’t care because they’re still going to get paid either way. Where’s the competitiveness? Where’s the drive? Where’s the desire to be better?

At this point it’s preferable to sell these talented but non-committed players and start completely fresh under a new manager. But any manager with half a brain would look at this club and go, “Why on Earth would I want to manage that dumpster fire?” The owners only care about making money, there is no clear vision for how to move the club forward, the transfer policy is a mess, and the current players don’t play for each other or the badge. If I’m Erik Ten Hag or any other potential managerial candidate, I’m very cautious about agreeing to manage this club.

To make matters worse, our main geographic rivals Manchester City and Liverpool are the two best teams in the Prem. One of them is going to win the title, and they both still have a good shot at Champions League glory as well. It is not a good time to be a United supporter, and things will not improve until ownership stops being greedy money-grubbers that leave the club in a state of salutary neglect.

Glazers Out!

A Much Needed Victory Over Brighton

Apologies for missing the recap of the last match, but there wasn’t much new to report on. A third straight 1-1 draw at Old Trafford against Southampton with United failing to be clinical in front of goal and scoring only once, paired with some schoolboy defending that led to their equalizer. It wouldn’t have been harsh to call us 1-1 FC. Lots of questions about whether manager Ralf Rangnick’s tactics were suited to the players he had, and even more questions about the individual player’s willingness (ability?) to play the style of football Rangnick wants.

But every new match is a new opportunity to go and make it right, and thanks to the stuttering form of the teams around Manchester United, the final spot in the top 4 of the Premier League table was up for grabs. United welcomed Brighton & Hove Albion, a team from the south coast of England, as their next opponents at Old Trafford. They are having themselves a decent season under manager Graham Potter, as they came into the match in the top half of the table themselves. They had their eyes on a European qualifying spot as well.

The first half ended goalless with United creating a few decent chances, but what was worrying was that Brighton were often the team on the front foot. Too many times the United defense was caught in a bad position, or failing that they would miss a key tackle or interception. Brighton could not find the back of the net though, and it must be noted that United keeper David De Gea is (for the millionth time) a big part of the reason for that. His flying save from a Brighton header around the half hour mark was particularly of note. The man is probably the best pure shot-stopper I have ever seen play the game. His positioning, reflexes, and size make it incredibly difficult to get the ball past him. That’s a damn good thing as well, because he has played behind some terrible defenses during his career at United.

The second half got underway similarly to the first, with both sides not really doing much to create chances. However, United found themselves in the lead on 51 minutes thanks to striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who snapped a six match goal drought with a very sweet right-footed finish into the right side of the goal. Brighton were pressed on the ball while in their own half, and midfielder Scott McTominay did very well to block/deflect a pass attempt almost straight at Ronaldo about 20 yards away off to his left. Ronaldo took about two touches as he ran towards the Brighton back line, and they couldn’t get close enough to get a challenge in without fouling him. He lashed his shot home and United had themselves a second half goal for the first time in weeks! Sometimes all it takes is one mistake by the opposition, especially with Ronaldo on the pitch.

About a minute after the goal, United were given another advantage when Brighton center back Lewis Dunk was sent off on a straight red card for a foul on United forward Anthony Elanga. Elanga had won the ball off Dunk and was through on goal before being pulled back. It was initially just a yellow, but a VAR review was called for and it was upgraded to a red card as Dunk was adjudged to have stopped a clear goal-scoring opportunity for United. Brighton were down to 10 men for the final 38 minutes and now really under a lot of pressure to not fall apart completely.

United should have had a second goal on 72 minutes after Brighton keeper Robert Sanchez gave the ball away directly to Ronaldo on the edge of the penalty area. Ronaldo was quickly marked, but he found Bruno Fernandes in space in the center of the area. Bruno took a shot, but Sanchez redeemed himself a bit with a save. Bruno really should have done better though in that position, and I was worried that the missed chances would come back to haunt us again. There was still plenty of time left in the match, and Brighton had given a very good accounting of themselves. They were dead even with United in possession and were throwing men forward into attacks to try and gain their equalizer. They came closest around 77 minutes when a cross/shot from just outside the left corner of the box rattled the top of the crossbar. It was a splendid effort, and United were once again lucky that the crossbar was in the way. Not even De Gea could have gotten to that one.

Brighton’s pursuit of a goal left them exposed at the back though, and United were often able to run at them in the final 15-20 minutes of the game or so. All of those runs were finally capitalized on in the final minute of stoppage time. United won a foul inside their own half and took it quickly, with Paul Pogba sharply finding Bruno on his own in the right channel near midfield. Bruno carried the ball about 50 yards on his own largely unchallenged, as Ronaldo was running alongside him as a passing option. The lone Brighton defender couldn’t decide who to commit to, and Bruno was eventually able to get an angle around him for a shot. He dummied his first attempt to get Sanchez to dive, then quickly struck the ball around him and into the back of the net. Great awareness from Pogba, good run from Ronaldo, and a great run/finish from Bruno.

United move at least temporarily into 4th with this result, even despite our recent struggles. Now that Rangnick has had a good amount of games in charge, the statistics are starting to show what this team’s struggles are. Under former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United were good at scoring goals but also good at conceding them. Under Rangnick, United don’t score as many goals but we also do not concede them as much. The defense has improved under Rangnick, but the offense has struggled. In the three matches prior to this one, United registered over 70 shots but scored a pitiful three goals. They did score two yesterday, but the lack of finishing was still a problem in that match too. It finished 2-0 but it should have been 4 at least. In the Premier League you have to kill off the opposition. If they sense they can get back into it, they usually have the talent to do so.

Still, improvement is improvement. Good matches from Pogba and Bruno, and I think Ronaldo is now going to kick in to high gear as we get closer to the business end of the season. De Gea has to be Man of the Match though. He now has 128 clean sheets for United, which ties him with club legend Peter Schmeichel. A remarkable achievement in any context, but especially so in this case given the aforementioned bad defenses De Gea has had to play behind. It’s been some lean times at United the past decade or so, but they would have been much worse without Big Brave Spanish Dave.

United face a tough test away to Leeds United next Sunday, and even tougher one after that as the Champions League resumes and they travel to Madrid to take on Atletico. United are currently 4th in the Premier League as mentioned, but there are several other clubs close behind with games in-hand.

Glory Glory Man United!

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.

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!

Red Devils Victorious in a Five Goal Thriller

Manchester United continued their Premier League campaign today at a rainy Old Trafford versus Arsenal. There is a rich history of terrific matches between these two clubs, and in the 90s and 2000s there was no bigger competitive rival for United than the club from the Highbury neighborhood of London. This was supposed to be the first match in charge for new United manager Ralf Rangnick, but due to visa issues, work permit issues, and COVID restrictions he was only able to arrive in the United Kingdom as of yesterday. It was decided that he would take a seat in the stands while caretaker manager Michael Carrick would be in the dugout for one more match.

Going into the match, these two clubs were on opposite trajectories. United started off scalding hot in the Premier League but have since crashed down to Earth spectacularly. Arsenal started off in dire shambles, but manager Mikel Arteta had largely righted the ship in recent weeks. Arsenal were/are 5th in the Prem and knew that a win would vault them into the top-4. United were simply looking to improve on the good work done in the draw with Chelsea at the weekend.

The match started off with Arsenal on the front foot, and they were testing the United back line repeatedly. United conceded a few corners in a row and were having trouble playing the ball out from the back. Red Devils midfielder Fred was having a particularly rough go, having conceded two good chances to Arsenal by giving the ball away in really bad positions. He was also involved in the Arsenal opener on 14 minutes, which was probably one of the most bizarre goals I have ever seen conceded in a professional football match. A cross from a corner was played into the box by Arsenal midfielder Martin Ødegaard, and the ball was cleared by a header from a United defender. During that time though, goalkeeper David De Gea went down injured and had his back turned to the game. The ball fell to Arsenal forward Emile Smith Rowe, who saw that De Gea was down and lashed the ball past him into the net from about 20 yards out. It’s a hard shot to make when the keeper is in play, but when he’s on the ground injured it’s pretty simple.

United players screamed at the ref to rule the goal out due to De Gea being down, and referee Martin Atkinson did stop play for a VAR review checking for a foul on De Gea that caused him to go down. Unluckily, it was Fred that accidentally stepped on De Gea. There were no Arsenal players anywhere near the United keeper, and because there was no foul on Arsenal the referee is not required to stop play. Refs are required to stop play for head injuries or open wounds, but not ankle/foot injuries like the one unintentionally inflicted on De Gea. Maybe they should stop the game for all injuries, but that would be controversial to say the least. The goal stood and United were down 1-0 yet again, despite the rotten luck of it.

The Red Devils did grow into the game more after the goal though, and were at least maintaining good possession to ease some of the pressure off the back line. But despite one or two non-threatening efforts from long range by center back Harry Maguire, United were not really creating many good chances. They could work it into a dangerous area, but then something seemed to inevitably go wrong (such as a misplaced pass) and the chance would be cleared. But, United persevered and got an equalizer just before first half stoppage time. Oddly enough, Fred was involved again, but in a positive way this time.

The ball was played to forward Jadon Sancho on the left wing, and he did well to dribble around his marker and create some space for a cross with his right foot. Fred had made a very clever run into the left side of the box, so Sancho found him with a short pass along the ground. Fred played a lovely little cutback cross along the ground into the path of Bruno Fernandes, who was in space thanks to the run of Fred pulling defenders away from him. Bruno opened his hips and struck it with his right foot, nutmegging an Arsenal defender and beating Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale at the far corner. Old Trafford erupted in joy along with Bruno. It was his first goal since September and his celebration was all you needed to tell how much it meant to him to be back on the score sheet. This was United’s best attacking move of the first half, and it was vital that we capped it off with a goal. Despite 4 minutes of stoppage time, the lads went to the locker room deadlocked at 1-1. Arsenal would have been disappointed to still be level despite being the more dominant side in the first 45 minutes.

The match got even more entertaining in the second half. Arsenal forced a sharp save out of De Gea from a corner, before United forward Cristiano Ronaldo was denied from a tight angle by Ramsdale. It was shortly United’s turn to take the lead though, and it was via Ronaldo. Arsenal gave the ball away cheaply in their own half to United right back Diogo Dalot, who promptly found forward Marcus Rashford ahead of him and to his right. Rashford was in the space vacated by the Arsenal left back as he was far out of position, and he dribbled it unchallenged into the box before pinging a pacey cross along the ground directly into the path of Ronaldo. The Portuguese striker made contact on the ball with his right foot on the first touch, and seemed to almost casually re-direct the pass into the left corner of the net. Ramsdale had no chance. Ronaldo does not miss from that kind of range. It was a gift of a giveaway, but the swift punishment from United was amazing.

What was not amazing was that Arsenal were allowed to equalize just two minutes later. The ball was played from midfield out wide to Gunners winger Gabriel Martinelli, who was somehow in acres of space on the right wing. He played a cutback cross along the ground into the path of Ødegaard, who seemed to scuff his shot a little bit when he hit it. That little scuff put a wicked spin on the ball however, and it rolled past De Gea at his far post almost in slow-motion. It was agonizing to concede a lead after fighting back to take it, but the defending was absolutely atrocious. United left back Alex Telles was nowhere near Martinelli, and the pass from midfield took Fred, Scott Tominay, and Telles completely out of the action. Very poor marking and positioning overall. Telles did have a good game for the most part, but that one moment was very costly indeed.

The next major action was De Gea’s save on Arsenal forward Pierre Emerick Aubameyang after the United defense was beaten by a long ball over the top on 65 minutes, but United were the ones to take the lead again just 5 minutes later. Once again, the referee was involved. Also once again, it was Sancho on the left wing who dribbled around a bit to create space for a pass, and he played it toward an onrushing Fred. This run was very similar to the one he made in the first half for Bruno’s equalizer, just a late run into the left hand side of the box. This time though his run was being challenged by Ødegaard, and Fred went down under his tackle in the box. Atkinson waived his arms defiantly though and signaled no penalty. Replays however showed that Fred’s feet were clearly taken out from under him from the side/behind by Ødegaard, which is a stonewall penalty when it happens in the box. After protests from the United players and the entire Old Trafford crowd yelling about it, Atkinson finally signaled for a VAR review. After a check by the replay official, a penalty was awarded. It was the correct decision and it needs to be counted as an instance where VAR got it right.

People joke about United being awarded a ton of penalties every season, and we do normally receive our fair share of them. But United have only had two penalties awarded by the ref all season, and one of them was today. That’s very odd given that we are 4 months into the season, but it might be due to the general lack of attacking play as much as anything. To make matters worse, Bruno had missed that one other penalty. I think that’s why it was Ronaldo time again. The man is a penalty-taking legend for both club and country, although it must be said that I was holding my breath a bit. Ronaldo has missed some big penalties for this club too – most notably during the shootouts of the 2008 Champions League final.

But no need to worry this time, Ronaldo did a quick run-up and struck the ball hard and with height. Ramsdale guessed wrong and dove out of the way, with the ball sailing right over him. United were ahead 3-2 on 70 minutes and I was ecstatic, but that joy was almost immediately replaced with dread at the prospect of United trying to hold on to a lead for the final 20 minutes. Arsenal did reclaim more possession and created 1-2 half chances, but them pushing men forward meant they were prone to United counter-attacks. The match ebbed back and forth, but neither side truly threatened the other’s goal again. After another agonizing 5 minutes of stoppage time, Atkinson blew his whistle and United were winners on the day.

A big thank you to Carrick for his services both on and off the pitch. He announced after the match that he was leaving the club after 15 years as a player and coach. It’s sad, but it’s the right move. Rangnick will be bringing in his own people, and Carrick now gets to go out on a high note. He secured our passage to the Champions League knockouts, held Chelsea away, and beat Arsenal for the first time in too long. He did all of that with a squad in tatters after the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Oh oh, it’s Carrick, you know! Red Legend.

Ronaldo got his 800th and 801st goals for club and country today as a senior professional, and that is a staggering amount of goals for one player. Just stick him in the penalty area and feed him the ball. That’s all he needs to be doing. The questions about how he will fit in to the pressing system likely to be employed by Rangnick are only going to get louder after today. It’s clear that he needs to be on the pitch, but how does he fit in? Does Rangnick build the pressing system around him? It will be interesting to see what happens. I think it will take time for the players to get used to Rangnick’s style, and maybe that will help incorporate Ronaldo’s skills effectively.

One player that will be key to Rangnick’s system beyond doubt is Fred. What a match he had today! Absolute rollercoaster. He gives the ball away several times and accidentally steps on his own keeper which leads to conceding a goal; only to then contribute an assist, several key tackles, and earning us a penalty that led to the winner. Incredible. It seems that Fred is not good in possession of the ball, but he is exceedingly good at pressing the opposition and winning the ball back in forward areas. Not the best long crosser or shooter, but he knows how to get the ball and knows who to give it to when he does. That can be invaluable in the right system. Put a real defensive midfielder alongside him and the potential of Fred to be a pressing midfielder is unlimited.

Rangnick’s first match in the dugout is Sunday at home to Crystal Palace. There is work to do with this squad, but the foundation is there to be built upon. Glory glory Man United!

Manchester United Appoint Ralf Rangnick Interim Manager – the German Professor?

It was announced today that United will be hiring German manager Ralf Rangnick, who is currently an executive of footballing development at Lokomotiv Moscow in Russia. He is a former player, and a former manager of VfB Stuttgart, Hannover 96, 1899 Hoffenheim, and had two stints at Schalke 04. He coincidentally took Schalke to the 2011 Champions League semifinals, where he lost to Sir Alex Ferguson and United. He has also worked as sporting director for Red Bull Leipzig. He is expected to take charge for the rest of the season once his work permit is sorted out, and then he will be moving to a sporting executive position with the club once his managerial tenure ends.

This move by the United Board of Directors and our footballing directors is…surprisingly competent? I am genuinely shocked by how sound this appointment is. It’s true that Rangnick does not have a ton of trophies on his resume which is a slight concern, but it’s not really the trophies that have made Rangnick a well-respected manager. It’s his tactics. He is widely regarded in Germany as an innovator, a man who’s influence has spread far beyond his own clubs. If you look at the style of play of current German managers like Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), Julian Nagelsmann (Red Bull Leipzig), and Hansi Flick (Bayern Munich/German NT), there is clear influence from Rangnick.

All of those managers I just listed like to employ a press to win the ball high up the pitch and create goal-scoring opportunities. But Rangnick was really the first manager to employ the press in the way it’s used today. It’s referred to in Germany as the “gegenpress” and it’s a little difficult to explain, so I’ll let the man himself tell you about it:

“Well, it’s very simple,” Rangnick says. “[Gegenpressing is] a very proactive style of football, similar to the way in which Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool have been playing under Klopp. We like to press high, with a very intense counter-pressure. When we have the ball, we do not like any square or back passes. It is a fast, proactive, attacking, counter-attacking, counter-pressing, exciting and entertaining [style of] football.” All of that sounds good to me. It’s a set plan at the very least – a distinct style of play. That’s something United have been sorely lacking this season.

Essentially, without Rangnick, the managerial successes of Tuchel, Klopp, Nagelsmann, and Flick are not what they are now. He is the professor and they are his pupils. Even more encouraging is his record as sporting director at Red Bull Leipzig, where he implemented a scouting and talent development system that was built on finding young players and turning them into superstars. That philosophy is exactly what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer started to rebuild during his tenure, and I am happy that we will now likely continue to do so. United will make the occasional big signing of an established star, but historically we would much rather develop young players when possible. I am very pleased that Rangnick shares that philosophy.

No two ways about it, this is an exciting and interesting appointment. The fact that Rangnick will also be working as a sporting/footballing exec once this season is over makes it even more exciting, because that means he will have a say in who we hire in the summer to be the permanent manager. I do not know what level of success he will help us achieve this season, but this is a clear move from Director of Football John Murtough to push us in a given direction. He wants us to play aggressively with younger players, and he knows that United fans like to be entertained when watching the team play. Rangnick is a great appointment for that. If you want to build sustainable success in the modern game, this is how it’s supposed to be done. Most vitally, it looks like Murtough has some kind of a plan for the club and the overall direction he wants to take it in. We’ve been a rudderless ship since Ferguson retired and it’s high time that someone stepped in and grabbed the helm.

And here I was thinking we’d be stuck with Steve Bruce or Sam Allardyce for the rest of the year!