First things first, I apologize for falling behind this past month or so. Been very busy in a number of ways and haven’t had time to write. However, there is one advantage in not having written a blog in approximately 26 days. It has afforded me the opportunity to analyze the club’s form over the course of a month, instead of writing and reacting on a match-to-match basis. This has allowed me to see a bigger picture of where the club is overall. A lot has happened!
For the first time all season, the Red Devils are in consistently good form. United have won 3 out of their last 4 matches, with the one off result being a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. Since that draw, United have beaten Newport County in the FA Cup 4-2, then beat Wolverhampton Wanderers in a 4-3 thriller in the Premier League, and just today beat West Ham at Old Trafford 3-0. They began the month of January in 8th place, but now find themselves in 6th in the table and in the 5th Round of the FA Cup.
Early in the season, we were struggling to both score goals and keep clean sheets. If we won, it was usually a tense 1-0 or 2-1. If we lost, it was usually by multiple goals. However, in the past four matches, manager Erik Ten Hag has clearly figured out the attacking situation. 13 goals in 4 matches is an excellent scoring record. I think a lot of it has to do with striker (and 21st birthday boy today) Rasmus Højlund finally finding some good form. It took him awhile to break his Premier League goose egg this season, but now that he has started scoring, he simply cannot stop. Another aspect of the improved attacking form is the move of winger Alejandro Garnacho out to the right wing, when previously he exclusively played on the left. Garnacho has multiple goals and assists over the past four games, and he has taken to playing on the right wing like a duck to water.
Now if the attack is improving, that usually means the midfield is improving as well. United have been helped in that department by the return of midfielder Casemiro from injury, but the real standout in the middle of the park is teenager Kobbie Mainoo. He is absolutely brilliant and way ahead of where most players are at 18. He can tackle, pass, dribble, shoot, and he reads the game exceedingly well for a player with such little experience. His winner against Wolves in late stoppage time was scintillating! He needs to continue developing physically so that he doesn’t get bullied off the ball as much, but Mainoo is easily one of the most exciting prospects out of the United Youth Academy in ages. If he can learn a thing or two about shithousery and aggressiveness from Casemiro, he’s going to be a terror to deal with.
Now, there are problems still. The scores listed above also indicate that (with the notable exception of today) United are still leaky in defense. A team like United should not be conceding 2 against Newport County and another 3 against Wolves. Conceding 7 goals in 4 matches is a below average defensive record, and there’s no two ways about it. Similar to how the attack and midfield have benefited from players returning from injury, the opposite has happened to the defense. Due to injuries along the back line, ETH has been forced to field 10 different center back pairings this season. And due to keeper Andre Onana being called up for international duty the past couple weeks, there was a different player in goal as well. In a position group where all four/five players need to work together, it’s exceedingly difficult to develop that chemistry and understanding when they can’t play together consistently. I was overjoyed to see center back Lisandro Martinez finally back from long-term injury the past few matches as well, but he unfortunately suffered what appeared to be a gruesome leg injury in the West Ham match today and likely faces another long layoff. He’s had rotten luck recently and his injury was the only sour note in United’s victory today.
United next travel to Birmingham for a match against Aston Villa in the Premier League, where that patchwork back line will again be tested. Villa are in the top-4 currently, and are having one of their best-ever seasons under wily manager Unai Emery. Here’s to hoping that United can continue this positive form and continue to pick up points. Beating a team above them can be huge for the top-4 race, as United are currently on the outside looking in. It is also a chance to improve the team’s away form under ETH, which has easily been his biggest weak spot.
Off the pitch news: I have been deeply concerned for the mental health of winger/forward Marcus Rashford recently. He seems to be struggling with something (based on the numerous news reports of his recent nightclub adventures) and I really hope the club and its staff are helping him with it. Professional athletes are still humans, and they can suffer from mental health challenges like any of us. No one outside the club knows what’s going on for sure so be careful what you read, but he does seem to be on the rebound in recent days. His mental health has to come first, so I hope he continues to improve.
On a lighter note, INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have gotten off to what I would call a satisfactory start as new part-owners of the club. The Glazers have set an admittedly low bar, but the fact that INEOS representatives have sat down and begun talks with the club’s official fan groups about the problems we’ve had for the past 12 years is a big step in the right direction. The Glazers don’t speak to the club’s fan groups and haven’t done so for almost the entirety of their tenure as owners, while Sir Jim and his people have begun holding talks within the first few weeks of buying 25% of the club. Of course, their success as owners must be measured on a long-term scale, but again this is a satisfactory start. The next step of course is for them to actually enact the changes requested.
Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!
4-4-2 