Manchester United’s fall from grace doesn’t come as a surprise to anybody closely following the team. With 9 points from the first 8 games of the season, it is turning out to be quite the horror show beyond all wildest imaginations. Every crisis presents within itself something to learn and thus creating opportunity. So as grim as things seem for now, let’s take a look at five things that possibly could be the learnings after yet another disappointing loss away at Newcastle.
1 Injuries and Inconsistencies
“The basic ingredient in a team performance is running, that desire, fitness,” said Solskjaer in May.“Our fitness is nowhere near good enough,” These were the managers words before the pre season had even begun and clearly one of the first things on his agenda. 4 months in, very little seems to have changed.
- Ole wanted a team employing the high press
- It demands a very high work rate throughout the 90 minutes
- Several first choice players have fallen prey to injuries in the process
- Having to resort to squad players
- Performances leading upto the results are clearly indicative of the start stop effect of these injuries.
- Players like Rashford are rushed in even when not 100% fit for lack of alternatives and then performances critically scrutinized some might even argue to a fault.
- Perennial presence of Luke Shaw, Eric Bailly and Phil Jones in the treatment room.
Hopefully with the international break and a new physio to be appointed soon things will take a turn for the better. United currently have at least 5 first team players out injured and one can only wonder how the players get injured so frequently as compared to say the front three or full backs of Liverpool who seem to play 90 minutes of almost all the games of PL and UCL and are hardly ever sidelined by injuries.
2 “Basics” lacking
Newcastle had shown the intent right from the first whistle and it looked like they wanted the win more than United. The cloud of no away wins in 10 and scoring just 1 goal in the last 5 away games was probably casting its shadow on the pitch. However, a professional Manchester United footballer is expected to deliver on certain basics which were missing.
Lack of composure on the ball, not being able to string simple passes together, game management during different phases of the match and failure to create big chances or register enough shots on target when created are part of a long list of worries. In such woeful form, it is important to get back to basics and start working from the ground up to improve performances. Results will surely follow.
3 221 Days and Counting….
That was the last time United scored from a set piece excluding penalties.The longest spell in the current top flight for any team.
- Presence of tall players with aerial presence like Pogba, Lindelof, Maguire, McTominay not yielding enough goals from set pieces.
- Lack of good delivery from corners or free kicks
- Lack of clear vision or strategy on how to go about set plays.
- No designated takers or the current ones not doing enough.
When goals are hard to come by from open play, capitalizing on set pieces can provide much needed relief but this has hardly been the case. The drawing board needs to be revisited and training recalibrated
4 Lack of Creativity upfront
Ole has done the seemingly impossible task of shipping out most of the deadwood but lack of replacements has left the squad paper thin especially in terms of attacking options. United have failed to scored a goal in their last 2 games which is just not good enough.
- 433 shifting to 4231 has had an effect on play
-Players upfront not making enough runs or when they do, the passing between the lines from the back is not good enough - Youth is certainly an option but playing youngsters every week especially away when the team is not doing good puts them under enormous pressure(physical and mental) which might hinder their long term development not just as players but as growing human beings.
- Recent run of form creates a doubt or fear in the minds of players and so are unable to do the simple tasks they normally would do.
Definitely the time for experienced and senior players to step up and lend a hand to the enthusiastic youngsters in providing more incision in attack.
5 “Life is not always about holding good cards but sometimes, playing the poor hand well”
Ole is not the most qualified manager out there and it is an on the job training for him too short-term results have not been kind but what hurts worse are the performances especially against the supposedly weaker oppositions.This is a long term project and there will be short term setbacks that will need the belief and backing of the fans. Piling on the already stressed out manager and a young squad will do more harm than good, At least for now, this is the squad available to work with.
The performances by Axel and Scott have been the lone bright lights.Hopefully in time, the board and Ed Woodward can do an about turn and deliver on the bare necessities if not the luxuries. Shades of Moyes, Van Gaal and Mourinho’s end times are already surfacing with rallying calls for the manager’s head. Going the sacking way would only hit the reset button on a nightmare we have been repeatedly forced to witness since 2013. He is not the devil to all the evils and is part of the solution at least for now.With Liverpool visiting imminently, the players need wind in their sails. To the fans out there I would say “Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.”