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An overture to the dramatic new season at Old Trafford seemed to be quite a consolation for all those who were promised a new life supporting Manchester United. But then, it was the same old story all again. One we were tired of hearing. Is the team bad enough to lose to Swansea and MK Dons? Or did complacence cost them? After all, they had an unbeaten in pre-season defeating the likes of Real Madrid and Liverpool.
United fans have been quite accustomed to losses over the past season and this should have been perceived as just another one. But for some reason, the sting was quite hard. It didn’t seem like we would ever get off to such a start. There was so much of promise following the pre-season that a loss on the first day seemed quite a hard blow. Surplus to that, the entire match against MK Dons seemed quite a letdown, for I had never seen such sloth in United’s performances.
Defensive Frailities
There was growing outrage over the lack of defensive cover and the first match clearly showed the truth in those claims. Starting with a full three-man defence, the flanks were quite exposed as Ashley Young and Jesse Lingard assumed those roles. Playing five at the back may seem a smart move defensively but without the right group of players, the system gives way.
As clearly seen in the match, Ki Sueng Yeong had acres of space to take that shot. Phil Jones retreating into the box meant that there wasn’t a player to cover Ki and Bony cleverly blocked off a running Jones to allow Ki have a sumptuous shot. The idea to implement in this situation is that the extra man in defence can cover the centre while the defensive midfielder gets to track the attacking midfielder.
The tactical nous of playing a 5-3-2 are far more than what we can imagine or what we see on the face of it. However, before all the complex tactical implementations arrives a necessity for possessing players to fill the requirements of any formation. Young and Lingard playing as wing-backs was a clear indication of the fact that United are lost for depth and in dire need of players at the back. Marcos Rojo is a good buy. But United’s lack of strength calls for a more accomplished and experienced defender.
Darren Fletcher’s botched presence
One seems to only suggest that the defence is short of the required players. Fletcher’s return from injury to full-playing condition seems a sentimentally caressing move that has taken to the hearts of every fan. Without meaning any disrespect to him, United’s position currently has no room for such sentiments.
Even though he has been the backbone of the club, the norm of harnessing old players to ensure the club’s stature seems a vile solution at this moment. Manchester United have been crippled for the past season and change for better will only happen when there is a different policy. Fletcher lost all his tenacity to the sickness and has been quite under-whelming in his performances without much of an impact on the game.
Despite all these fluctuating problems, Angel Di Maria has arrived at Manchester United and the stage looks set to see his explosive presence. However, to debar all those joyous hearts, merely hours after the announcement, United went down to MK Dons. I need only mention the name for a whirlwind of criticism directed at the team.
A fully damaged Midfield
Back in 2012, when Paul Scholes came out of retirement, apart from the fact that it was a memorable occasion, that incident lay claim to the quietly arising problem that was United’s midfield. What we experienced a few days ago at MK Dons was the effect of the full-grown parasite which started growing back then.
In his final years, Sir Alex was highly consumed with the idea that Carrington Road had really produced a batch equivalent to that of the Class of ’92. After all, who doesn’t remember the so-called match-winning performance by Tom Cleverley in the Community Shield? That was the icing on the cake for a scrupulous promotion of some youngsters who really weren’t deserving of such applause.
Looking at it now, it all seems a dream. We do puzzle ourselves over the fact as to how Sir Alex managed to win the league with that squad. While that presents a need for reason, the only proper reason that may suffice is perhaps the managerial excellence of Sir Alex. No one could really question that after witnessing the antics at Old Trafford over the past season.
Manchester United’s problems are compounded far beyond the defence; which is pressed as the real issue at Old Trafford. Except for goalkeeping, which is in safe hands, Manchester United are lacking. This collective inability has been the root cause for the recent downfall and the problem won’t be resolved until the manager makes some firm decisions.
Robin van Persie’s reduced impact
The striking department has been under a lot of scrutiny for a relative lack of goals and one should admit that United aren’t nearly as good as what their strike force is perceived to be. Still, there exists the tendency to proclaim Robin van Persie as one of the top players in the world, in the league of Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale.
While he might have been at the time of his arrival, the past year have not been so kind to him and he has escaped his prime. At the age of 31, his game has steadily declined and his impact is reducing by the day.
Although his instincts and intelligence are as good as ever, his fluctuating physical fitness has brought down his contributions a great deal. His endearing presence means that he is a constant feature in the line-up irrespective of his contributions on the field.
Time for big decisions
With the arrival of Di Maria, it is essential that such a prejudice is dealt with right away. Van Gaal has a mighty reputation for being a strong manager not afraid to make bold decisions and he needs to put that into effect. Beyond Van Persie, United have Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck to back it up.
Although Hernanadez is a really good forward, he totally lacks in contributing to the defence and is still premature at link-up plays. Keeping Hernandez is a decision that benefits neither the team nor him. The apt decision would be to promptly sell him at a decent price. A repertoire of three strikers isn’t bad for any team but the decision of the manager as to play which of them is crucial.
These are some of the most repressive problems at United which may hit hard over the course of the season. Angel Di Maria’s arrival might just spark United’s redemption but that could also leave the situation unchanged. Much like what happened at Arsenal last year; Ozil’s arrival promised so much hope and yet, he flattered to deceive.
As a United fan, I hope it doesn’t come to that but then, the results so far have pointed towards that. Louis Van Gaal may have boldly suggested that he shall take time to settle, but when he does, we should only hope that he addresses these problems.
