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Manchester United did not exactly cover themselves in glory during the 2017-18 campaign. After losing the FA Cup final to Chelsea, they lost their chance to add some sort of silverware to their trophy cabinet.
Don't get me wrong. Manchester United were brilliant sporadically. In fact, they beat the rest of the top 6 teams convincingly over the course of the season but stuttered and coughed against the relatively smaller teams.
With several players not playing up to par or not putting in promising displays game after game, Jose Mourinho cut a frustrated figure at the tactical area more frequently than United fans would have wanted him to.
The World Cup, however, came at the right time as far as several Manchester United players are concerned and some of them hit the ground running and came away from the tournament as some of its finest players.
With the new Premier League season starting in less than a month, it is time for Jose Mourinho to plan his moves.
On that note, let's take a look at 3 things Jose Mourinho has to get right this season.
#3 Use the right wing for width
This is starting to look like an age-old problem. Ever since Antonio Valencia shifted to a right back position, Manchester United have never had an out and out right winger who can stretch defences and make use of the width available near the corner flag.
Juan Mata is the one who is usually deployed on the right wing but his lack of pace and tendency to cut inside instead of opting to surge ahead and whip in crosses has further added to the congestion in the centre.
United are on the lookout for wingers with Ivan Perisic and Hirving Lozano- both of whom were mighty impressive at the World Cup for Croatia and Mexico respectively.
While Andreas Pereira's return could in a way address the situation, he is much better when he is deployed on the left wing or when he is played as an attacking midfielder. So it is up to Jose Mourinho to make the call now.
#2 Sign a top quality left back
This has Alex Sandro written all over it. As it stands, at Old Trafford, Luke Shaw's future hangs in the balance. Ashley Young is 33-years-old and only recently made the role his. United need a player who can join in attack and put in a shift defensively as well.
While Young is a great asset for the team when they go forward, his defensive capabilities are often suspect. Mourinho has to ensure that he covers all bases before the new season starts so as to avoid all the mistakes from the previous one.
Alex Sandro is pacy and can cross the ball well. He has been plying his trade for Juventus and therefore, he will not have any problems fitting into a high-profile club such as Manchester United.
#1 Getting the best out Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial
This is something Jose Mourinho has been trying to master over the course of the last two seasons. He knows that Pogba is United's best player but often, the tactics that are used by Jose ends up stifling the talismanic Frenchman.
But Pogba's resolute performances at the World Cup have not missed his attention. The fact that France played in a setup very similar to that of Manchester United should inspire confidence. The signing of Fred could go a long way in liberating Pogba.
But that's not all. Pogba needs to know that he has Mourinho's trust. This was something that greatly hampered their relationship this past season. But if Pogba can replicate his form at the World Cup when he takes the field in a United kit, there's absolutely no reason why Mourinho won't treat him as the most vital cog in his system.
Martial started getting phased out of the team with the arrival of Alexis Sanchez. The sheer potential that Anthony Martial has is frightening and it would be a pity if he leaves Old Trafford without having made anything of it.
Martial could be deployed as a striker or as a left wing back and it will be interesting to see what course Mourinho chooses to take with him with Alexis Sanchez and Marcus Rashford also competing for the same spots.
