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Manchester United are in a mess at the moment. The club is 12th in the Premier League after eight games, with just two wins so far. They are already 15 points behind league leaders and arch-rivals Liverpool. To make matters worse, a top-four finish is looking increasingly unlikely.
The problems have been varied at Old Trafford this term. From injury issues to a lack of form, United have stuttered in the new season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian has overseen United's worst start to the season in the Premier League and fans are beginning to lose patience at the moment.
The Red Devils have lacked determination and ideas on the pitch and have consistently failed to create enough chances in games. Injuries have revealed that the squad is quite thin, while the deadwood present is still hurting the club. The recent fall from grace might be drastic, but the roots of the problem are far deeper than they appear right now. To put things into perspective, the Red Devils are only 2 points above the relegation zone and face an undefeated Liverpool side next.
However, it is nothing that cannot be fixed with the right kind of planning. Today, we point out five things that United needs to do to get back to their glory days.
#5 Refrain from quick fixes
Since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, Manchester United have appointed four permanent managers, but have gone backward instead. The legendary Scot might have been guilty of leaving an aging squad behind, but it was a team that had just won the Premier League by an 11-point gap! United was the team to beat and the club every one looked up to, however, it has all gone downhill from there.
At Old Trafford, there is a burning desire to match the legacy of the past, an inclination to touch the bygone glory days and that has affected the long term planning of the club. United have opted for quick fixes, they have resorted to players and managers who were not suited to the philosophy of the club, like Nemanja Matic and Marouane Fellaini (despite his highs), to name a few and have expected immediate results. This has not worked well so far.
The need of the hour, as such, is to abandon all temptations of quick fixes. Rome was not built in a day and even in testing times like these, patience is the key. Manchester United need to opt for long term planning and build from scratch right now. They need to be patient with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and give him the right amount of time to build a team for the present and the future.
#4 Invest in youth
Manchester United were synonymous with youth prodigies over the years. The Red Devils had built a legacy by putting their trust in youth since the days of Sir Matt Busby. The blueprint of United's success under Ferguson was the legendary manager’s preference for a strong youth set-up at the club. The United academy was one of the best in the world, as was the scouting network. The Red Devils were able to spot and lure the best young talents of the world into the club, where they were nurtured to become world-beaters. Unfortunately that has been missing in the last few years.
Many clubs have a better-performing youth academy than Manchester United right now. Manchester City and Liverpool have overtaken the Red Devils in their attention to youth and have a better scouting network at the moment. Even Chelsea, a club not previously known for nurturing young talents, is currently showcasing brilliant youngsters at the club. If United are to reach the top again, they must reinvest in youth and strive to make their academy among the best in the world once again.
#3 Implement a clear style of play
During Solskjaer's initial days, Manchester United played in a fast and fluid 4-3-3 that was compact at the back and adventurous in attack. The off-the-ball pressing and intense style of play were an instant hit and the Red Devils embarked on a fantastic run of form that ultimately got the Norwegian his dream job. Since then, though, nothing has been the same.
Over the summer, the Norwegian has switched to a 4-2-3-1, but the results have failed to improve. Solskjaer has a team suited to counter-attacks, but that has left the gameplay a tad one-sided. Manchester United are expected to dominate possession in majority of the games and the Red Devils have appeared clueless with the ball at their feet. The pressing is rarely evident, while there’s a clear lack of intensity on the field.
This is where a change is required. Manchester United and Solskjaer must decide how they want to play. Pep Guardiola has his possession-based football, while Jurgen Klopp's team is known for their counter-pressing style of play. It is time for United to implement a clear cut style of play, stick to it and plan their recruitment process accordingly.
#2 Appoint a Technical Director
One of the primary reasons for Manchester United's recent debacle has been the club's consistently poor performance in the transfer market. Since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, Manchester United have lacked precision and direction in all of the transfer windows. The Red Devils have been taken for a ride by every other club in Europe and have been forced to overpay on quite a few occasions. Ed Woodward has failed to impress over the years and United have paid for his lack of understanding of the game. This is why a Technical Director becomes an absolute must at the club right now.
Ideally, the new person would be responsible for all the transfer business and would work in unison with Solskjaer, who desperately needs a helping hand in recruitments, from a football brain. Perhaps the best example would be how City work at the moment. Pep Guardiola concentrates all his labor on the football, leaving the scouting and the recruitment work to Txiki Begiristain. At United too, a Technical Director would provide Solskjaer with much-needed support and give United a long term plan in the transfer window.
#1 Prepare for two stellar transfer windows ahead
While building for the future is fine and will take time, Manchester United do have the financial power to solve their crisis by recruiting wisely. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made three summer signings and all three have been fantastic additions to the club. Despite the fact that United are still leaking goals, the defense looks sorted and will improve as the season progresses. The winter transfer window, as such, is an opportunity to further bolster the squad and bring in a little experience, even though January transfer has not been United's forte. However, the situation is so dire right now that the Red Devils might deviate from that habit this time.
A proven striker is the need of the hour, as is another midfielder. Manchester United should also be looking to finally bring in the right-winger that the club has been missing for years now. While it will be tough to sign top players in the winter, it is time United flexed their muscle in the window once more, because the club is desperately in need of reinforcements. The right influx of players would ease the pressure off the young players and could even turn United's season around. Whomever they fail to sign in January could once again be targeted in the summer. With two stellar transfer windows under their belt, Manchester United could rise up to their glory once again.
