Respected Mr. Mourinho
Three Premier League titles. Two Serie A titles. A La Liga crown. Two UEFA Champions League titles. You Sir, do not need any sort of introduction. The whole footballing galaxy knows just how ‘Special’ you are. So no, don’t get me wrong. This isn’t an early season rant declaring the need to sack you.
Believe me, I’m not that deluded. However, when you watch a squad whose cumulative value is more than the Nominal GDP of 8 countries (not combined) lose 3 games in 7 days, it is generally a cause for a bit of worry.
So let’s dive right into it. Manchester United have been out on the prowl, in search of ‘The Chosen One’; the messiah; that one skillful tactician who shall ruthlessly guide the team towards the glory that Sir Alex’s 26-odd years brought to Old Trafford. It’s been more than two years since Moyes left. And when Van Gaal got the sack at the end of last season, the global Red Devil community could not wait for you, to be heralded as our ‘Prince who was Promised’.
After all, possessing a near perfect CV, a charisma that few can match, and a media presence that would make even the most dashing casanova jealous, you sir, seemed like the special factor that United had glaringly lacked for 3 long years.
And it all got off to a wonderful start. The Community Shield Trophy, and a bullet header from summer signing and newly self-acclaimed ‘God of Manchester’, Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Wembley against the Premier League champions kicked off your tenure in scintillating fashion. What followed was a brilliant first month, where the organization, desire, and creativity displayed by the side brought back fond memories to the minds of the United faithful.
With convincing back to back victories against Bournemouth and Southampton, things started flowing in the right direction. New additions Bailly and Ibrahimovic were performing well. World record signing Pogba began to look settled. Familiar vibes began to surround Old Trafford, and a last gasp winner by teenage sensation Marcus Rashford, against Hull, was to many, a sign that the long lost ‘Fergie Time’, had now transitioned into ‘Jose time’.
I do not know whether some or all of United’s players were poisoned, drugged, or fed something rotten during the international break, but the players that turned up at Old Trafford against City definitely did not seem like the same ones who had departed to serve their respective nations a fortnight earlier. And with kickoff in the 172nd Manchester Derby, things plunged downwards, to levels that were unthinkable of when you took over, Mr. Mourinho.
I am no master tactician, and in comparison to you, know nothing about managing a football club. However, it is the wide belief of fans, neutrals, and pundits worldwide, that when a 19-year-old scores a winner in stoppage time, and a midweek hat-trick for the England Under 21s, you definitely do give him a shot in the starting lineup for a game of such magnitude.
Instead, you opted to start with a less than match fit Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Jessie Lingard on the wings against City. Between the two of them, they were at least 2 yards off the pace, let 4 or 5 potential breaks fizzle out, and performed so miserably, that you had to substitute them both off at the break. But I’m sure you had your reasons.
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Meanwhile, some audacious keeping from Claudio Bravo led to a Zlatan goal, and despite a spirited second half display, the terrible first half display, and some questionable refereeing decisions mean that the Reds succumbed to a 2-1 home defeat.
But even that was tolerable. Only 4 games into the season, it didn’t seem like the alarm bells needed to be sounded just yet. Back to the focusing on the basics, yes. But no cause for absolute panic. Until just four days later in the Europa League, another completely lacklustre performance condemned United to a 1-0 defeat in the homeland of the man who was our previous candidate to succeed Sir Alex – Mr. Louis Van Gaal.
Completely out of ideas, the likes of Pogba and Martial were left wiping their brows, and you sir, were left scratching your forehead. Meanwhile, legions of young United fans whipped out their smartphones to Google who exactly Feyenoord are.
And yet, all was (somewhat) forgiven, with the premonition that ‘slip ups do occur’ and ‘even the best falter when playing Away in Europe’. Surely, respite would come on the weekend, in the form of a routine win against Watford at Vicarage Road in the Premier League, right? Wrong.
With a spirited display of attacking football, Watford put up a commanding first half display. Despite considerable resistance in the second period, and a Rashford equalizer (to make it 1-1), United slumped to a shocking 1-3 defeat.
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But enough with what’s happened. It’s time to understand what is happening, and where exactly the glaring errors exist, as well as what the side needs to achieve next. For starters, let’s take a look at squad size. If your team is a Premier League title aspirant, and the squad has 3 world class players for every position, it is a blessing that very few are lucky enough to receive.
But when that number becomes 4 or 5, or even 6 players per position, there is a problem. You tend to start fielding players outside their natural dominions. If Memphis Depay, Juan Mata, Ashley Young, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera are allotted 2 positions between them, then you surely have to stay up all night just trying to decide who gets on the substitutes bench, leave alone the starting line-up.
The result of this is a domino effect that eventually leads to terrible performances, which in turn lead to defeats (in this case, three in a row). Setting aside the defensive issues, and overcrowding of attacking players, the one thing that as a fan, I’d like to highlight, is the colossal error of midfield selection.
Paul Labile Pogba was signed for £89 million, to lead Manchester United back to Premier League glory, and Champions League participation. He was not signed for that much money, to occupy a position that Micheal Carrick should, while Wayne Rooney performs dismally in the very same territories where the world record signing should be plying his trade.
Wayne Rooney is the root of the problem, Mr. Mourinho. When you joined our club, you said he’d play as a striker, or a number 10, and you have started him there. The thing is, as the game progresses, he doesn’t play there. And when he does, he performs underwhelmingly. Against City, you shifted him to the right in the second half. Against Watford, he repeatedly crossed poorly and put corners over the past reach of the entire attacking contingent.
Even against Hull, a game that United won, Rooney repeatedly gave away possession in crucial areas of the pitch. So what exactly is Rooney doing, Mr. Mourinho? What value is he adding to the game.?I have immense respect for him. He’s United’s talisman and has done a great deal for the club. But he has persistently performed well below the expected level, and has in the process pushed Pogba back into a relatively defensive position that he is not familiar with, and kept Mkhitaryan and Mata out of the starting eleven.
As a result, Pogba, who likes to roam freely and create flowing play by masterfully picking out teammates, and attempting audacious 30-yard scorchers, has to sit back and partner Marouane Fellaini who, no surprise, is also playing out of position. Fellaini and Pogba are both progressive midfielders, albeit with different qualities. However, what can be agreed is that neither is a traditional central holding midfielder who can sit back and assist the defense when in need.
Following their natural instincts, they both move further up the pitch, in search of high balls to head down (in the case of Fellaini) and intricate openings in the opposition defense (for Pogba), to create a more lucid style of play. And what has happened, as a result, is that a gaping hole has been left between the center backs, and the midfield, allowing the likes of Kevin De Bruyne (for City) and Etienne Capoue (for Watford) to ply their trade to maximum effect.
Mr. Mourinho, the issue at hand is that while Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, amongst others, have created and honed a signature brand of football at their respective clubs, Manchester United has begun to look increasingly listless with every game. There seems to be no particular policy, no plan, and no direction, after the only direction you had promised us, was upward.
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It honestly seems like a lot of big-money players have been scrunched together, and forced onto the pitch, without any real chemistry, or inclination towards a particular footballing mentality. The desire is there, but the dismal level of performance inhibits even that from shining through.
While we’re just 5 games into the season, three consecutive defeats are treated with as much disdain, as three successive victories brought about celebration. One thing is for sure- auras, transfer fees, reputations, and marketability must all be left behind, Mr. Mourinho. This club is desperate for success, and you are definitely more than capable enough and experienced enough, to lead us to the glory that Manchester United’s name is synonymous with.
The thirst for victory is still present at Old Trafford, and always shall be. But recent results have put frowns on faces of even the most optimistic of fans.
Three in three, Jose. And not of the good kind. With the Guardiolas and Klopps and Koemans churning out convincing displays week in, week out, it is time to head back to the drawing board, and come up with an effective solution. It’s far from ‘too late’, but it won’t be long before the critics begin asking whether your time is running out.
So you tell us, Mr. Mourinho, where do we go now?
Sincerely,
A concerned admirer.
