Manchester United: What Isn’t Working
The internationally-recognized team’s slow slog back to the top.
Manchester United is in a difficult situation. Despite their recent last-minute win against Villareal in the Champion’s League, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær is entirely unconvincing in his handling of the team. Although he can be commended for his come-from-behind wins, the main core of the ideas have missing pieces that continue to go unaddressed.
When it works for Manchester United, it really works. Signing Cristiano Ronaldo, despite his age, is an incredible mission statement. It hearkens back to the glory years under previous manager Sir Alexander Fergusson, and is an immediate improvement on the field. Seriously. In Ronaldo’s re-introduction to the Premier League against Newcastle United, he scored twice and looked like the best player on the field.
This is not to discount the rest of United’s squad, though. Bruno Fernandes has also provided immediate impact, a leader on the pitch that scores like it’s nothing. Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire are absolutely incredible at the back, and provide a lot of cover that means United are defensively very strong. They even signed Raphaël Varane this summer, a signing that is big as any and really illustrates your ambitions.
The midfield at United was largely left alone. There are the mainstays like the aforementioned Fernades and Paul Pogba, along with Fred and Jesse Lingard. Lingard especially seems to have his spark back after lighting up the league at West Ham during the second half of the last season. Ronaldo is an excellent signing for sure, but he is not a component in the pressing that is so desperately needed.
And finally, the other marquee signing was Jadon Sancho on the wings from Borussia Dortmund. Sancho was incredible in the Bundesliga, a proven goal-scoring threat. But in his playtime so far, he has been entirely unconvincing and out of depth.
That seems to be the story of the squad this year- quality players but imperfect implementations. Not to mention against Villareal with Shaw and Maguire injured, their replacements, Telles and Lindelof have their own drawbacks. These drawbacks are easily exploited by intelligent teams with good mentality.
After Sir Ferguson left in 2013, United has been through a revolving door of managers. The cast of characters included David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, and even José Mourinho. But the board has settled on Ole Gunnar Solskjær, an old United player known for his impact off the bench. Solskjær has managed teams like Molde in Norway and also Cardiff City, but the United job marks a significant uptick in pressure.
The board seems to back him as the man for the job, seeing as he is a big figure from the club’s past. But his record, while respectable, has hardly been anything to sing praises about.
United have gone trophy-less since 2017, where they won the Europa League. This past season, they lost thee Europa League to Villareal, despite being arguably the better side. With players such as Pogba and Fernandes in his squad, it only raises questions as to why they couldn’t show up for arguably their most important game in years.
With such issues in the midfield and offense, United can often get caught on the back foot by teams that just play more intelligently. Playing Paul Pogba in something similar to the defensive midfielder role (a position of need by United) showed the flaws in his game. When he is not afforded the space he needs, the game looses from his control.
And so Ole’s team attempt to control the game for the majority of the time, until they are left trailing behind, and bringing in affecting subs like Lingard and Cavani for a quick goal. Donny van de Beek is a technical midfielder that can provide the difference they need in midfield, but he seems to be frozen out by attacking-minded players like Fernandes and Lingard. When United’s attacking display works, a la their 5–1 win over Leeds, it is hard not to understand the idea.
It is very possible that Solsjkær will continue to be backed for the manager job. Although his coaching is shoddy- having yet to find a midfield partnership that can provide the consistent spark they need, the individual performances will continue to shine through.
We can only hope that signings like Varane and Sancho continue to bed themselves into the system and find their roles- and with Fernandes and Ronaldo at the core of the offense, it is hard to deny their goal threat.
All that said, I would say that though Manchester United can make a run for the title this year, they will likely be beat out by Guardiola’s Manchester City operation or Tuchel’s tactics at Chelsea- not to mention the already world class squad at Liverpool.
