I think Manchester United are probably entering the end game now with EtH, the mood around the club and the stadium is shifting and once that has happened, it’ll be impossible for the manager to turn it back around.
I do feel that in some ways, EtH hasn’t been given the stability and structure to make a real success of his stint in charge. He had that in spades at Ajax and he could perform as one of the best managers in Europe with that support.
On the other hand, though I am a little disappointed in what I’ve seen, I wasn’t expecting miracles, but he has changed his tactics with the tides, which has left us always trying to bed in a new style. Meaning two full seasons after he joined, we are still trying to create a successful style almost from square one this season.
Either way, if you feel that he is a little hard done by in some respects or not, he will most likely be gone sooner rather than later. Definitely by the start of next season.
Which brings me on to thinking about what issues will his successor have to deal with?
In goal we have Onana who, if played in a specific style of play is a good enough keeper (even if he might make the odd gaff). However, if the new manager doesn’t want to play that way, he will almost certainly have to bring in a new keeper as neither Bayindir or Heaton are probably viable options. That might really restrict how the next manager wants to play.
In defence, there are a few issues bubbling that will need to be addressed. The first is the gaping hole at LB. We absolutely cannot go into next season relying on the fitness of Shaw and Malacia. While unless they can come back and play a decent amount of football this season, it will be difficult to find anyone who’d be prepared to buy either of them.
The second issue is that we have a number of defenders who have had injury issues over their careers. Both Mazraoui and MdL have had issues staying fit for an entire season throughout their careers. While Martinez after a great first 7 months to his United career has struggled with injuries and hasn’t looked back to the level he was at the start of his United career.
Even the young lad Yoro has so far missed more games for us than he’s been available. Maybe that’s just bad luck, but any new manager would be foolish to go into next season relying on a 19-year-old who is fairly new to the league and has had a bad injury in his first season at the club. With the constant changing of the back line and having to play players out of position, is it any wonder why United have looked so shaky in defence?
While there are questions in defence for me, the biggest issue is in midfield. Casemiro and Eriksen must be in their final season at the club. That leaves the new guy Ugarte, the regularly injured Mount, the seemingly declining Bruno, and two inexperienced kids (Mainoo and Collyer).
There seems to be no combination that looks well balanced, whichever players we select there will always be at least one glaring weakness to our midfield. I think we need to sign at least two midfielders. Both need to be physically robust, technically gifted and intelligent players. As we are lacking all three in our current options.
The midfield is the heart of the team, it sets the tempo and dictates the style the team will play. People complain that we don’t really have a clear style, but we don’t have a midfield capable of truly playing a consistent style of play.
Finally, we lack goals. I actually like the players we have in attack. A few are young and need to step up and develop into the players their talent suggests they can become. Yet, we struggle to create consistent chances. For me a big part of that is the midfield, without a consistent midfield who can move the ball effectively, chances ahead of that midfield will always be slim pickings and inconsistent at best.
Although I do feel that the options we have are missing something, we have a lot of quick shooters. I feel we need a creative player who plays with his head up and links play better in the final third. An intelligent player who plays for the team rather than for their goals bonus. To some extent Zirkzee looks like that sort of player, but I feel we need at least one more to give us more balance in the final third.
Which means whoever comes in will likely need to bring in a couple of players in defence (LB and CB), at least two midfielders, and someone creative in the final third. They will have to find a shape, structure and playing style that suits the majority of the players they have, and we will have to accept that the performances and results will be inconsistent for the first couple of seasons at least.
For me the biggest issue is sorting the midfield out, the team cannot have an identity without a functional midfield set up to play that style. If you think of any great EPL side the key to their success is their midfield. Be that Keane / Scholes, Makelele / Lampard, Rodri / KdB, even Liverpool with Henderson / Fabinho while not the most gifted players they’re aggressive, pressing nature set the tone for the team. The midfield set the tone and link the whole team together. Until we get the midfield sorted we will continue to struggle badly.
EtH will soon be gone, but many of the biggest issues this team has will still remain.
Written by Shappy October 06 2024 16:13:20
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