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And Mourinho’s missing man is……?

September 19, 2016

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Three losses on the trot. The knives are out. Rooney is the fall guy. Mourinho’s not far behind, and United are back to playing Van Gaal’s sideways football. Not a good week. Yet it’s only September as Mata pointed out on his blog, and only City who have real daylight between United and the rest of the chasing pack. Maybe that’s why it’s so painful? City are wonderful to watch. De Bruyne the mastermind of their quick, mobile, swarming play. Guardiola style at it’s best. Liverpool aren’t far behind. Meanwhile United’s giants lumber.

The ruthless side of Mourinho will surely be seen in the coming weeks.  The midfield has to have more dynamism and penetration. Pogba has to turn up. By the time the October crunch away fixtures against Chelsea and Liverpool arrive Mourinho has to find width, speed and a midfield combination that both protects and threatens. The key could be Mkhitaryan.

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Surely there is a mix of pace, craft and steel in Mkhitaryan, Mata, Pogba, Lingard, Fellaini, Schneiderlin, and Carrick. When everyone is fit there’s just too many good players available. But it’s Mkhitaryan who is potentially the most interesting. The Czech Republic’s captain Suchy’s foul on the Armenian during the first match of the international break has had a significant impact on United. Mkhitaryan brings exactly the qualities of pace and imagination United need, and we haven’t seen the best of him yet.

The same can be said for Pogba. Underwhelming is too generous a word. We’ve witnessed flashes of brute force, power, and an occasional mazy run. But he aint no Zidane yet.

And what about the rest of the team? The criticism of Rooney is merciless. Yes he’s having a terrible time. However people are quick to forget there would be no FA Cup win without the driving run setting up Mata’s equaliser. The same determination created the winner at Hull. Yes he’s getting caught on the ball far too often. Yes the passes are less than pin point. And yes it maybe time to put him on the bench. But he’s not the reason United are misfiring. There’s no balance in the team.

Mourinho has the players. Perhaps some aren’t fit, but now is when a manager earns his corn. Unfortunately, for me anyway, Mourinho’s darker characteristics are showing. Blaming Luke Shaw publicly for the second goal at Watford isn’t exactly brilliant man management. Especially when Shaw is said to have had a reoccurrence of a long standing groin injury. Mourinho’s reputation for handling young or sensitive players is awful. Not exactly a nurterer our Jose.

Yet this is exactly a period when players need someone to lift them, and to make the best decisions for the team. If anyone needs to step up it’s the manager. Let’s see what the line up is against Leicester on Saturday.

 

 

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Liverpool 2 Man United 0, March 10th: Under Pressure

March 12, 2016

Man in the middle

It doesn’t get any worse. Most of us have just uncurled from the foetal position. Look at the faces and the headlines.

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Beaten by the team Fergie knocked off their perch. Beaten by high pressure, energetic Dortmund style Klopp football. Without De Gea it could have been a rout. Even though the Spaniard almost kept the score respectable, a very different United need to turn up next Thursday.

This isn’t a team that withstands the modern pressing game. Not enough players are confident on the ball. Not enough strikers have ice in their veins. Rashford’s fluffed chance after just 15 seconds was the only time United seriously threatened. It’s not fair to criticize him, an 18 year old 8 yards out from goal and in front of the Kop must be forgiven, but a mature top-class striker buries the cross from Depay, who along with a few others took the rest of the 89 minutes and 45 seconds off. After that Liverpool never stopped. Sure the penalty was iffy – Depay again – and there’s the terrible mistake by Carrick for the second, but if Liverpool did not win the game it would have been a travesty.

It’s quite possible by next Thursday night United will be out of two cups and with the slimmest chance of achieving what now looks like a miracle top 4 place in the league.

So what do you do? Take the Scholes, Ferdinand, rabid fan and media route? The “this is terrible..no one tackles..it’s the worst United team…not in my day…I’d have been embarrassed..anything but effing Liverpool…let’s get effing Mourinho…let’s get effing anybody…approach?.”

Or do we wait until next Thursday and hope that magic strikes in the next two home games?

The practical and sensible out there will quite rightly say no chance, and firmly point to the corporate machine running United as a global brand and business rather than a football club as the reason United are in the mess they are. But to be honest Liverpool too are American owned, and probably deeply envious of United’s global reach and money making capabilities.

In the end it’s not all about money. Real, Barcelona and Bayern have always paid big money for and to players. What’s needed at United is the kind of strength and long term view that saw Ferguson given almost four seasons to build a football battleship. Whether Van Gaal is the man to manage United isn’t the real question. Someone has to stand back from all the emotion and make some solid, sensible decisions. And sell Depay too :).

 

 

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Man Utd 0 West Ham 0, December 5th: Boos at the Stretford End

December 5, 2015

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Remember the Four Tops hit? “It’s the same old song”?, well here we are again. The Stretford End boo birds and “attack, attack, attack” surfaced in the 70th minute, as for the third game in a row United’s patient – others say pedestrian, pedantic or boring football, and lack of finishing delivered a draw.

A few headlines:

Insipid and ineffectual the Manchester Evening News.

Fans jeer dull stalemate The Guardian

Fans vent fury Irish Independent

I must have watched a different game. C’mon it wasn’t that bad.  Fellaini hit the post and had one kicked off the line. Martial, Mata, Schweinsteiger and Lingard all missed chances. West Ham could have had 4 as the post saved United twice, De Gea outwitted Moses and Zarate missed a sitter. 

The brief second half cameo from Memphis/DePay was the most positive, least fussy and direct performance I’ve seen from him this season.

United are in 4th but only three points off the top and with the same amount of points as City, who were well beaten at Stoke. By all accounts the 3-1 Arsenal home win over Sunderland flattered to deceive, Tottenham drew at WBA, and of course Chelsea’s defeat at home to Bournemouth  proves once again why this year’s league is to say the least unpredictable.

It’s a logjam up there and if United can open the check book in January they will not be far away. I’m sticking to my guns on that. The question is who can they get?

Cavani? Can he take the Premiere League’s physical side?

Vardy? Maybe.

Kane? No chance.

My guess is if someone comes it will be from Europe. But price shouldn’t even be a consideration. This January unlike others may be the time to buy because the league is wide open.

Meanwhile whither Van Gaal?

There’s no doubt there is tension behind the scenes at Old Trafford. The rumors and leaks of the players being unhappy with his methods, discipline, and organization are too frequent to ignore.

On Friday he said if he loses the dressing room he’s gone. That’s not an empty threat. He’s given himself his own walking papers at Bayern, Barcelona, Ajax, and AZ Alkmaar. In Aloysius Paulus Maria van Gaal’s world it’s always been “My Way or I pack my bags and drive off down the highway”.

Remember Alex Ferguson’s first two seasons at Old Trafford? You should. Van Gaal’s record is too good to throw away easily**** Update since this post was first written much has been written about how the Old Trafford hierarchy is  happy with Van Gaal and his methods, and are ready to sit down with him to discuss extending his contract. Good.

Now for Tuesday and Wolfsburg. Now that is a BIG game.

 

 

 

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Leicester City 1 Man United 1, November 28th: It’s Rusty Bum Time!

November 29, 2015

No offence to the Jamie Vardy Show, and congrats to Vardy, but his opener and Premiere League’s consecutive scoring streak record setter was a poor goal from United’s point of view. Young gave him a free pass over the final 5 yards and Vardy’s specialty is scoring from that angle. United never looked like losing today, but again possession didn’t translate to goals. United had 69% of the play yet it took a set piece and some true grit from Schweinsteiger to force an equaliser.

leicester-man-utd-schweinsteiger_1Add today to his efforts at Watford last week and Schweinsteiger is taking some games by the throat.The Manchester Evening News quite rightly labels the German  “a captain without the armband” and he looked like a man on a mission all day.  Less could be said for the forwards. Martial is having a blip; Mata is going through a poor stretch; and Rooney just looks tired.

The days of Squeaky Bum Time for now perhaps should be labelled Rusty Bum Time. Things are just taking a bit more time to get going.  The focus remains on defensive organization and solid fundamentals and it will probably remain so all season. After today’s game Gary Neville echoed what a lot of us have been saying, United are very close to a championship team but…..

“……they need that match-winner, that Neymar, that Luis Suarez, the one that is going to light up a game and score one or two goals to take it away, then all of a sudden they would look like a Barcelona, because they’re dominating possession, making teams look foolish.

“Even in the last 15 minutes, they didn’t fully commit to winning the game. Historically, you would like to see punch after punch, you would want to see bodies being thrown forward, but you might get caught on the counter attack and lose 2-1 that way.

We all know the no risk approach is driving some critics and fans bonkers. Probably no-one understands that more than Van Gaal. Who wants to be the manager of The World’s Most Criticized Team?

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Man United 0 PSV 0, November 25th: Zen and The Art of Being a Manchester United Fan

November 26, 2015

louis-van-gaal-manchester-united-fc-v-pfc-cska-moskva-uefa-champions-league-03112015_17exe4tpuyji313tgpjzl8ku13Not the greatest of displays agreed. So where do we start? Roy Keane’s attack on Wayne Rooney? Paul Merson’s view that United are a Subbuteo team? The Daily Mail’s Snoozeometer Ratings? The mystery player who says he can be 50% better if only Van Gaal would release him from his shackles? (my bet is it’s DePay). Rene Meulensteen echoing the “free the players” mantra. The Manchester Evening News criticizing the fans? Or Rio Ferdinand talking about the missing “animal” players?

Wow. It’s a good job United are second in the league and still have a chance of winning their Champions League qualifying group.

Enough already. Can everyone please shut up?

Rooney can’t carry the team on his own.

The team is set up the way it is because that’s currently the way they can succeed. Anyone remember Boring Arsenal or Don Revie’s first great Leeds team? Or countless Italian, German and yes Spanish teams with a defend first approach?

This is my mantra: Players determine tactics.

Now I’ll get critical. Meulensteen said earlier this week that Jesse Lingard is Andres Iniesta in waiting. You mean the Lingard that’s missed three sitters in the past two games? If Rooney gets those chances they are buried. If Lingard scores the two last night all the stories of woe would have have been spiked. Instead the headlines would have been about United’s latest youth academy product delivering his full potential or some such other guff and United winning the group with a game to play.

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The glass is just about half full on Lingard, but he’s nervous and he gives the ball away too many times as well as missing sitters. I’d never start a game without Mata but that’s me. What do I know?

There is no God given right that United are going to blow teams away. Over the years too many Tuesday and Wednesday night Champions League and European Cup fixtures prove that.

Finally the Guardian projected which team will be top of the league on January 1st 2016. Guess which team it is? Correct their home is Old Trafford.

This is a time for patience grasshoppers. An away win at Leicester solves the current angst

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Even more on Fellaini and why he’s crucial this season

August 25, 2015

So the manager has clarified today that Fellaini will play more as a striker this season. In my book that’s a very, very good thing. I’ve already waxed lyrical on the qualities I believe he brings to the team, but to be honest it just makes sense. He’s a proven player in the final third. TJS70684504here aren’t many center halves who can handle him ask Kompany and Mangala. And as for the criticism on Twitter about how he turns United into a one dimensional pub team hoofing it forward in the hope of knock downs, that is utter bollocks. You get players wide or players who can directly attack in the final third and he will battle, pick up the bits, provide an assist or score. All of this “where is the swashbuckling team of old?” lament is utter tripe. Get real people. Once Ronaldo left United became a much more pedestrian and one paced team.

The last title was won on Van Persie’s goal scoring brilliance and some very, very dour performances. If you can’t sign Bale, Muller, or Reus, what are you supposed to do?

Let’s see what happens in Brugges tomorrow night. Then also let’s see what happens once the team is definitely in the next round of the Champions League. There are 5 and half days in the transfer window after Wednesday night.

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Man Utd 3 v Club Brugges 1 August 18th: Memphis delivers, Smalling a “beast” and transfer nuttyness

August 19, 2015

Watched the match on an intermittent web connection then 9 hours later woke up to the news that Pedro has gone to Chelsea.. So 3-1, Memphis scores two terrific goals, Fellaini gets that all important third, but the fans are split on the Pedro non signing. You have to think Van Gaal has something up his sleeve. If it’s not Muller is it Bale? Woodward was in Barcelona on Monday. He obviously didn’t go for a long lunch. Something happened between late Monday afternoon and late Tuesday night.

All of this slightly overshadows a very good performance on Tuesday. Admittedly Brugge were without 6 regular starters, had a man sent off, and are not an elite European side, but they were always on the back foot and when they did threaten United were quicker, stronger and more determined.

If the back four continues like this and stay clear of injury – I’m repeating myself here – it’s a solid platform particularly when you add in the defensive cover Schneiderlin provides.

Despite the angst and envy about Pedro United are making a lot of progress.

Last night was a huge step forward for Memphis, but to me me he’s still a work in progress. It’s when he does it away against Chelsea that he’s a superstar.

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Aston Villa 0 v Man United 1 August 14th: Back four in command

August 15, 2015

Curious few days when the football headlines are dominated by Chelsea’s doctor-dodging dictator as the Guardian labels Jose Mourinho. What’s Up Doc! Great stuff unless you’re a Chelsea supporter or a doctor only trying to do her job. It was irresistible to everyone, including me,

Meanwhile  I watched on an Iphone as United went to the top of the league with their solid but unspectacular display at Aston Villa. Two games, 6 points, no goals against, you cannot argue VanGaal is doing a great job. United have a shape.

The back four despite all the worries about the Smalling and Blind pairing played exceptionally well. As a unit they defended with calm efficiency. Villa never looked like scoring. There will be sterner tests to come but if Blind in particular continues to read, intercept and distribute as well as he’s doing, and Smalling deals with the more muscular and pacy threats, Van Gaal may have shown that yes, he does know more about the game and his players than we do. Schneiderlin is doing a brilliant job protecting the centre and Darmian and Shaw have been excellent.

It’s the last third where the pieces have yet to come together. For me the Guardian over analayzed Januzaz’s inclusion over Young. Van Gaal was proved right again as Januzaz scored the winner. Much of the pre-season debate has been about will United give young players a chance to learn and grow. Villa away is the perfect opportunity.

However everybody recognizes there is something missing at the front. I felt sorry for Rooney. His touch was awful but let’s face it he was on his own without a lot of support and balls were being pinged at him from all over the place. The final third is where Van Gaal must be concentrating now. I think Mata should be the 10. He probes, he scores, he’s a wonderful footballer. Rooney historically takes time to get going but he’s still a great player. The pace is going to have to come from elsewhere.

There are more than two weeks left in the transfer window but the potential Pedro signing is now officially a melodrama.

There has to be something up if this move fails now. It can’t be the money. Maybe there’s another player out there who is more interesting to United?

We’ll see.

In the meantime whatever happens at the Etihad on Sunday it promises to be a great weekend for United. If City win Chelsea will have 1 pt from two games. If Chelsea win that’s good. If it’s a draw that’s fine too.

Bring on Brugge.

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Why Manchester United should pay 100 million pounds for Gareth Bale

August 5, 2015

In February 1979 I interviewed Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough for BBC’s Football Focus on why he made Trevor Francis Britain’s first ever million pound player. Cloughie’s reasoning was simple” Listen young man” he declared “If Trevor Francis scores the winning goal in the European Cup Final he’s paid the fee”. Three months later Francis delivered the European Cup to Nottingham with a header in first half injury time. It was the only goal in the game against Malmo.

A million pounds was a huge amount of money in those days but Cloughie didn’t even blink. He was a football genius who also understood football economics. You pay for success.  If Louis Van Gaal believes Gareth Bale can win a Champions League title he should persuade United’s board to pay what seems like an astronomical 100 million pounds fee if necessary. Thirty six years ago Brian Clough proved it works.

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Random thoughts from United’s pre-season: Burglars, Galacticos and United Artists

July 27, 2015

When burglars broke into Angel Di Maria’s Prestbury home on January 31st they didn’t steal anything tangible but they left with Di Maria’s spirit. Who knows what really happened that night but the writing has been on the wall ever since. It was devastating enough to frighten his wife and put the Di Maria’s off Manchester for good. Three masked men and scaffolding as crow bars? One can only have sympathy and understanding for a family who underwent that type of assault.Angel_Di_Maria

As of writing it seems certain Di Maria will sign for PSG. In the Manchester Evening News Samuel Luckhurst argues that Louis Van Gaal contributed to Di Maria’s failure and probable departure by playing him out of position. I disagree. Great players can play anywhere. Talent and courage always shine through. You could put Messi at right back; Ronaldo at center half, or Jaap Stam at outside left and they would do fine. You would know they were committed and trying their best. Look at Falcao and the fan generosity he inspired by simply trying. Not so with Di Maria. We all knew instinctively he wanted out. The burglars won. Since that January encounter all enjoyment and impudence disappeared from Di Maria’s game.

But what does Van Gall do now? You only have to listen to the manager on Sky Sports to know he understands the task at hand. He wants pace and ingenuity. A scalpel to open the tightest defence. A Robben, a Hazard, a Ronaldo. Di Maria was supposed to be that player.

I’m a huge fan of Van Gaal’s press conferences. The slightly crumpled detective schtick is wonderful. He actually tells it like it is: “We are in a transfer process”; “I want to sign a superstar”. What more can he say? You know Woodward is knocking on Real Madrid’s door for Ronaldo. Who else is there? Reuss? Is he available?  Muller? Will Bayern sell another? Bale? Is he the piece in the De Gea puzzle? The questions are endless. The answer is the same. Van Gaal knows what’s missing he’s told us. A player with pace, power and control. A dagger in the final third.

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So far United have had a brilliantly successful transfer window. Darmian looks a fixture for years to come. Schneiderlin could be terrific. The only question against Schweinsteiger is how many games can he play. De Pay has a lot to learn and isn’t the finished article yet but the promise is enormous. The missing man however is the key.

Some final thoughts. I went to the game in Seattle, watched San Jose on United’s in house channel, and the Barcelona game on US network TV. The United roadshow is something to watch. Technology, meets marketing, meets social media. No wonder Ed Woodward and his team pay attention to the fan blogs and Twitter. The fans continuously build and extend the brand. In- depth analysis like this excellent piece from United Rant. The season preview from Republik of Mancunia. There’s just so much stuff. The guys at Full Time Devils who created their own TV channel are following the team across America.

Last of all, in 1920 Hollywood superstars Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and a couple more banded together to create the United Artists studio. It’s a great name. I’m launching a Twitter campaign to replace Galactico with  #unitedartists. Now all Louis and Ed have to do is deliver one.

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