The season is barely a week old and it’s already glaringly obvious that United need to spend money, or face up to another season of mediocrity.
For the second summer running, Ed Woodward flew home early from the pre-season tour to conduct transfer business. Yet all we’ve heard since then is that there have been no official bids for any players. How can that be? If last season wasn’t enough of a wake up call, this summer further reinforces the need for help, especially in defence.
Losing Rio, Vida, Pat and Giggsy from the playing squad all in one summer is a phenomenal blow both in terms of quality but also sheer experience. All of these players are European and multiple Premier League champions. You can’t replace that overnight but you can certainly attempt to plug gaps in what is an obviously fragile spine in need of urgent attention.
Saturday’s game against Swansea served as a big wet slap in the face after the false promise of a very successful pre-season tour where we won every game, including victories against such European giants as Real Madrid, Liverpool and Inter Milan. Yes, it was an impressive showing in the USA, but you have to consider that the majority of these sides were missing big name players due to extended breaks after the World Cup.
Louis’ favoured 3-5-2 looked to have promise in America but in practice I can’t see it working in the Premier League. Manchester United simply don’t have the players to fit the system, and one of the basic theories of the game is to play to the strengths of the players at your disposal. Nearly every player in that squad will have been brought up, and will have spent most of their career, using formations based on a solid back 4. They all know it, know their roles within it, and know where they should be in all situations. 3-5-2 won’t work with United’s current squad because we only have 3 senior centre-backs, and none of them are currently top class footballers.
That point was highlighted on Saturday by Tyler Blackett’s performance. He has got a lot of promise but not on the left side of a back 3. He was caught out of position for Swansea’s first goal, and showed a lack of experience for their second goal by passing the ball back to them after a foul, allowing them to take a quick free kick, which ended up leading to the winning goal for Sigurdsson. A more experienced player would have left the ball where it was, allowing his team mates to get back into position and be better prepared to defend the next attack.
All that being said our starting 11 on paper should still be sweeping Swansea aside without much fuss. It just goes to show that the old addage of the game not being played on paper is very true, especially at Old Trafford these days.
This team is crying out for help in two main positions as far as I see it.
We need at least one experienced, top-class centre-back to organise that defence and provide some much needed protection for David De Gea. Last season he was voted United’s player of the year, which was well deserved because he was the only player to come out of the season with any credit, making a string of incredible saves. But the sheer fact that a goalkeeper should be considered Manchester United’s player of the year is a very clear reflection on the way the rest of the team played. Terribly.
The second area is no surprise, defensive midfield. Michael Carrick’s absence is hurting us at the moment, but even he isn’t the kind of player we need. United have lost their fear factor and not since Roy Keane have we had a real hard man in the middle of the park. Someone who scares opposition defences into submission, but also scares his team mates into better performances.
Marcos Rojo is a decent addition but in the wrong position. We just spent £30 million on Luke Shaw, so I don’t see the sense in buying another left sided defender.
Pull your finger out Ed, while you still have the chance.