28 Jan 2021 12:11:03
So we've come back down to earth with a bump after a week or so of dreaming. While we all dissect last nights game, the tactics etc the reality is simple and one many have been in a state of denial about for a long time. Simply put this isn't a great squad.
While it is arguably our best squad in several years, that doesn't by default make it a great squad. Ask any Man Utd fan to objectively (or at least as objectively as they can) to say how many players our first team is away from us having a top side, most would say that Martial needs replacing, we need a RW, a CDM, and at least one CB ideally two.
Can anyone see the issue here, we think we have a great squad, but need 4-5 players just in our first 11 to have a great side. The two statements can't BOTH be correct. We can't have a great squad but be HALF a first team away from having a great side. As Ken would say that's Bolloxsology.
Statistically our best 11 is DDG, AWB, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, Greenwood, Bruno, Rashford and Martial. The team that on balance wins us the most points.
How many of you would be happy to stick with that 11? And how many of you look at that 11 and think we need a couple of CB's, Is McFred a winning midfield partnership, is Martial good enough, can AWB and Greenwood fulfil their potential and perform consistently?
I've said repeatedly that due to the unusual nature of this season I think we can challenge for the title, I still feel we could. I think this side is capable of getting 80-85 points which should I think put us there or thereabouts for the title this season. Unless one side has a huge second half to the season, and if they do then fair play to them.
However, I have also said that I don't think we can challenge on all fronts. To get to the FA cup and Europa League finals require us playing an extra 13 games on top of our league games. We have 18 games left in the league, so that would mean we would need to play 31 games in 13 weeks, however that doesn't factor in the March international break week. Which means we would need to play 31 games in 12 weeks to get to both finals. That averages 2.5 games per week, which obviously doesn't work, it would mean that we would need to play 3 games a week for 7 weeks, and 2 games a week for the remaining 5 weeks.
Does anyone actually think this squad is capable of that without collapsing from exhaustion?
We have seen that if we make more than 1 or 2 changes to our first 11 the quality and ability to get the results drop off a cliff. Last night we made arguably 4 changes from our strongest 11 and we were awful. Worst than that we didn't get the result AND players such as AWB, Maguire, Bruno and Rashford still didn't get a rest. Meaning they still need a break.
If we want to have chance of challenging for the title, or even make sure we don't drop down the table then we need to play our strongest 11 in the league games. In order for them not to burn out that probably means wholesale changes for cup games. Kids and squad players. If they make the final then great, if not then we haven't burned out our players trying to do too much with too little.
28 Jan 2021 12:58:31
Shappy - Last night had nothing to do with team selection or tactics. We should comfortably be able to field a team capable of beating a depleted Sheffield United outfit that prior to last night had only won one league game all season.
Last night was an absolute disgrace lacking hunger, fight, desire, intensity and the will to compete. The second goal epitomised the entire catastrophe. The ball was surrendered cheaply with absolutely no effort or desire to win it back. Players stood watching as Sheffield Utd were afforded the freedom of Old Trafford to play the ball into the box unopposed, to a player completely unmarked when he was allowed to shoot at goal unchallenged with the game hanging in the balance at 1-1 with 15 minutes to play. If that happened in a friendly I’d be appalled never mind a Premier League game with a chance to go top of the league. Players passing responsibility, leaving it to team mates, sauntering around as if they are World Champions and hard work doesn’t apply to them.
The entire team let themselves down last night (some more than others), not to mention the manager and the fans with a pathetic effort to win a football match they thought they only had to turn up to win.
I’ve been concerned for some time about a lack of intensity and effort off the ball. A team that doesn’t press or fight to re gain possession will never be successful.
Ole will no doubt return to his trusted disciple’s on Saturday in an attempt to avert the next crisis which is now looming large on the horizon. They might not possess the talent of some but their commitment and effort can never be questioned.
I was devastated by what I saw last night. A Utd team with the chance to go top of the league and a genuine chance of winning a title for the first time in nearly a decade couldn’t even be bothered to run.
28 Jan 2021 13:22:56
Shappy I'm sorry but you lost be at the very beginning.
"many have been in a state of denial about for a long time. Simply put this isn't a great squad"
This is a good squad and the quality therein is more than capable of beating Sheffield United.
You seem to be getting confused between desire and ability.
I said yesterday that Sheff Utd will keep us honest, they are regarded as a hard working team. We didn't match their work ethic and we failed to make the correct tactical changes and substitutions to break them down.
To say this isn't a greta squad implies Sheff Utd's squad is better which is so far from the truth.
28 Jan 2021 13:30:39
DLIB, spot on comments, though I do think Martial should have been dragged way before his embarrassing loss of possession followed by a casual disinterested meander at the speed a geriatric tortoise.
Wanna, also agree, this is a decent SQUAD, way better than most other than Citeh and Liverpool.
The attitude was okay, not as bad as the result, u til the equaliser where we just did not up our pace, closing down or workmate. Our midfield was well beaten the three of them were very poor, Pogba ironically the least to blame.
28 Jan 2021 14:02:11
I think minimum, we need a top CB, two would be ideal, also, maybe a good defensive coach.
A right winger is also essential.
So 3 players and we have a solid base to work from.
If Pogba is wanting to go, I would slap him in the under 23s and start giving VDB minutes. I have not seen this world class, game changing player recently that others have.
We also seem to have Martials evil twin hanging around. Drop him for his own good and put one of these new wonder kids in the squad, Rashford back on the left.
28 Jan 2021 14:56:28
Shappy good post but too long. You could summed it like "it was not Ole fault"
28 Jan 2021 15:21:33
Surely the stats show Martial doesn’t run or sprint a right lot, doesn’t beat his man very often, generally isn’t contributing. If they do, how is he still getting picked. Cavani is a CF, I’d even play Greenwood in the middle as he is far more clinical.