With the addition of Jose Mourinho as manager and top players coming in to the club, such as Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Manchester United were expected to challenge on all fronts this season.
However, the 2-1 defeat at Fenerbahce in the Europa League on Thursday night, was the latest in a run of disappointing results and perhaps more importantly, poor performances. The defeat in Istanbul lead Mourinho to comment on how the players treated the game like a friendly match and how they were not prepared, focused or concentrated.
The Red Devils conceded the first goal after just 65 seconds and it was a spectacular strike from Moussa Sow. The striker will get all the plaudits for the goal but from a defensive point of view, no one was challenging for the ball for Manchester United. When the ball is played in towards the edge of your own penalty area, you expect one of your central defenders to take charge of the situation and attack the ball. Neither Daley Blind or Marcos Rojo looked interested in getting to the ball first and this allowed Sow all the time in the world, to perfect his overhead kick.
If there was one moment which sums up Manchester United right now, it was that. There is no decisiveness to their play, no desire to remain tight at the back and make the opposition work hard to break them down. Since the Liverpool match, when there was evidence of this mentality, it has completely disappeared. The players seemed to raise their game at Anfield but have failed to find the same level since.
Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford continue to play from wide areas and in truth, it appears neither of them want to be there. As they have been picked to play there by the manager, their duty is to give their all but even then, surely they are players who are better suited to playing centrally? Operating on the shoulder of the last defender and causing problems by baring down on goal, not by receiving the ball on the touchline, with three or four men to beat.
By playing Wayne Rooney or Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the focal point of the attack, there is little to stretch opposition defence. The ball is played up to them and often, it is controlled and passed back into midfield. This not a criticism of their play, they do what they do well but is it suitable for opening teams up, who are happy to see them receive the ball in deep areas of the pitch and lay it off?
It would be great to see a Manchester United team come out, with the pace of Rashford or Martial operating close to Ibrahimovic or Rooney, with support coming from midfield in the way of Pogba and Mkhitaryan. However, would Mourinho ever consider playing a 4-4-2 formation or something similar? It’s not the done thing to do but then Leicester did win the title last season playing that exact formation and Atletico Madrid have used a version of 4-4-2 with great success.
Current injury problems may force Mourinho’s hand for the time being but with everyone fit, it would be good to see a new, attacking approach to the team this season.