Manchester United Managerial Situation

 

Last Season

After that horrible 2-0 defeat at home to Burnley on the 23^rd January 2020, crisis talk reached fever pitch. It was the lowest of low for the Ole Gunnar Solksjaer era. At that point, it had seemed that if things didn’t improve soon, he would get sacked. What followed was a long run of unbeaten matches in the league. By then, the damage was already done in the Carabao Cup. We were out-played by Manchester City in the first leg of the semi-final so a 1-0 win in the return leg was scant consolation. That run of unbeaten matches was punctuated by two defeats, in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea and the same round of the Europa League to Sevilla. Solksjaer got the tactics and selection wrong against Chelsea but United find themselves unlucky to lose to Sevilla.

In that run, the swagger had returned. The team played with verve and fluency. They scored goals for fun and the signing of Bruno Fernandes was the catalyst to this upturn in form. United ended the season in 3^rd place, returning to the Champions League with three cup semi-final finishes. It is not what a club like United should be aiming for but it was a massive improvement from where the club was before the defeat to Burnley. Pundits and fans were excited. It looked at long last that United had rediscovered their identity and it wouldn’t be long before United started challenging for major honours again if they keep improving like this.

Pre-Season

There was a lot expected of the club in the summer transfer window. That they would invest sufficiently to bridge the gap further with the teams above us. What ensued was a summer of typical frustration and incompetency. The club rolled out some excuses and was caught in an embarrassing saga dragging on to the final day of the transfer window. We had signed only one player, Donny van de Beek before making four signings on the final day nothing short of panic buying. To make matters worse, captain Harry Maguire was arrested by the Greek police while on holiday with his family. While on international duty, young Mason Greenwood had an indiscretion and Paul Pogba contracted Corona Virus. As one of the clubs that progressed to the semi-finals of European club competition, United had a delayed start to the season.

The Season So Far

The delay affected United on the pitch as the team started the season off the pace. Add to that, the negativity around the club arising from the discontentment of the fans has made for a less than pleasant start to the season. It got worse for United after their opening 1-3 defeat to Crystal Palace. We got hammered 1-6 by Tottenham Hotspur in our next home league match. The form of the team has been patchy and inconsistent since. We have played very well to beat Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig in the Champions League and alternated that with meek displays in the league against Chelsea and Arsenal.

From a team that had their identity figured out and got their mojo back, we have become a team that is lost and clueless again. When football restarted after the lockdown, United kept a constant line-up and formation. It was predictable but stable. It worked until the players ran out of steam towards the end of that run as Solksjaer showed reluctance to rotate the team and make changes during the game. It showed a lack of faith in the players we had on the bench. Now, while trying to cope with playing every three days, he is trying to rotate the players. He showed great tactical nous to change formation before and during the games against Newcastle United, Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig. At the same time, in other games, his tactics and selection have not worked. When losing, he has struggled to affect any change.

From knowing what his best eleven was, it looks like he no longer knows that. I don’t mind a manager that is a tactical chameleon but there has to be one formation that is Plan A. There is quality in the team and I would argue that van de Beek’s signing has added quality to the midfield. A club like United cannot shy away from adding quality out of worry for the lack of playing time. But at the same time, the manager has to find the right balance and selection of players in form. Solksjaer is back at the last chance saloon. Opinions change quickly in football and it is always linked to results and performances. Rival fans are mocking us on Solksjaer and urging for him to be kept in his job as they enjoy our suffering. But if he can make things right, we would have the final laugh. Would he get enough time? It is all in his hands. His failure at the club is not just his own. It is reflective of everyone associated with the club from players to owners.  Good luck Solksjaer and Manchester United!