Blundersome Start By Manchester United

I was excited as this weekend edged closer as it meant the return of European football starting with the English Premier League as is normally the case every season. After a horrendous season the last time out, I was looking forward to seeing what Manchester United was going to produce this season. The pre-season results have been good and the performances have been bright and sharp. But the cynic in me wasn't willing to read too much into the pre-season results and performances. I have seen this story before. Ironically, it was played out ahead of another Dutch manager's debut season, Louis Van Gaal. 

As it turned out, my cynicism wasn't unfounded. Just like his predecessor, Erik Ten Hag started his competitive journey with Manchester United with a defeat. The symmetry is shared with the result, 1-2 and the venue of the match, Old Trafford. That season, after the defeat, United made four signings having only signed two players prior to the start of the season. This time, United has made three signings but God knows that we need to sign more. 

The players that looked bright and sharp in pre-season were blunted. Right from the start of the match, the players were taking too long in possession, making mistakes with their passes and the attacks were not flowing. It is always one thing to perform well when there is no pressure in a pre-season friendly and another when the pressure is on with three points at stake. Despite the vast objection amongst the club's supporters, Harry Maguire started in central defence and Fred and Scott McTominay were the chosen pair to start in central midfield. I was not surprised because these players have regularly started their pre-season matches. Due to Anthony Martial's injury and Cristiano Ronaldo's late start to pre-season, United started with a False Nine. We have attempted the False Nine under previous management but it has never worked. 

I was pleased to hear the fans make their feelings known to the players and staff at half-time but I was surprised that there were no immediate changes. The changes did come soon after but it wasn't enough for a comeback. Had Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes, in the first half, been sharper with their finishing, we would have had a different result but that would have merely papered over the cracks. The positive of this defeat is that if Ten Hag doesn't already know, he would know now the size of the task at his hand to turn around the fortunes of this massive club. He needs to demand for quality signings to be made immediately, players that are ready to play in the first team. Fred and McTominay cannot be starting in central midfield again as a double pivot. There were many poor performances on the day but these were merely a continuation from last season - Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Harry Maguire. Diogo Dalot was a bumbling character. 

The club is in a mess. The supporters protested after the game and the target of their anger is clear. Another positive of this defeat is that the owners and CEO know that they got to move in the transfer market and get the manager what he wants or things will get very ugly for them. But do they care enough for that? The situation is certainly not healthy and it looks like a struggle. The other positive I can pick out is that we are only at the start and the manager looks like he means business which gives me confidence that he will get things right eventually but he knows he doesn't have the luxury of time, such is the nature of the game.