The Red Devils are undergoing a nightmarish start to the season, and it has brought upon them a wave of uncertainty. After a lacklustre pre-season and a dry spell in the transfer market, manager Jose Mourinho has been left with the task of revamping the squad after successive Premier League defeats to Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur.
Before things blow out of proportion, it is clear that The Red Devils have to set their priorities straight in order to stake a claim in the competitions they currently participate in.
Already behind in the league, and facing a tricky draw in the Champions League group stage, Jose Mourinho must find a way to get the Mancunian club out of the existential crisis they are facing at the moment.
3 Competence in the final third
Picture this – the defender wins the ball and hauls it over to the midfield to initiate a counter-attack, and while the players make a run, the pass is either made late or sent the wrong way to gift possession back to the opposition.
This summarises the attacks and chances created by The Red Devils so far. Despite possessing a plethora of talent and pace across the field, the passes never seem to connect, and there is a clear lack of vision in the final third.
To get the points, the goals need to be scored, and for that to happen, the decision making in the opposition half has to improve significantly.
Revamping the tactics
Jose Mourinho’s style of football was revered during his early days as a manager. While the style has helped him secure several accolades over the years, it is evidently in a decline.
A squad such as Manchester United’s is not exactly associated with The Special One’s type of football, and this is why there needs to be a revamp of the tactics. The opposition continues to evolve (Chelsea for example).
Perhaps playing Pogba higher up the field and pairing him up with Lukaku could improve the team balance and create positive results in the long haul.
A new central defender
Manchester United were in the eye of the storm during the fag end of the summer transfer window. They were in pursuit of a central defender, with Harry Maguire, Jerome Boateng, Toby Alderweireld, and Yerry Mina being some of the candidates speculated to join Old Trafford.
However, Jose Mourinho’s enthusiasm was met with no response from the board. Now, the club has conceded 7 goals so far in just 3 games, with most of them being through defensive errors.