 EDITORIAL ENGLISH

At present, it is awfully difficult to find the right words or phrases which best crystallise what every United fan is going through. For some it’s a feeling of Deja-vu (as the excruciatingly painful experiences under David Moyes, Louis Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho can attest), for others it’s bewilderment with no end in sight and for perhaps a faithful few, it’s an incessant conviction to ‘trust the process’.

Performances of late have been poor. So poor in fact that it’s prompted a small section of the fans to stage a (yet another) protest on the 13th of November outside Old Trafford. Following the humiliating defeat at home to Liverpool, even the Manager’s greatest supporters slowly started to question his role with Roy Keane even going so far as to say that Ole’s future position within the club was a ‘big question mark’.

Contextually, an analysis of the ‘bigger picture’ will certainly provide a more coherent appraisal of the current predicament and frustration permeating all levels within the club. The last major trophy won was back in the 2016-17 season with the club managing to overcome a plucky Southampton in the final of the league cup. Since then, we’ve had to bite our tongues and contain our emotions as our two fiercest rivals in Manchester City and Liverpool ended up lapping all the honours & accolades – both domestically and in Europe.

Compounding all possible conundrums is the fact that as Gary Neville points out, both City and Liverpool seem to have ‘the best in class’ – in terms of recruitment, coaching staff, scouting and managerial gravitas. In other words, Manchester United is by no means a ‘quick fix’ – and it will take a miracle of epic proportions for the manager and his staff to turn things around as quickly as possible.

If anything, the two games against Liverpool and Manchester City showed how far United had fallen from grace – both from a tactical and philosophical point of view. Liverpool’s identity is built on the famous ‘gegenpressing’ – wherein players are imbued with the self-belief and knowledge that their counter attacking skills are second to none. Moreover, Liverpool’s aggressive pressing is complemented by strikers whose finishing skills are probably the best in the Premier League. Faced with a tactically superior foe and with no room for manoeuvre, Ole was completely found-out against Jurgen Klopp’s polished squad from Merseyside.

The blue half of Manchester posed a different threat altogether. Pundits described City’s win as ‘strangling’ the life out of United with former players branding Pep’s team as ‘toying’ with United. Once again, the coaching staff fell prey to Guardiola’s stifling tactics, high pressing and possession-based game plan which left United clueless and rudderless. Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes, to name but a few, didn’t hold back their criticism with Scholes in particular all-but hinting that the Manager’s sacking was simply an inevitability rather than a probability. Let’s not beat around the bush. The defeat to City was in some ways worse than Liverpool because it exposed frailties and weaknesses that left United fans asking if there was any possible solution. The fact of the matter is that there’s no immediate solution to send out a side capable of beating Liverpool and City at this moment in time. As painful as it may sound and as melancholic as it might be, the ‘United Way’ (whatever that might be) needs a thorough and hard reset – from top to bottom.

Whilst the publication of this editorial might not coincide with the best of runs for the club, there were still some positives that certainly deserve mention….and credit. At the ripe old age of 36, Cristiano Ronaldo is still one of the greatest strikers on the planet. True, he’s no longer capable of ‘running down the wing’, nor is he able to perhaps play every single game – but his influence is still unwavering and his timing close to perfect. His matchwinning goals against Villarreal and Atalanta might just be enough to send United through to the Knock-Out stages of the Champions League. Greatest ever United player? Possibly – especially when at his age (he’ll soon be 37 years old) fans continue to be beguiled by his inescapable influence on the pitch. Observing how closely man-marked during games just goes to show the sheer respect & admiration opposition managers and players still afford to the mercurial Portuguese. One can only hope that this will allow other players such as Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood to play with greater freedom and exploit those loose spaces on the counter.

On the subject of maturity, one player who always seems to age like fine wine is Edinson Cavani. Inasmuch as Ronaldo certainly manages to rescue United at crucial stages of the game, whenever Cavani is on the pitch, the entire squad seems to be galvanised by his sheer presence and on‑field attitude. His recent foray and performance against Tottenham (following a damaging defeat against the Scousers) was another confirmation that the Uruguayan is a big‑game player, seemingly capable of cajoling the entire team and carrying the burden of pressure and expectation on his shoulders. Quite frankly, him being on the pitch transforms United into a different beast all together – with his absences (mostly due to injuries) certainly being felt at all times. If Manchester United hope to turn the season around, the interim manager will surely be banking on having Cavani fit and able to take part in the biggest (and most crucial) encounters throughout the campaign.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Possibly. With the club confirming Ralf Rangnick as Interim Manager there is hope that a more stable and structured methodology will be implemented. Nonetheless, I personally believe that Rangnick will be tasked with not only implementing a new style but providing much needed structure to the entire technical wing – which is certainly much needed. One can only hope that the interim manager will provide much needed stability up and until a full-time manager is appointed. Come what may, we’ll keep on supporting the boys through thick and thin! Happy reading.