There was a time in the distant past when people used to talk about a team in pubs and in football forums with reverence, a team who drove fear into the heart of every manager in Europe and a team that inspired people to play football. This was a team that had conquered Europe and England and reigned as the absolute King of English Football for the better part of a decade.Although the same side has been on the decline lately and struggling against sides like Young Boys. This team? b1742
Manchester United.
Manchester United might have won, but another abject performance with no real sense of a game plan. And it was against Young Boys at home. So many problems in this team. Papers over the cracks.
— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) November 27, 2018
What has become of this illustrious giant of world football that they struggle to score a goal against a team like Young Boys that is coming to the European stage for the first time and almost lost against a goal to them?
What happened to this team that the fans have stopped coming to their matches?
Before the match against BSC Young Boys started, the manager was under a lot of fire and rightly so, he had just drawn at home against Crystal Palace for the first time in Four Years. Jose Mourinho blamed the players and that they did not listen to him when asked for an explanation for his failure to field a team that can win.
He reportedly wanted to players to go on the attack from the moment the whistle sounds against Young Boys, makes you wonder how a team which is filled with attacking do not attack even when explicitly told by their manager. Do they not listen to him, or is the manager lying to the fans? That is a question for another writer on another day.
Jose Mourinho and Manchester United had to win had to win against Young Boys. They had to win back the loyalties of the home crowd who have lost their faith in the team. They had to win to show that they are not meek rabbits who have lost their sheen. The match against BSC Young Boys started off on a good note, the United attack was strong. Rashford, Lingard, and, Martial were making in-roads into the box of the Young Boys.
Fred was a delight to watch against Young Boys in the midfield, it is difficult to understand why the manager doesn’t pair him up with Pogba and have the duo create more opportunities for the forward line. He was at the ignition that started any fire in the United offense. Finally, that 52 Million price tag was showing its value.
The left field was dominated by Luke Shaw, who reed the team after the expiry of his punishment, and Fellaini, who started the match alongside Fred. The two of them managed to drive the ball towards either Marital or Rashford.
Paul Pogba who came on in the second half, replacing Fred, styled his way to finding the goal that ended the draught at Old Trafford. He replaced Fred’s role and assumed responsibility for steering the offense of Manchester United, a role which he managed to fulfill. Maybe the broken hearts of fans asking for a return to form might have affected him after all.
The second half saw the re-emergence to form of one, Phil Jones. Who waxes and wanes like the moon, hopefully, he won’t pick up another injury that will hamper his season. That ends the good part.
Marcus Rashford has missed so many goals on target this game that he should not be allowed to play another football match. Granted, he was the only player who was making inroads into the defense of Young Boys. But, that itself is a symptom of the sickness plaguing United.
Marcus Rashford has now missed 10 consecutive 1v1s with the goalkeeper for Manchester United. ⚽❌ pic.twitter.com/WbmxieBerS
— Football Factly (@FootballFactly) November 28, 2018
Martial who is the in-form player could not get into the box or make a good shot on Target against Young Boys. The two wingers couldn’t play the ball into the box so that Fellaini could use his height and score. It, therefore, fell upon the shoulders of young Rashford to try to score in the box and he tried and failed.
The back line of Manchester United was tested by the Young Boys attack line in the second half, with a corner kick almost creating history for the Young Boys as the ball being deflected off Mbabu into the United net were it not for another spectacular save by David De Gea.
The manager brought in Lukaku, whose presence and contribution to the game was zero until the end where he got the crucial nick on his head, why wasn’t Ander played instead of him, the lad has more speed and has the one thing the majority of players in United lack, ion.There was a lack of fire in the United attack.
Yes, they were ahead in possession when compared to Young Boys and yes they had shots on goal, but none of them matters when you don’t have the drive to chase the ball into the net. Manchester United has become the Great Toothless Devil of Manchester.
👏 After another incredible save last night…
🔝 Jose Mourinho is in no doubt that he has the best goalkeeper in the world at @ManUtd. pic.twitter.com/UDwfr6XXoe
— SPORF (@Sporf) November 28, 2018
If this the way United plays against a team who is playing their first European Championship, how is the manager going to get the team to play against the other clubs in Europe, how is going to get the team to play against teams in the EPL?
It’s a question that the Glazer’s and Ed Woodward need to be thinking about, seriously. Having that many empty seats at a home game at Old Trafford has not been seen in a long time. The fans have written off the team, the players, and the staff and even a win is not going to repair what is happening, given the performance against Young Boys.
United next travel to St. Mary’s stadium to face Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday.
