Considering United ended last season with just 2 wins from the final 12 games, I suppose 1 win out of 4 so far this season does represent an improvement of sorts. This isn’t an attempt to dress things up or put a spin on events, it’s just an accurate summary of the situation in which we find ourselves. Forgive me for stating the obvious but I think many reds still need a reality check on exactly where we’re at. The team remains an inconsistent mess and people expecting a major improvement on last season are going to be feeling a tad underwhelmed over the next few months.
Misguided pre-season optimism will always be a thing but I think many people took leave of their senses this summer – which intensified further following the unexpected hammering of Chelsea on opening weekend. A couple of assists don’t suddenly make Pogba a fully-engaged and disciplined midfield leader, the same as Marcus Rashford coolly slotting home a one-on-one doesn’t make him a deadly, composed finisher. What we witnessed versus Chelsea was the exception, rather than the norm. Unfortunately, the reality of United’s ongoing struggles remains unchanged for the most part.
That’s not to say there aren’t some grounds for optimism. The 3 summer signings look to have settled in quite well, but only time will tell if their influence alone can prompt any kind of effect on the overall (typically sloth-like) dynamism of the team. Still, an energetic right back with an eye for a tackle and a composed central-defender are more than welcome. It’s a step in the right direction, but it’s fledging baby steps rather than the great leap forwards we were hoping for when Ole first mentioned plans for a re-build last season.
Awww. Then there’s Daniel James, bless his cotton socks. Smiling away like Frodo Baggins, fresh from the Shire and a picture of doe-eyed innocence and youthful optimism. I look at him now basking in the August sunshine after scoring screamers and can only fear for what lies ahead – the poor sod will be a hollowed-out shell of a man after a few months in our dressing room. It’ll start off with something innocuous like wearing a baseball cap back-to-front, then he’ll develop a taste for anodyne RnB and before you know it he’ll be a full-scale dab merchant dripping in expensive jewellery with a summer DJ residency in Dubai. Graeme Souness should organise an intervention before it’s too late.
Talking of dab merchants, when is penny going to drop with Solskjaer that Pogba isn’t a holding midfielder? Please let it happen quickly as it’s becoming painful to watch him staggering around in the centre circle, targeted by the opposition who’re acutely aware he wants 5 touches before he attempts to move the ball on. Since we’re intent on keeping him here against his will for another season then let’s play him further forward where we might actually see him in his most effective position. Admittedly, this is made more difficult given we don’t have the requisite midfield quality to effectively complement him… but the point still stands nonetheless.
Thankfully we’ve seen some decisive moves in shipping out some players since I bemoaned our inability to do so last month. Lukaku, Sanchez, Smalling and Darmian all departed for Serie A, some evidence of ruthlessness and a desire to strip of squad of deadwood and underperforming high earners at long last. We’ll have to gloss over the fact this leaves us woefully short of numbers for the current campaign. This much-needed surgery had to begin sometime, though as soon as we rack up a few injuries we’re going to look horrendously threadbare. A handful have now left this summer and being kind I’d say we need rid of another dozen or so of this current squad – it’ll take another 2-3 years to make that happen.
There isn’t any quick fix or single catalyst who can change United’s fortunes. Hoping another Cantona might arrive and liberate the existing squad’s potential is futile. This isn’t 1992, the present situation is more akin to 1986. Gary Neville called it right when he said the most important thing at present is to instil a culture change and assemble a group of players who actually want be here. Pogba may be our best player on paper, but regardless of his talent and self-belief, he doesn’t have any intention in stepping up and becoming the foundation of this proposed re-build. I’d have binned him this summer, personally. He’ll remain a distracting subplot for another 9 months and then we’ll be rid of him for good, fingers crossed.
According to several high-profile twitter non-entities, we shouldn’t even be debating our first world footballing woes because clubs lower down the football pyramid are facing financial ruin. I’m sorry, but that doesn’t shift my conscience in the slightest. Whilst the situation at Bury and Bolton is undoubtedly tragic for those affected, United fans don’t require any schooling on the consequences of financial rape and pillage by unwanted owners. We don’t expect any sympathy from the ‘football family’ (sic) for our current problems and the same banter merchants blaming us for their clubs’ predicaments would be dancing in the streets should we ever find ourselves in similarly dire straits.
No apologies for sounding harsh or glib here, but the idea that United should feel obliged to offer indefinite financial support due to our geographic proximity is nonsensical. As most are aware, FC United were tenants of Bury for a full decade, paying £5000 per game for that privilege up until 2015. That’s a million quid right there in rent alone, and that’s before you factor in the car parking, bar takings and food receipts that FC were also obliged to hand over. Presumably, MUFC also payed rent for each of the seasons United reserves played at Gigg Lane; and the internet loudmouths haven’t been around long enough to remember the regular bucket collections that took place at the OT turnstiles on previous occasions Bury almost went bust.
All in all, at a conservative estimate that totals over £2 million in Bury’s coffers from MUFC or MUFC-related causes over the last 20 years, not an insignificant sum by any means. The simplistic notion that the uncaring behemoth down the road idly sat back and watched them die has a nice headline-grabbing, heartstring-tugging ring to it. Crucially, since United are viewed as being complicit in Bury’s fate, the story guarantees clickbait traction at the expense of detailed reporting of the financial mismanagement and catastrophic failings that became endemic at the club. Why bother digging into that when there’s more to be gained from giving MUFC a good kicking?
As for having sympathy with Bolton Wanderers’ travails, I’d happily set up a standing order and donate each month if it would somehow guarantee their extinction at some point.
Copyright Red News – September 2019
carlosartorial 