Donny van de Beek’s early-season experiences at Manchester United have been the antithesis of his time at Ajax, where he achieved much and was spoken about comparatively little. Now, he barely ever plays and yet United fans can’t stop talking about him.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has granted the midfielder just 61 minutes of Premier League football so far, leaving him on the bench for Saturday evening’s goalless draw with Chelsea at Old Trafford.
The cameras panned to a forlorn-looking Van de Beek, who watched on as Fred conceded needless fouls and gave away possession. Scott McTominay fared better, but appeared under clear instruction not to be too adventurous.
Solskjaer turns to the Scotsman for defensive balance, a necessity which would not be criticised were the midfield able to create elsewhere, and were one of their most level-headed players not struggling to get a game.
Van de Beek arrived from Ajax in a £35million deal that was supposedly the highlight of an underwhelming summer transfer window.
Solskjaer’s dilemma
The premise of persevering with Fred and McTominay, while perhaps not the most inspiring duo, is that it allows for a solid line of protection for the back four while allowing Bruno Fernandes to provide the link with the forwards.
A somewhat negative mindset – especially at home where United have failed to win a league game this season – but one Solskjaer evidently feels is essential to not losing any more games.
When it doesn’t work, it has – on very limited occasions this season – fallen to Van de Beek to come on and change things.
Against Newcastle, a 4-1 final score was deceptive, the Magpies’ late collapse masking the Red Devils’ missing link once again. Indeed, it wasn’t until Van de Beek’s entrance with a quarter of an hour left that they were able to find any real rhythm.
Where does Van de Beek fit?
The 23-year-old’s downfall appears to be his eagerness to play higher up the pitch. Lessons haven’t been learned from Paul Pogba’s problems at the club as another central midfielder who is not defensively minded.
Pogba has operated best when he has been allowed greater freedom. But of all United’s options in that position, Van de Beek is one of the few who is a genuine “box-to-boxer” and offers the balance they are craving.
He is not some loose cannon, either. In his last three seasons at Ajax, he was one of their greatest recoverers of the ball. His hard work behind Dusan Tadic shouldn’t be misinterpreted as an abdication of responsibility in the middle.
It is hard to imagine a time when Solskjaer is not under pressure, and at present that is manifesting in his insistence on having deep-lying midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Don’t take any chances, and above all keep bodies behind the ball.
What that does not allow for is transition. Not only does it leave United looking static, it leaves no place for a midfielder who impressed Johan Cruyff and Dennis Bergkamp at his boyhood club.
Even in a generation that has produced Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong, Van de Beek attracted plaudits from across Europe. It’s why United spent a great deal of time and expense scouting him.
Solskjaer need not be alarmed by his 41 goals in 175 appearances at Ajax, or worry that he will suddenly turn rogue and leave Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof exposed. At the weekend, Frank Lampard’s side were given a number of chances to target them anyway when Fred sloppily gave them opportunities.
The initial concern when Van de Beek signed was how he would fit in alongside Fernandes and Paul Pogba. But even when the Frenchman isn’t playing, United’s new signing is being sidelined – though Solskjaer insists “he will get his games”.
That may require United shifting to a midfield three, or at the very least placing greater trust in the midfielders they do have.
It is a great wonder, at any rate, to see them stumble on when the most obvious solution is sat among the substitutes.
Follow i sport on Facebook for more Man Utd news, interviews and features
More on Man Utd
- The making of Marcus Rashford: the Man Utd star who never forgot his roots
- New leader: How Fernandes made an instant impact – and lifted all those around him
- Why United are prepared to play the long-game in pursuit of Sancho
- Kevin Garside: Well done to Chadwick for reminding us all to be kind
- Man Utd need Cavani to be another Cantona – but even that may not save Solskjaer
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3mEoi1t
Post a Comment