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If the darkest night precedes the bright dawn, Manchester United supporters should feel optimistic. And if listing the ways in which this season has been a near-total write-off is therapy for the soul, they will enjoy the next five minutes.
This was the season in which United truly became a control experiment for how vast spending on transfer fees and wages means little without effective coaching, a stable dressing room environment and an ownership structure that supporters believe has the best interests of the club at heart.
Given the dirge that subsequently followed, it is easy to forget that United were considered to be title challengers and top-four shoo-ins in August. They had just finished second in the Premier League, had signed Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo and were top of the league in September. If at least two of those deals suggested immediate improvement, that has been lost on the wind since.
The Ronaldo factor has probably been the most repeated argument of this Premier League season. You cannot doubt the goal record – 18 in the league and 24 in all competitions. But Ronaldo demands to be the totem of every team in which he plays. Did his signing reduce the responsibility that Bruno Fernandes clearly craves? Did it stymie Sancho in his first season? Did it hurt United’s pressing? Answers on a postcard. But did he – and his frustration as the season continued – make Manchester United better? Categorically not. This was their lowest points total in the Premier League era.
Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United were a team of individuals that very often created enough moments of danger to win matches but eventually became far too easily out-thought by opposition managers and so became unable to achieve the consistency required for a title challenge. Having won four of their first five league matches, with Ronaldo and Fernandes integral, United then won one of their next seven, culminating in the shambolic 4-1 loss at Watford that condemned Solskjaer to the sack. It remains Watford’s last home win.
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It is at that point that Manchester United made what come to be a landmark call. They reportedly opted against appointing Antonio Conte due to his demanding approach. Instead they decided to again go down the interim manager approach with a permanent appointment to be made at the end of the season.
There were reasons to believe that Ralf Rangnick might be an antidote to Solskjaer, the system triumphing where individualism had failed, but it started tepidly and got worse. Several senior members of the squad were clearly unhappy with Rangnick’s style and/or personality, while the PR of having an interim coach meant Rangnik lacked the authority to implement sustainable change – what’s the point in committing totally to him when you know he’s going to be replaced? Rangnick also lacked the recent successful managerial experience to win them over.
At that point, all of the flaws within United’s culture surged to the surface. The lack of discipline over dressing room leaks, the individualism of certain players, the grim sense that nothing will change under the Glazers’ ownership – all of it was laid bare. It also failed to address the growing suspicion that Old Trafford was a place were reputations were broken, not made. Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Sancho and Marcus Rashford might privately agree.
If Rangnick’s mini-tenure forced – or forces – United to accept their own mediocrity, face the widening gap between themselves and the current top two and build from scratch under Erik Ten Hag, brilliant. But it takes a ludicrously large leap of faith. Other clubs have better managers, better recruitment systems and more harmonious atmospheres for players to develop and flourish in. Ultimately, that matters far more than how much money you spend or how successful you are off the pitch.
Player of the season: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best signing: Cristiano Ronaldo (the best of a bad lot)
Breakout star: Anthony Elanga
The Score is Daniel Storey’s weekly verdict on all 20 Premier League teams’ performances. Sign up here to receive the newsletter every Monday morning next season
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