Manchester United’s profligacy in front of goal could, with the talent in the ranks, cure itself with the help of one of the club’s greatest-ever strikers before Ruben Amorim arrives on our shores.
A three-at-the-back system suits the personnel within the United ranks, especially Lisandro Martinez, who will get more time on the ball to showcase his passing acumen.
But the midfield wreckage left over from Erik ten Hag’s tenure is going to take some clearing up.
With the final thread of his United tapestry readying to take the helm during the international break, Sir Jim Ratcliffe thought it best to show his face at Old Trafford on Sunday, alongside the other senior figures in the hierarchical structure he was desperate to instil.
A less obvious guest was Chelsea “fan” Olivia Rodrigo, but it was the rest in attendance who were left with a sense of Deja vu as Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia schooled United’s engine room for much of the encounter.
Caicedo is looking every inch a £100m football at the moment, but when afforded the freedom of Stretford to control the ebb and flow of an encounter, he was allowed to continue his evolution in peace on Sunday afternoon.
Ten Hag was reluctant to utilise Manuel Ugarte towards the end of his ill-fated reign, even after the club splurged £50m on a player supposed to be the panacea to their defensive midfield ailments.
Remember: only four Premier League teams during Ten Hag’s time in Manchester faced more shots than United. As they lurched from one nadir to the next last season, the gap between their backline and attack widened and the shots did flow.
Casemiro has improved of late, but against weaker opposition. With Caicedo in town, alongside a player not yet up to Premier League speed, he returned the laborious over-the-hill veteran.
However, it was Ugarte who proved the biggest cause for concern. He could easily have seen red such was his timing in the tackle, while his passing radar was seemingly set facing the Etihad rather than Old Trafford.
The Uruguayan will be key to Amorim’s chances of a red revolution. Amorim brought Ugarte to Lisbon and fought tooth and nail to stop Paris Saint-Germain prizing him from his clutches, having built his midfield unit around the combative metronome.
On Sunday, he was always one step behind Caicedo before being replaced, to stop him from being sent off in the second half.
It is far too early to judge whether Ugarte will be a success in the Premier League – numerous other club superstars have had worse starts – it is just unclear what he will bring to the table.
United chased Ugarte for a long time, identifying him as the type of ball-winner they needed after years of ill-equipped midfield anchors in the post-Roy Keane years.
No player in Ligue 1 last season won more tackles, while he dominated similar charts in Portugal, under Amorim.
Up against £100m Premier League players, who are starting to justify such an outlay, Ugarte is facing up to a different realm of opposition, one he currently cannot get close enough to challenge.
A change of system may suit him, with Martinez able to step out of the backline more – he has operated as a midfielder for club and country before.
Kobbie Mainoo should be his long-term partner, but he is still somewhat raw and cannot be relied upon just yet. Casemiro cannot play three games per week, and neither can Christian Eriksen.
Conundrums galore, in one position. Amorim has only brought it upon himself.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/gJKYriS
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