3 Possible Reasons Behind Manchester United’s Poor Form
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Written by Andrei Dobrogeanu
Last season Manchester United furiously rose to the top of the Premier League table within the first few weeks. They did it then by scoring a flurry of goals, playing beautiful football and getting points where they were expected to. This season, however the story has been a bit different: there is no flurry of goals though there is only a small quantity of pretty football, but expected points have definitely been dropped. And despite a run which saw them win seven out of their last eight games, many Manchester United fans might feel a little bit frustrated about their team’s current situation.
Looking back on a summer which seemed to prepare Sir Alex’s team for the glory that would be the treble, one would have to wonder what went wrong. But while most of us have no real clue as to what happened that resulted in this inability to score, it would be extremely entertaining to speculate.
The first logical possibility that comes to mind is the absence of Gary Neville (yes, I am serious) through injury. It is not his outstanding goal-scoring capabilities (five career goals) which United miss from him. Rather it is his support on the right flank. While Wes Brown – Neville’s replacement – provides stability in defence, his offensive qualities are severely limited. His charges up and down that wing are mostly ineffective as he does not provide Ronaldo with enough support and his crosses are usually aimed in the general direction of the goalkeeper.
The captain, on the other hand, provides both. He is as solid as a rock in defence and the support he gives to the wingers is outstanding. On top of that his experience, of over a decade, on the right touchline enables him to make intelligent plays and put his teammates in good positions. While he has scored less goals than legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel (eleven career goals – if Wikipedia can be trusted), his presence seems to be a major offensive boost for Manchester United.
The second, equally logical explanation for the drop in quality of play is the arrival of several new players – four to be exact. It seems that Nani and Anderson have had no problems adapting to the English lifestyle (or at least that which Ronaldo adheres to) or the Premier League for that matter – exception Anderson who has not played as much. However it is not unlikely that the other players failed to adapt to the new faces. When a team has such a wonderful balance as Manchester United had last season, it is unwise to meddle with the formation, selection et al. but Sir Alex had no hesitation in doing it and he might be paying the price as he now has to watch the same games the rest of us do.
The way in which new arrivals could disrupt the style of a team, rather than be quickly assimilated in it is if there are too many of new players which will result in many changes. This seems to have happened at Old Trafford as three players were quickly put into the starting eleven. Having not played with their new teammates much before being given starting roles, and not being given time to adapt to the team, the players did not develop an understanding with each other and thus they were ineffective.
The final possibility I could think of which would account for poor performances is that the desire to win which propelled Manchester United to the top of the world last season might have been silenced. Whether Sir Alex introduced his troops to the finest single malt Scotch or the players simply feel that they have achieved their goal is disputable. Last season they had something to prove, they wanted to show the world that they were among the best. They succeeded, but having done that, what do they want next?
The passion seems to have faded just a shade from their game, and the players are less focused and less effective than they were most of the time last season. If they indeed believe that they have accomplished their mission and now just play to protect the reputation of a frightening opponent rather than build on that and become the absolute best, then the team is in trouble.
Having listed my three personal hypotheses about Manchester United’s poor recent form, I wonder whether any of them are even near the truth. But only time could tell if I am partly or wholly wrong. Hopefully, for the sake of football and its suffering fans, Manchester United will resort to playing the type of football they did in the early stages last year and make us forget these very forgettable performances.
This article is a submission for the Soccerlens Football Writing Competition; to participate, please read the details here.
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The reasons for the poor attacking form at the moment are down to a few things.
1)Last season we started with a fully fit squad, and a fully fit Saha. He made the difference in the first three to four months.
2)At the moment there is no leadership on the pitch. It’s like watching eleven lost sheep out there. There is no organisation and no leader to shout at players to keep them on their toes. No doubt about it, Garry Neville is missed.
3)With the new additions to the squad, we have somewhat put ourselves into a mini transitional phase. The new players will need time to adapt and form an understanding with their new team-mates. This is the same both on and off the pitch, i.e. in training, where the foundation of success on the actual playing field is formed.
Everything will iron itself out eventually, but I fear a season will be needed before all comes to fruition, therefore wining the Premier League this season will be a big ask.
If the sudden influx of 3 new players is to blame then shouldn’t have been addressed in pre-season training? I point to the example of Sagna & Eduardo who have come into Arsenal literally out of the blue late into the summer. Sagna has firmly established himself as one of the best (if not THE best) right-backs in the EPL this season & though Eduardo hasn’t scored in the EPL yet he’s already got some goals in the European competition & League Cup.
Otherwise a very interesting article & some good points raised.
I think we have to take into account our lack of fit strikers. Ole retired and he was arguably our best finisher. Saha and Rooney have been injured while Tevez hasn’t had a pre-season since the Copa America. Now that all three have opened their accounts for the season, we should be good.
Reasons 1 and 2, I agree with (especially reason 1) but reason 3 will never be true of any Manchester United team, under SAF.
It’s also impossible to discuss a lack of goals without acknowledging:
1. Tevez had no pre-season and is only just getting match-fit.
2. Rooney’s metatarsal injury.
3. Saha’s cautious return, post-injury.
4. Ronaldo’s 3 match-ban
I think every body is forgetting that our midfield is doing poor job ,especially schols ,i don’t expect much from carrick so no one is to blame our strikers taking in consideration we don’t have a striker in van type .
Messing up the team…
Ronaldo not finding the excellent form (yet) like last season.
Rooney’s injury.
Ronaldo’s 3 game ban.
Introduction of Nani, Tevez + Anderson, will take time to gel.
Giggs + Scholes poor form.
If you look at these you can see that the problems are all attacking however our defense has remained rock solid.
I think we are missing Gary Neville a little bit (wes brown has filled in superbly) but its not the reason for the poor attacking form. Giggs is vice captain and should do some more shouting… or give it to Rio
I still maintain that our poor form is due to BAD LUCK! That’s all. No crisis. No ‘lack of commitment’. No ‘bad manager’. Just plain old bad luck.
First, we lost all our strikers/attackers in one go.
We started the season playing well, but not converting our billions of chances. The team needed to go ‘back to basics’ and just get a winning run. We have now managed that, confidence is high, so expect more flowing games now. Pity that luck has hit us once again with the latest spite of minor injuries.
Manchester United’s poor start is due to a lack of a focal point up front. Rooney, Giggs, Scholes, Tevez, heck, even Anderson, Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo all are best playing off a front man. Saha is the sole out and out striker in their squad, and while he is decent, I think it’s safe to say he’s not amongst the top ten strikers in the league.
United should have splurged on Huntelaar rather than buying Anderson and getting in Tevez on loan.
I agree with point 2 of Alex’s post, there is indeed a lack of leadership. A major blow for Utd is the continued absence of one Gary Neville. The sooner he’s back the better.
Huntelaar is not the option. How many of you have actually watched the boy play on a continual basis over say the last 2 years?
I have, and I can tell you he is not the striker we need. Just because he has a good goal scoring record in Holland doesn’t mean he’ll do it in the Premiership. Mateja Kezman was even more prolific and he struggled big time in England. Albert Luque is now with Ajax and even he is starting to score for fun in that league, a player that could not even get a game at Newcastle. Ex Charlton winger Dennis Romedhal also looks amazing with Ajax, but in the Premiership he was a total flop.
Huntelaar is too young, not physical enough and totally unproven at our level. He is not the answer, and too much of a gamble.
My personal preference would be Ibrahimovic. I was never a big fan of his, but I tell you one thing, he has really come of age, blossoming into a complete forward. He has the height, the pace, the power and the trickery, which I have no doubt would make him a huge success in the Premiership. Inter Milan would be reluctant to sell him, but with a big offer you never know….
Can’t see Inter selling Ibrahamovic for anything less than 25m pounds.
As for Huntelaar, sure he may or may not fail but would Huntelaar at 17m be a bigger bet than Anderson or Nani at 17m? I’d suggest not.
Jason theres no doubt that Huntelaar would’ve been great but all of our signings have equal(or better) quality than Huntelaar
Although valid reasons I think the factors that are most affecting the club’s play are as follows;
1. A pedestrian and stagnant approach to attack. They just aren’t using the width of the pitch, crossing the ball well enough and above all, playing with pace and running at defenders enough.
2. The new players just aren’t good enough YET to make an impact. Nani has been decent but certainly not the player that was advertised. Anderson seems intimidated by the whole thing and needs much more time. Hargreaves has simply not been healthy.
3. Several members of the old guard have simply run out of gas and are starting to show their age. Giggs and Scholes have been shadows of themselves. They have always been the creators and links to the front two that United needed to create scoring opportunities. Both seem slower but what is really noticeable is how sloppy they have become with their passes and finishing. Both used to service the strikers with elegant through balls which would crack open defenses, but this year they are having problems making a 10 meter back pass without giving the ball up.
4. The need for a true goal poacher and traditional old school striker is obvious. Saha could be this guy but he is lacking the fitness and intestinal fortitude to be counted on. We really miss van Nistelrooy now more than ever. Someone who can get the ball deep, hold the ball up, make plays but above all, score goals from inside the ten yard box. He was also the king of scoring goals from half chances as well. Yes we did well without him last season but I think that teams have caught up with United’s style of play. We don’t use our width, cross the ball, use any kind of aerial game and our style seems to be to make our way through the middle using a slow stagnant passing game. Players like Huntelaar or Berbatov would help change this a bit.
5. What we need most of all is a central attacking midfield general who is famous for his probing and artistic passing. Someone who is noted for his ability to crack open the stingiest of defensive walls. Players like Riquelme, Deco, Fabragas, Gerrard, Lampard, Pirlo, Nedved and Ballack. I’m not saying that any of these players are available for us. I’m just saying that they are the type of players who can break open defenses. Currently we have nobody who has shown an ability to make this happen. I really feel that we could get either Ballack or Deco if we really wanted. Ballack ended up in an unfortunate situation at Chelsea because he plays the same position as Lampard. Otherwise, when healthy, he is a world class player who can make plays as well as score goals. He is also exceptional in the air and from set pieces. His presence alone frees up many strikers to do their thing.
It’s not just our approach so much that needs changing as much as the quality of the players in our central attacking positions who need to pick up the pace and play a more defined and less sloppy game.
Seeing as Spurs chances of finishing in the top four have all but gone, I think we’ll probably hold out and go for Berbatov next summer.
Jason…we need someone with a physical presence up front. Huntelaar doesn’t have that and I fear he’d struggle against Premiership defenders. That’s just my opinion, I may be right, I may be wrong, but unless he comes to the Premiership, we won’t know. How many managers are willing to take that gamble though, at the price mentioned. Not many I would think.
Elmander at Toulouse is a good forward, he could be a possibility, but I think City will try and snap him up in January.
Signable top quality strikers are a rarity these days, as none of the top teams will want to let theirs leave.
Hey Connor
Please tell me you’re having a laugh. Nani and Anderson are unproven starlets at best; Huntelaar has scored on both the domestic and national stage. Granted, they play in different positions but I’d suggest Huntelaar’s performances for Ajax have been far better than Anderson’s for Porto and Nani for Sporting Lisbon.
Owen Hargreaves, perhaps but then again did you really need him? While a striker was needed, it was a frontman and Tevez is not that.
Hey Alex,
I’d agree with you about his physicality; that’s the one thing that suggests Huntelaar may not cut it in the Premiership. Then again, Owen, Zola, even Saha are not the most muscular but have the pace to get out of such situations. Berbatov or Eto’o would have been good buys, although I doubt you lot had the 40m quoted to buy them ;).
“What poor form?” United are second in the league and top of the champions league groupings. Great form in anyones eyes. Defensively they have been rock solid and whilst not scoring as many goals are still getting the results to win 3 points every week. What will you suggest next…..that Ferguson has to go because we are not playing attacking football…..unbelievable!
Anderson and Nani are unproven at the top level, and we did take a gamble on Anderson moreso than Nani because he had only been at Porto for 1.5 seasons and broke his leg. It was a huge gamble at the price, but what I’ve seen from him in his days at Porto and the brief appearances he has made for United, he looks a quality player that I have no doubt will shine in the Premiership.
With Hagreaves, Fletcher and Carrick out injured, maybe it’s a blessing in disguise because Anderson should see alot more playing time, which he needs and deserves. I don’t think he’ll start against Wigan due to the physical nature of their game, and the fact that Michael Brown is in their side, but against Villa and Arsenal (where the style of game should suit him), he should feature.
I honestly don’t think Nani is ready for the Premiership yet. He is a raw talent, that will need time, but due to Giggs recent slump in form, and the injury situation, he has had to be thrown straight in. He has the skill, no doubt, but he passing and awareness needs to improve alot.
I think it will be two years before we see the best of him.
This is exactly the kind of attitude no Manchester United fan should adopt. Our team wins games by playing attacking football, not by keeping clean sheets. It is the reason I am a Man Utd fan in the first place and I suppose this does not only stand for me (contradict me if I am wrong). Also nobody said that Ferguson should go, and I do not think anybody with sense will say anything like that anytime soon. Yes we have had a rock for a defence, buit there is more to Man UTd than that!
Hello again, Alex,
I have not seen Huntelaar regualrly, but from what I have seen of him I thought he would mould well into the Man Utd team. No doubt that most of us would prefer Ibrahimovic, Jason is right, we cannot get him for less than 25 (which Fergie will not dish out!!)
Hey Connor,
I cannot agree with you completely. While Nani, Tevez and Owen have all been good (perhaps better than Klass would have been), I cannot see Anderson as being anywhere near good anytime soon (he showed glimpses at Copa America, but was unconvincing overall)
One another note, I have promised myself not to blame injuries or bans for poor form. Last year I (along with many other people who read this blog) were criticizing Mourinho for his constant complaining. The truth is that any team must be fully prepared to face a mild injury crisis such as the one we have had in the beginning of the season. Further I would like to add that it is partly Ferguson’s fault for our lack of quality up front with only Tevez as he refused to either keep Rossi or buy another striker after Ole announced his retirement.
Andrei,
You are wrong! Whilst I agree that playing attacking football is the nature of Manchester United, the reason why we have been so ineffective in Europe has been our inability to keep clean sheets and defend small leads.
Yes I want to see goals and excitemet but there are two aspects to consider when being succesful. We all know the goals will come, but now we are building a tremendous foundation from which to attack. Get in the real world!
A great start to the season!
The main season that we not scorin many goals is the pace we are playin at.the players seem too have caught some disease in which they cant play a fast game.tevez,rooney,ronaldo,anderson,saha,nani are all quick.united probably have some of the quickest players along with newcastle.but we dont seem to be using them.the passing is far to slow.we need to move the ball much quicker.and play through balls.giggs should remain on the bench.scholes,should watch out too.dam gibson got injured at the wrong time.nani needs to run at defenders.he looks rather pedestrian with the ball.ronaldo needs to discover his explosiveness.tevez looks class.
And hargreaves needs to get on the fuckin pitch!players these days are soft and need to give more for the team.although im prayin he is back for the arsenal game.as he will be KEY!to rough up those gunners and run the game for us
Erm, the final possibility you put up? Not working for me at all; Fergie’s legendary status is bedded in his desire to win and authority over the players, authority as in he is the boss and they are below him and so the analogy about finest scotch malt whisky is just wafer wafer thin.
The big question that has come up alot is, would Fergie have been as successful domestically without the class of 92′?
The Neville Brothers, Beckham, Scholes, Butt and Giggs were the foundation of Manchester United for the past 15 years. With just three of the knights now left, and ever aging, when they are gone, where will that leave Manchester United?
It is a test for Ferguson that may or may not be empossed upon him, as age is indeed against him aswell. Whether or not he is around to manage a side without those players remains to be seen, and the question may never be answered.
Sure, he signed the likes of Keane and Cantona, but the foundation was always the class of 92′. They were, in my opinion, the players that held the squad together.
It does make you wonder though, where and how succuessful will Manchester United be in 10 years time.
Hello……..who do youu think put in place a system that produced “the class of 92″ and who oversaw their nurturing?
Duh.
As somebody mentioned, the influx of new players has put us in another mini-transitionary period. No, we’re not sparkling but for a bedding in period we’re doing better than most clubs at their peak. Breating down Arse’s neck and top of our CL group. Not bad considering we’re struggling. Wait until we hit form when it counts. We’ll be ok. Sir Alex does have a track record in case nobody has noticed - wtf does he have to do to convince some of you muppets we’re in safe hands. Oh, and “sublime” Arse haven’t won the title yet, so don’t slash your wrists just yet.
btw, agree, we’ve missed Gary Nev hugely.
Red Rupert,
I think you need to go back and read my post again.
I said, would Fergie have been as successful domestically without the class of 92′?
DUH!
He was extremely lucky to have had a group of players such as that come through the youth system all at once. It’s a rarity in the game.
Overseeing and nurturing players is one thing, obviously Ferguson did that, but if the players haven’t the talent, then it’s pointless. Look at all the players he has oversaw, nutured and talked up since. All but Fletcher and O’Shea have come through, and they haven’t exactly set the world alight.
Would he have been as successful as manager at Liverpool for example?
We’ll never know.
Alex,
He would not have been as succesful at Liverpool no.
But that is down to the fact that someone would have stole his scouting books and pinched the wheels off his car so he would never had made it into training in the morning.
Also his young players would only have been available intermittantly due to their impending ASBO’s.
while I have to admit that you make a valid poitn I still do not agree with you. In my opinion football is about entertainment. The difference between the fans that want their team to win and the fans that want their team to play ‘joga bonito’ seems to me to be similar to the difference between people who put their spare 100 quid aside at the end of the month and the people who go skydiving with the same money. It depends on the person I guess, so lets just let it rest.
I guess we should be more worried by the fact that although we have had victories, we struggled to get some of them and were very lucky in the end.
Alex,
You are definetly onto something about foundations of Manchester United, but I have faith in Ferguson. He is looking to replace the players one by one so there is no shock as such when they are all gone. I think that the team will be better without Scholes and Giggs by the end of the year, but there is a problem with Neville: as we stand we have no adequate replacement.
Wilson,
I do not think we need a playmeaker as such. most of our players have enough quality to dictate play and if you look at teams with playmakers, most of the tim they do not play well because their playmaker is out of form. we do not need that headache on top of everything else.
im agree that the absent of gary make a lot of different.Ronaldo can get the ball to move forward to attack and the striker no longer receiving a cross from right hand side for heading.Manu have not score any goal from the right cross ball except the tevez header from corner ball which was pass by giggs.
The other thing is we dont have the finishing striker like nistelrooy as tevez is not a attacking striker.Manu should try to bring in the striker which can do the finishing infront of the goal post.
Saha should be given more oppourtinity to play because he is a goal scoring machine which can produce a goal if given enough time.
Whatever also manu is already back in their form.hope they will continue doing this for their fan..
I aint surprised MU is scoring less goals than last season.
For one thing Ronaldo and Rooney have been found out and as
a result defenders have wised up.Even Henry in his first
few seasons was able to score many goals but as time went on he was countered by two and sometimes three defenders.Rooney who is blessed with less skills is an overated player and that’s why against AC Milan he was annonymous.He would be lucky to get fifteen goals.
@ V. Wilson.
On point 5., do you not agree that Carrick is our answer to them? That is the reason we bought him, right?
Anderson is the answer.. just give this boy a few games and people will be talking differently about him.
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY SCORING RECORD IS VERY POOR AGAINST ARSENAL,HE HAS ONLY 2 AGAINST ARSENAL IN HIS ENTIRE CAREER IN ENGLAD
I bet some of these commenters feel pretty stupid nowadays, hey? Especially the ones bad-mouthing Rooney, Ronaldo and Anderson??? Oh and don’t forget the ones that claimed signing Tevez was a mistake!?!