MANCHESTER United boast some exceptionally talented players, yet Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was right to call them out ahead of Sunday’s game at Everton: the consistency levels of several cause concern among both coaches and fans.
Blame for below par performances was previously apportioned to Jose Mourinho. That argument had merit when Solskjaer arrived as the mood and form was picked up off the floor, but United have lost five of their last seven games, exiting the FA Cup and the Champions League along the way. United were also fortunate in their two victories, both 2-1 home struggles against Watford and West Ham.
Being battered 4-0 on aggregate by Barcelona is one thing – though that first ten minutes at Camp Nou was so enjoyable as United attacked and created more chances then in the entire 90 minutes at Old Trafford – but I’m struggling to comprehend those two defeats to Wolves.
Solskjaer not holding back at his press conference this morning. Said there is "no hiding place" at United and that some of his players "need a reality check" about their level.
— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonESPN) April 19, 2019
It was those that knocked the stuffing out of United’s season after Solskjaer’s surge. An FA Cup win would have been a fine first trophy for the Norwegian and no domestic game was as eagerly anticipated following the cup wins at Arsenal and Chelsea.
Fifteen thousand applied for tickets, yet it was a damp squib on and off the field. Wolves have won three games since February 11th – two of them against United. These weren’t one offs, but an indicator of where United are at.
United have been poor since the win in Paris and despite being packed with big names, this team doesn’t look like one that was expensively assembled to compete for titles and at the present isn’t close to competing for the title next season.
But first, the remaining five games of this season, starting with ninth-placed Everton before home games against Manchester City, Chelsea, an away match at relegated Huddersfield and a final home game against struggling but determined Cardiff, Solskjaer’s first opponents in December.
Jermaine Jenas: Not a fan of Man Utd's decision to hire Ole Gunnar Solskjaer!
But does he have a point? pic.twitter.com/ZSM4oOQ81f
— Goal (@goal) April 20, 2019
United are sixth after 38 games, the same position they were when the Norwegian took over, but they were 11 points of the top four then. Thanks to him, United are only two points off it with a game in hand on Chelsea above them. That game at Old Trafford will be vital next Sunday, but while the club is structured to play Champions League football, is it even the best place for an average team to be?
Victory in Turin and Paris this season meant Champions League football this season was worthwhile, but shouldn’t disguise the fact that United did well to reach the final eight. United scored one goal in five home games. Thankfully, United don’t sell Champions League only packs of tickets like some clubs, because the record of one win, one goal and three defeats would have stung. It’s just so not Manchester United.
I‘d still rather the team finished in the top four and the challenge to get there means that this season is still alive. This time last year was among the worst month of football in a United fan’s recent memory as a top four finish had already been earned.
But I can see merit in the Europa League. 2016-17 when United won it meant trips to great places en route from St Etienne to Vigo, Rotterdam to Istanbul.
Pogba and David De Gea are using the uncertainty over whether #mufc will qualify for next season’s Champions League to demand huge pay rises to stay at Old Trafford #mulive [times]
— utdreport (@utdreport) April 19, 2019
It’s still depressing writing this because if we learned anything in Camp Nou it was another pointer that United are miles behind the best, both domestically (Liverpool are 21 points ahead, City 19) and in Europe.
You’d think, given the vast wages they pay, that United would be near the top of world football. They’re one of the three biggest clubs in the world, but the team remains short, the recruitment has been clunky and yet still players push for more money.
It’d be nice if one of the players the club signed turned out to be as good as hoped rather than (sometimes considerably) worse than expected as has become the norm.
Solskjaer was right to say on Friday that some of his players “need a reality check” about their level. A defeat to Everton would see the mood slip some more, but it’s groundhog day anyway at Old Trafford with the same themes of frustration developing season after season.
Here are some of our favourite moments from @ManUtd's past clashes with Everton. pic.twitter.com/TqJQ7Ns0nG
— DHL Man Utd (@DHLManUtd) April 19, 2019
Anthony Martial wanted to leave in August, then he did well under Solskjaer, signed a new contract in January and his form has dived since. Paul Pogba raises as many questions as answers. He’s hugely talented but far from a driving force and has too many below par games.
Rashford may be wanted by Barca (not that they think they’ll get him) but after scoring in six of Solskjaer’s first eight league games he’s scored once in the last six. Romelu Lukaku hasn't scored in three and Alexis Sanchez doesn't score. There’s vast room for improvement from United’s attackers.
Teams have bad spells and United are having one. Solskjaer has always spoken well of his players and their talents, but that’s harder to do when they’re failing him. The fans are fully behind the Norwegian and he deserves time to bring his own men in, but it’s the same sentences being written about United, just with different managers.
One of United’s best performances last season came at Everton on New Year’s Day, a 2-0 win when they played to their potential. A repeat wouldn’t just be welcomed, it’s vital. United have lost four away games in all competitions for the first time since October 1999, but the team were English, European and about to be world champions then.
