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What Solskjaer needs to change this summer to make Man United true contenders once again

Andy Mitten |

March 8, 2019

With 14 wins, two draws and just one defeat since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over, Manchester United are flying. The team have fought their way back into the top four after Jose Mourinho admitted that such a finish would be improbable.

United have won more points than any other team since their former striker took over on December 18th but have another tough test at Arsenal on Sunday, a team they’ve already knocked out of the FA Cup away from home in one of the great away games of the season.

It’s genuinely brilliant being a Manchester United fan at present and seeing those nine consecutive away wins, but when the euphoria dies down there remains the sobering reality that the team still needs work on it. New players have to arrive in the summer and they will. United are fortunate that the club can pay top dollar for talent, even if that money isn’t always well spent. United are lucky that they’re not Ajax, and I spoke to many of their fans in Madrid midweek about how they fully expect to lose their best players again this summer, as they do almost every year. It’s such a shame that they are located in a country with a small population and a limited domestic TV contract. A strong Ajax is good for European football.

United need to sort the central defence out. The Swede Victor Lindelof has played well this season and been the best defender. Is he the type of quality central defender that a team winning the Champions League would have? Will he become one?

Chris Smalling has been exceptional in the last month and was so again in Paris on Wednesday, but the same question applies. Is he the type of quality central defender that a team winning the Champions League would have? I don't know the answer, but I’m sure Ole Gunnar does and I’m sure he has opinions on the other central defenders Marcus Rojo, Phil Jones and Eric Bailly (who was exposed playing at right back on Wednesday, yet has previously marked Cristiano Ronaldo out of a game playing at right back). There’s also Axel Tuanzebe, the 21-year-old Congo-born, Greater Manchester-raised central defender who was doing well on loan at Aston Villa until a metatarsal fracture in December. Tuanzebe, an impressive figure who has captained United at every age group except the first team, has a bright future.

But, for now, United don’t have a central defender as good as Liverpool’s Virgil van Dyke. There’s room for improvement and, having watched Ajax’s 19-year-old captain De Ligt in Madrid on Tuesday, there’s a star that Ajax will sell already playing. Or, does Solskjaer pay big money for six foot 2-inch Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli, the best ‘gettable’ central defender unless Real Madrid was to let Sergio Ramos or Raphael Varane go?

United also need to sort out the right back position. Antonio Valencia, 33, is on his way after 338 United appearances over the past decade. Ashley Young is 33. Diogo Dalot has showed some promising moments in recent weeks and had a major influence on the games against Southampton and PSG, but he also hit a cross-field pass back towards his own half in France which led to a United attack becoming one from PSG. Dalot turns 20 next week.

United need another striker too. The team wouldn’t if Alexis Sanchez was even approaching an acceptable standard, but he’s not. It’s a shame to see; he’s training well and trying hard, but it’s just not coming off for him. How long can a team carry a player who isn’t performing? That’s not a current problem for Solskjaer now that Sanchez is out injured.

Even now, after over a year of him seldom performing, I’ve not given up hope of Sanchez coming good. I’d not given up hope of United beating PSG to go through on Wednesday either, but I didn’t expect it right up until when that 92-minute penalty was awarded. Football can – and does – surprise.

Romelu Lukaku’s six goals in his last three games has been another very pleasant surprise of late since his confidence looked shot three months ago and he wasn’t first choice under Solskjaer.  

Lukaku will likely stay as things are looking far better for him now. Marcus Rashford is doing so well he’s becoming a main man. He showed serious balls of steel taking that make or break penalty in the Parisian rain. Paul Pogba’s been superb under Solskjaer, but I wouldn’t have wanted him taking that one as he would have done had he been on the pitch.

Still, another striking option is still needed. That’s one for Ole and his coaches. Anthony Martial always liked the idea of playing centrally, too.

Do United push on with the hugely talented but still very young Mason Greenwood, or bring in an established goalscorer like Timo Werner, 23, from RB Leipzig? He’ll be expensive but United have money.

That’s about it. Fans will always want more players, but that insatiable desire has not served United well in recent years. Too many players came and went in too short a space of time under Louis van Gaal. The club lost something in the process, a bit of the United spirit as their replacements cost tens of millions but were no better than those who departed. Was Morgan Schneiderlin better than academy graduate (and there were five of those on the pitch against PSG) Darren Fletcher? Matteo Darmian better than Lyon’s United-loving right-back, Rafael? Marcos Rojo better than childhood United fans Jonny Evans? Michael Owen better than Cristiano Ronaldo?

Not serious about the last one, obviously.

Whatever United had lost, it has been restored in a matter of months and was there for all to see in Paris on Wednesday. And for the past few days, people have been talking about Manchester United again for all the right reasons.

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