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Everyone who’s everyone is having their say on the issues that Manchester United are currently facing, so here’s my view.
Most pundits are pointing to the back three or four as the problem area, but I would argue the defensive frailties are simply a by-product of what’s happening further up the pitch, in midfield.
A glaring issue against Leicester was United continually getting overrun in midfield, due to the side lacking a strong presence in the centre of the park.
Louis van Gaal’s line-up featured Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie playing as a front pair, with Wayne Rooney in behind as a number 10. The midfield was then Angel Di Maria on the left, Ander Herrera on the right and Daley Blind central, in a holding role.
This is where the problem lies. We saw just how lethal United can be when they attack, but Van Gaal will soon learn that attack alone won’t win him the Premier League. Jose Mourinho knows best that the Premier League is about picking up points. It’s a marathon where every game counts.
The United side is too heavily weighted towards attack.
Against Leicester they couldn’t hold the middle and were consequently overrun. Their defence was stretched from there, allowing the Foxes to isolate the defenders and pick Manchester apart.
It works both ways too. Not only is having someone solid in a central role important in defence, but also going forward.
Esteban Cambiasso showed that against United. He was the focal point in midfield through which everything passed. As soon as possession was turned over, the ball found its way to the Argentinian and away Leicester went.
Blind can play the holding role, but he is certainly not as much of a presence as someone like Nemanja Matic or Yaya Toure.
Blind is versatile and it’s one position he can cover, but during the World Cup he wasn’t even playing there for Holland. You also have to remember he’s new to the Premier League and it’s a significant step up from the Dutch Eredivisie, in terms of quality, pace and intensity.
I am a huge fan of Matic and the role he plays. He’s a big strong body and he has great distribution, which helps with the fundamental rule of football – win the ball first, then you can use it.
The midfield battle is often overlooked in football and its growing increasingly important, given the tendency for managers to play with a single striker and pack the central areas.
United simply haven’t got the balance right.
Rooney does offer something as a number 10, but he’s a striker and we all know how much they like tracking back. He will work for you, but his setting is firmly switched to goals, and it’s the same for Falcao and Van Persie.
Di Maria can play in the front line, and he wasn’t exactly known for his love of defensive work at Real Madrid, and Herrera is also an attacking minded midfielder.
Blind can’t do the job alone. The question is, who do they turn to?
Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher are options, perhaps even Phil Jones, but they still don’t offer you a strong physical presence that’s going to hold the centre of the park, win you the ball and distribute.
Marouane Fellaini could be an option in that role given his size, but Van Gaal has already indicated that he’s not entirely a fan of the Belgian, and we already know what United fans think.
If United can somehow find a solution and plug the gap until January, then they have the attacking firepower to win plenty of games.
Come the window they may take another look at Arturo Vidal, who is exactly the type of player they need. If I was shopping for someone I’d go for Daniele De Rossi, but I don’t know how keen Roma would be to sell, nor De Rossi to leave. Realistically, Vidal is probably the best bet.
Van Gaal has forced himself into playing Rooney as his number 10, given the plethora of options he has with Van Persie, Falcao and the England captain in the mix. But playing with a number 10 is a luxury.
Often the role has cover placed in behind, sometimes with two screeners to provide protection, or the attacking midfielder sitting at the top of a diamond.
Sides that use it best are those that command the midfield, dictating the game and enjoying the bulk of possession. At the moment that’s not United. This is the first lesson Van Gaal and United must learn.
At the end of the day, it’s not how many goals you score, it’s how many points are next to your name come the end of May.
Mourinho is often criticised for his negative mindset, which is tailored with the above philosophy in mind, but you only have to look at the Special One’s trophy cabinet to see that it works.
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