Our series of mid-season reviews continues with a look at Manchester United’s campaign so far.
The story so far
After an offseason of optimism in the red-half of Manchester with a string of big money signings arriving at the club, hopes were high heading into the 2015-16 season. It is fair to say things have not gone as planned.
United sit fifth in the Premier League with a goal difference of just +7, already three points and 11 goals behind Tottenham in foruth. Goals have been the biggest issue all season long, finding the net just 24 times in 20 league outings.
This inability to hit the target had been obscured by their stingy defence for the first three months of the season. But in December, that facade crashed spectacularly down. United managed to score just two goals, secured two points and saw three consecutive losses from five league games, in one of the most dismal months of the club’s history.
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In the cup competitions things are not going much better either. Their shock exit at the group stage of the Champions League at the hands of PSV was nothing short of humiliation for a side once capable of competing with Europe’s best. Their 120 goalless minutes and penalty shootout loss to Middlesbrough would normally be shrugged-off but given the current climate, it feels like another slamming indictment of United’s negative and overly cautious approach.
If the club’s preseason mark for the New Year was a position secure inside the top four, progression from the group stage of the Champions League and a run in the cup, they have failed in all three respects.
The manager
Very few men in world football appear to be under as much pressure as Louis van Gaal is at the minute. The enigmatic Dutchman has preached a possession-based philosophy since his arrival and indeed the team has had little trouble maintaining a hold on the ball, dominating that stat in all but one game they have played. Doing something meaningful though is where they have come unstuck.
A lack of pace, creativity or boldness in attack makes the Red Devils difficult to watch and overly predictable for opposing teams. One could argue the manager does not have the right pieces to play the way he would like, but very few are ever afforded that luxury. Given the amount spent on new acquisitions under his watch, van Gaal should have no such complaints. Put bluntly, they might not be treble winners, but this current squad has the ability to score more than once per game.
Some of that blame must come on the manager’s lack of endeavour, not to mention some questionable calls in the transfer market. Robin Van Persie, Javier Hernandez, Danny Welbeck and Adnan Januzaj were all deemed surplus to requirements during van Gaal’s reign. For a team lacking in goals, such an exodus is damming.
In many ways it is a miracle that the Dutchman managed to keep his job after the December disaster. Consecutive losses to Wolfsburg, Bournemouth, Norwich and Stoke would have earned most in his position a retrenchment package.
For the time being van Gaal survives as manager, but the ice on which he skates is getting very, very thin. In an era where managerial appointments are increasingly temporary, United have bucked the trend in keeping faith in the man they hand picked. It remains to be seen whether their gamble will pay off.
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Standout player
As is the case with most sides struggling for form, the Red Devils have consistently relied on too few to do too much. David De Gea’s presence in goal has again been crucial for keeping the team alive in many games. Anthony Martial has played an impressive and often lone-hand up front. Bastian Schweinsteiger has offered a veteran head and control of midfield. His leadership and consistent excellence stands out in this side. However, United’s star performer has been Chris Smalling. The man whose name Louis van Gaal can never seem to remember, has developed into an essential rock in the United rearguard.
A noticeably more mature Smalling has developed as both a defender and all round footballer. He is one of the few players who have taken a genuine step forward under van Gaal’s tutelage and he now looks to be one of the most assured central-defenders in the division.
Given that United were desperately chasing Sergio Ramos’ signature in the summer and that he has been partnered with makeshifts like Daley Blind for much of the season, Smalling’s performance marshalling and leading the United defence has been nothing short of superb.
Second-half prediction
Much depends on what will happen in the manager’s chair. If United look like they will miss the top four, it is hard to see van Gaal retaining his job. Given current form, that now appears most likely. United will probably try and land a big name in the January window to turn around their ailing campaign. Januzaj has also hastily been recalled from loan, a move that feels more of a panicked reflex than assured calculation.
If they can rediscover their attacking flair, a dramatic turnaround is not impossible. With FA Cup and Europa League honours still to play for (all English clubs should be rooting for a United Europa League run given the pitiful state of England’s UEFA coefficient), there is still plenty on the line in the second-half of the season.
Most importantly, United need to reinvigorate their collective morale. This will be the biggest test of what remains of their season. If the dressing room can unite then a top four finish is certainly on the cards. If not, then it is very hard to see United catching Tottenham or even Leicester and the season will almost certainly end in failure.
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