Ultimate United
Pros and Cons of United’s Super Start 19 Sep 2017 21:06
Why José Mourinho won’t be getting carried away just yet, despite United’s impressive start to the new season.
By Philip Meese, Chief Editor
Manchester United have had a near perfect start to their second season under José Mourinho. In the Premier League, they have won four out of five games, with a 2-2 draw with Stoke the only blot on their copybook. The Red Devils have also got their Champions League campaign off to a flier, with a 3-0 win over FC Basel.
Mourinho is finally starting to mould the team in his own image, something which was never too likely to happen in his first season. Here we assess the pros and cons of the season so far, and why fans who are already predicting that Premier League trophy will be at Old Trafford at the end of the season should keep the champagne on ice.
Pros
Joint top of the table, most goals scored and least conceded (tied with Manchester City) is as good a start as most Reds could have hoped for. The only thing keeping United from top spot is alphabetical order; if they were called Manchester Athletic they’d be in first place.
One of the biggest pluses of the results so far this season is the fact that most of the teams United have beaten so far are ones they dropped points to last season. West Ham, Swansea and Everton all claimed draws at Old Trafford last term, and a lot has been made of the fact that United have been killing games off in the latter stages of games. This is exactly what they failed to do too often last season. All too often, they would score first, and begin to panic as that elusive second goal never came. This time around, in waiting for the right moment to finish teams off, United have displayed patience and calmness, coupled with clinical finishing when the crucial moment arrived.
The physical element of Mourinho’s team is also worth a mention, as is the way that two of the clubs three new arrivals have settled in to life at Old Trafford with consummate ease. The Portuguese has put together a side that will not by physically bullied or intimidated by anyone, and Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Mati? fit this profile perfectly. Having worked with them both before at Chelsea, Mourinho knew exactly how they would fit into the machine he is putting together. It is unclear how defender Victor Lindelöf will fit in to Mourinho’s game plan, but he isn’t the first defender to take his time adjusting to life at United.
A definite positive has been how much more mobile the team look this season, in comparison to last. While Zlatan Ibrahimovi? had a fantastic debut season, and will no doubt have an impact when he returns, his tendency to drop into midfield to receive the ball limited United’s attacking options. Lukaku’s pace, and his willingness to use it to run in behind defenders, makes United’s front line look far more threatening. Finally, Paul Pogba has an outlet for his fantastic passing range.
The most encouraging thing so far, however, is that it looks as though Old Trafford is starting to become a fortress again. Four games, thirteen goals scored and none conceded in all competitions at home. Under Alex Ferguson, many teams were beaten in the tunnel before kick-off, but in recent years it has become the fixture where many teams fancy their chances of getting a big result. Home form has always been a feature under Mourinho’s title winning sides, and if he is to bring to an end the clubs longest ever period without the Premier League trophy, you sense it will crucial.
This team is far from the finished article, but you see how it is beginning to take shape. While they have yet to be really tested, the fact that they are winning games where they would have dropped points last season indicates that Mourinho knows exactly what he has to do to get United back to the top.
Cons
As impressive as United’s start to the season has been, a reality check is also necessary. The Red Devil’s haven’t really played any of the Premier League’s big hitters as yet. Until they do, it is hard to assess exactly how much they have improved. So far they have beaten teams that you would expect them to beat, with the only points they have dropped coming away to Stoke, a fixture which is always tricky.
The real test of their credentials will come when they play the likes of City, Chelsea and to a lesser extent, Arsenal. On paper, Everton are probably the best side United have faced this season, but they couldn’t have played them at a better time. They haven’t won since the opening day, and hardly setting the world alight. It’s fair to say that the 4-0 win flattered United, as the Toffees could have equalised on more than one occasion before Henrikh Mkhitaryan made it safe.
The one really top team United have faced so far were Real Madrid in the Super Cup. For the first hour or so, it was a sobering experience and a reminder of the level United are still aspiring to get to. United couldn’t get near them. Forget the fact that it is seen by many as a glorified friendly, Mourinho will have wanted to win that game, and not just because it was against his old club. This is a man who takes the Community Shield seriously, so this is a trophy he won’t be happy to have missed out on. While United matched them in the last half hour, they could have been four or five goals down by the time Lukaku pulled one back.
Another worry for United is that they are now without Paul Pogba, for an undetermined length of time. The arrival of Nemanja Mati? seems to have freed the Frenchman to do what he does best, and he was finally starting to show the kind of form that made the Red Devils smash the world transfer record to get him. Against Everton, it was clear that they were missing him, and with fixtures against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham coming in the next six weeks, his absence will be felt should he miss any of those games.
One thing that seems apparent is that United have been beating the sides they have faced simply because they have better players than their opponents. This was certainly true against Swansea and Everton. That kind of luck rarely lasts against the top sides. The only match where United have looked brilliant for the full 90 minutes was on the opening day – and against a very poor West Ham side. If United are to end what will be five years without the title next summer, they will need to be more consistent for the full match more often.
Final Thought
José Mourinho is a man who knows how to win titles. He has done it everywhere he’s been, and he knows that the real hard work is just beginning. United’s record so far this campaign has been impressive, no doubt about that. They have played some sublime football at times, and there is no question this looks like the best United side for years. The reality, however, is that the campaign has barely got going yet. They haven’t had a real test of their mettle.
By mid-December, United will have faced all of the teams who finished ahead of them in the table last season. By then it should be clear which ones are in the title race, and which ones will be scrapping it out for top four. If Mourinho’s side can come through that period in a similar position to where they are now, then will be the time to get excited.
1983 League Cup Final