It’s safe to say Manchester United aren’t enjoying the best start to a season by any means. Many would say they have improved, but the truth is that they are nowhere near competing with the rest of the big giants in the PL. Amorim has got the best out of certain players like Mbuembo.
Dalot, Dorgu & also their young CB Heaven, but there are still certain positions that need improvement or good backups.
There has been recent news that Amorim will continue with the 4-2-3-1 & has ditched the 3-4-3 & irrespective of that, the big glaring lies in two of their positions, one is the double pivot with Casemiro never really looking comfortable in this role & the other is the backup position of the left wing. Also, rumours of Zirkzee leaving have opened space for the backup role of their centre forward. Let’s take a deep look at each of these positions.
CDM
The biggest issue has been at United for the past 4/5 years is their CDM role & nobody on their board has quite understood the right profile for that role. Regardless of the 3-4-3 or 4-2-3-1, United need a solid CDM who can carry the ball proficiently as well as be a good ground eater.
As we all know, United’s CB options are not quick, whether you take Maguire, De Ligt, Lisarndo Martínez, or Yoro, for example, all of them are not quick, hence they don’t stay high up the pitch. Hence, they operate around the 8- 9 zone. Bruno, Mbuembo & Amad often form the triangles on the right-hand side in the 15-18 zone, hence Casemiro is left alone to deal with the zone 11/14 ( I have highlighted the area below).
Casemiro is on the wrong side of the age, & tbh he never was a quick interceptor of the ball like Caicedo or Rice, hence this big issue needs to be addressed quickly.
The players that will fill this gap-
The ideal choice- Morten Hjumland
Hjumland gives you the perfect blend of an efficient passer as well as a good duel winner. He has worked with AMorim in the past, so that’s extra Brownie points for him, but his duel winning rate, especially in the final third, makes him a no-brainer choice. He is a good dribbler as well, so that makes him the perfect man to carry the ball as well as disrupt the opposition’s attack.
The best in the market- M. Sangare
The Mali international has earned a lot of respect in this AFCON & is having a breakthrough season at Lens, but the deal to sign him would be supertough as many PL clubs, including arch-rivals Liverpool, have scouted him & are following him closely. The price tag would also be significantly high, costing around 80m & hence this deal is tough, but the Lens midfielders are the hottest prospect in Europe for a reason & that’s because of his defensive skills as well as his dribbling %. Excelling in both departments & is almost a sure shot protector of the zone 14 & beyond. With his key involvement, the Ligue 1 side Lens is currently defying the odds and is sitting in first in their league above the star-studded PSG.
The low-risk, big-reward signing- Metinho
The Brazilian Dm curently plys his trade in the Swiss league but has serious talent at the age of 22. He excels in the defensive metrics, but his ball carrying isn’t as good as Sangare’s. His long ball distribution & his tackling are second to none & he often tends to shoot rocket-like volleys from outside the box. he would cost significantly low and if developed properly would be one of the best investment signings in the current football world.
LW/CAM backup options
The ideal choice – Mikel Damsgaard
The Danish player has gone quite under the radar during his time at Brentford; the major headlines have gone towards Schade & Igor Thiago, but Damsgaard has been making a lot of changes in this Brentford side.
Quick, two-footed winger who forces his opposition to make an error & his crossing is so elite that it would elevate Sesko’s aerial presence. He ranks very high in the chances created as well as successful crossoing metric & he is also a good team player, which means he tracks back & helps the team in defending in transitions.
The best in the market- Alberto Moliero.
There are only a few LWs that have started this season, as well as Moliero. The Spanish sensation has taken this season by storm & with his hot form, Villareal are in the CL spots. The LW has made some quality leaps in his career & he wouldn’t settle for a backup role, but if Christop Vivvel can manage to convince him, United would have a serious opposition in the coming time.
The low-risk, big-reward signing- Raspodori
Raspodori has been rotting on the bench as he is out of favour with Diego Simeone’s team. The Italian is looking for a quality club to gain match fitness for the upcoming World Cup. A six-month loan deal can be the perfect scenario for both parties, Raspodori would get his minutes in Cup competitions & as a sub, & Unitee would get a good back to manage the workload of Bruno & CUnha.
Raspodori is an outstanding squad player. Last season, he played a pivotal role in securing Napoli the Scudetto, proving his value as a backup to Lukaku and Politano.
Conclusion
United need to back Ruben Amorim this window. He has finally found the perfect system, but the squad building is left & by no means there current lot is good enough for CL football or challenging the league, but United should show patience as they have hired the right man for building the team from scratch. He just needs backing from the board & some quality signings.
