United Corner- Avoiding Third Season Syndrome
Let's face facts, that was a pretty miserable summer transfer window for Manchester United and I don't think anyone would have been that surprised when hearing the reports of Jose Mourinho's discontent at the club.
It is his third season at Manchester United after all and his 'football heritage' suggests this is the time when it all goes wrong for Mourinho as fans, players and, most importantly, the decision makers at club begin to lose their belief in the manager.
This is a huge season for Mourinho to change the narrative on his career and see if he can get even more out of his squad of players who finished a huge way behind rivals Manchester City last time around. I can feel for the manager in some ways as there are some clear gaps in the playing squad that need to be filled with the right wing and the full back positions looking like particular weaknesses.
However I don't think Mourinho has any right to be complaining about not being allowed to spend a fortune on yet another centre half when big money signings like Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof have not been given the opportunities they should have. While some belief those two are not good enough to play at centre half for Manchester United, I simply don't think either has been given enough time and it might have made more sense for Mourinho to have played them together down the stretch once the Premier League title had long gone.
Injury might have been a factor for Bailly, but Lindelof was fit and he has showed he has plenty of potential in his performances for Sweden over the last twelve months. We know what we have in Phil Jones and Chris Smalling (and not much if you ask me) but Mourinho persisted with two players who are clearly some way short of the level required at a club of this size.
The rubbish Mourinho insisted on telling the media that he would only play those who could be going to the World Cup made even less sense with Smalling no where near Gareth Southgate's plans while Lindelof was going to start for Sweden. Players coming into the Premier League have regularly needed time to discover their best form so the board had every right to not want to spend a big price on defenders like Harry Maguire and Yerry Mina who may not be much better than Lindelof and insist the manager gets more out of the pieces he has in those defensive pressures.
It was a blow missing out on another attacking player though as I think that could have helped bridge some of the gap to the top. I know many who really rate the likes of Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford, but personally I think both need to improve significantly to really help United take the next step while Anthony Martial doesn't seem interested to fulfil his obvious potential.
That means more pressure on Alexis Sanchez to deliver having underwhelmed since being signed from Arsenal, while Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba also have to improve in the coming season.
Things have not been helped by what has been an obvious falling out between Pogba and Mourinho and there are all sorts of signs that United are going through what Chelsea did three years ago in the months leading up to the second sacking of Mourinho at Stamford Bridge.
Jose Mourinho has to have learned that the power is with the players these days and his constant digging of all and sundry in the press is getting tiresome. The shot at Antonio Valencia in the days after his pre-season injury shows no player is safe, but it looks like the decision to undermine Pogba's performances at the World Cup has gone against Mourinho.
However while United win the boat will not be rocked too much... Or so I would hope!
The problem is really going to develop if United lose and it was so important they managed to beat Leicester City by hook or by crook on the opening weekend of the season. Jose Mourinho seems determined to blame anyone but himself whenever United underachieve but this time I can see the dressing room completely turning on the manager.
I think Mourinho is smart enough to see there will only be one winner if he continues to pick a fight with someone who is liked as much as Pogba is in the dressing room and in the boardroom, but I also have a real belief that he will be looking for a way out if United hit a poor patch of form.
That means it is critical for this club to keep the wins coming and keep the problems from escalating into something that could see the club implode in the 2018/19 season. Finishing out of the top four would be a huge blow to the stature of Manchester United and how they are perceived by other clubs, but that is a real fear for me if they suffer a poor result and things reach a head between the manager and the players.
Beating Leicester City has at least settled the fans even if the reports suggest Pogba and Mourinho have had a second falling out over the past few days. You can't help but worry when you see how things have ended for Mourinho with Chelsea (twice) and Real Madrid but Manchester United can at least put those issues to the back of the minds for the fans if they can put another three points on the board at Brighton this weekend.
This is not going to be easy but United have more players returning to the fold after their World Cup exploits and there were some positives from the win over Leicester City that does make me believe all is not completely dark around Old Trafford. Fred and Andreas Pereira were both comfortable on the ball and it certainly helped United look like they could play with a little more tempo than they produced for much of the season, while both were happy to take the ball in tight places and then move it FORWARD.
Pogba's goal and performance was a boost, and the return of Lukaku this weekend and likely Ashley Young to come in at right back may just give United a team good enough of winning at the Amex Stadium.
It is definitely something to build upon, but everything could come crashing down if United lose here like they did a few months ago.
After the trip to Brighton Manchester United face their first really big test of the season as they host Tottenham Hotspur on Bank Holiday Monday. Having some momentum to take into that fixture will be important for the club else it could be a long eight days between games with more reports likely coming out of the unhappiness of key players as well as Mourinho's own discontent with the board.
That whole situation is overshadowing everything at Manchester United at the moment, but winning games is the best remedy for getting everyone back onto the same page.
Right now performances are not a massive concern for me, United just have to show enough to suggest improvements are not far away and also have to keep winning games. The fixture list certainly gives United the chance to really put themselves in a good position in the League table by the time November comes around (remember Mourinho said we will know who are title contenders when that month comes around) and at the moment winning games is all teams want to do as players continue their recovery from their World Cup exploits.
A bit more positivity from Mourinho will also ease the feeling that this partnership between the manager and United is heading towards a terrible conclusion. It seems someone has got in his ear about that in the last ten days or so, but the best way to keep everyone happy will be continuing to win games.
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