What a difference a week makes.
This time seven days ago, Manchester United fans were heading into work with a spring in their steps.
Top of the league after a 3-0 dismissal of Sunderland which, as Gary Neville enthused, hinted at a return of the good old days when opponents would be rolled over relentlessly at fortress Old Trafford.
This Monday, however, is a different story. A 3-0 hammering at Arsenal (and let's be honest it could have been more) and Louis van Gaal's men are down in third
Arsene Wenger's suddenly dynamic outfit knocked United off their perch in a 20-minute blast of relentless, ruthless attacking that Sir Alex Ferguson would have been proud of.
It left the Dutchman claiming he was staggered by his team's lack of will to win. But a lot of United fans will tell you they saw this one coming. Square pegs, round holes.
Why, for example, was winger Ashley Young playing at left-back?
Van Gaal continues to persist with the left-footed Daley Blind at centre-half. The converted midfielder has performed admirably at times but shifting him to left back and bringing in fit-again Phil Jones to partner Chris Smalling may have helped stem the flow.
The loss of Luke Shaw was a huge blow, but injuries are part of the game and after having spent the best part of £250m they cannot be used as an excuse, even if Marcus Rojo is also sidelined.
Little, on the other hand, can be done about losses of form and on the other side of the back four Matteo Darmian has gone from being a solid, reliable right-back laced with attacking intent into something approaching a liability.
The Italian hit the ground running but he was exposed more than once at the Emirates in a torrid 45 minutes before mercifully being yanked by Van Gaal at half-time and replaced with Antonio Valencia.
Both Darmian and Young were not helped by a United midfield which was swamped from the off.
Selecting both Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger seemed to suggest that Van Gaal, perhaps buoyed by the victory over Sunderland, wanted to put Arsenal on the back foot.
The Gunners, however, are not the Black Cats. With no Morgan Schneiderlin to offer cover, the home side raced out of the blocks and were right at United's throats.
Wenger's men were like a footballing version of a young Mike Tyson. Showing complete disregard for their opponents, racing into the middle of the ring and delivering savage blow after savage blow.
And like so many of Tyson's bouts it was over within minutes.
Van Gaal is known as a pragmatist so why, amongst the carnage, were there no changes?
United's back four were crying out for protection and yet none was forthcoming. Memphis Depay who, at this early stage of his career blows hot and cold on a regular basis, is not one to track back and neither is Juan Mata and yet both stayed on the field.
Perhaps, at 3-0, Van Gaal still believed he could get something from the game. In the second half United were better, but could not take any of their chances.
Which brings us to Wayne Rooney. He appears to be undroppable but for how long?
Graeme Souness spoke about a lack of aggression from the captain. About how you would take him missing seven or eight games through suspension just to have that old spark back.
Souness would know a thing or two about what that fear factor can do and it is sadly lacking from Rooney's game at the moment.
United remain a work in progress. Going top last weekend should be viewed as a victory in a minor battle rather than a changing of the guard.
There may be more painful lessons on the way.
culled from Daily Mail
Comments
Post a Comment