– This club is everything to me. I loved every moment I spent here, but that’s why I had to leave. For the club, fans, players, staff. I was not able to get better results. Manchester United is better than in recent weeks and must take a step forward – he said at the end of November Ole Gunnar Solskjær.
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The fans want a monument for Banasik. “Better not to stop in Radom”
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The Norwegian has just been fired from the club in Old Trafford and the board’s decision has divided the fans. Although everyone agreed that Manchester United played below expectations, fans saw various culprits. Some pointed to Solskjaer, others to the club’s owners – the American Glazer family – and the management. The latter repeated that the Norwegian was the least of Manchester United’s problems and they were afraid that without his commitment and special affection for the club, this would be even worse. And they were right.
Manchester United have squandered the last few months. The club showed no ambition, explaining itself by focusing on the next season. The Old Trafford team has become a meme that people not only in England but all over the world are laughing at. A decade ago, fans in the UK united against United. When asked about who they saw the next master in, they replied: “Everyone, but not them.” Fans were tired of years of domination by Alex Ferguson’s crew and their arrogance. Today, probably some of these fans look at Manchester United with pity and sympathize with those from Old Trafford that their club has become so pitifully weak.
– I have never seen such a weak group in this club. These players are just wasting a seat at Manchester United. They have no ambition, no will to fight. Everyone is just waiting for the end of the season to hide behind the new coach. In recent years, this club has become an eternal excuse – former United footballer Gary Neville said after a recent match against Liverpool (0: 4).
Rangnick’s strange appointment
The fact that Solskjaer’s dismissal will not be a new opening for Manchester United, his fans found out only eight days later. Although renowned coaches such as Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane were connected with the club, he only hired until the end of the season Ralfa Rangnicka. The German has not worked in the profession for more than two years, and he left the role of sports and development director at Lokomotiv Moscow to Manchester United.
The decision to hire Rangnick was all the more strange as Conte and Zidane were both out of work. Just 27 days later, the first of them took over Tottenham and almost immediately changed the game of the team. Although the Londoners alternate good results with bad ones, at least they already have their own style and know what they want to present on the pitch. The same cannot be said of Manchester United.
Although Rangnick was only a temporary option for the club from the start, it was still his job to bring the team into the Champions League. After the last defeat with Arsenal (1-3), the German bluntly admitted that his team had no chance for it. Manchester United gave up four queues before the end of the season, conceding six points to Arsenal’s fourth-placed leader. He surrendered, although it must be admitted that during Rangnick’s term in office he never started to fight for good.
The German tried various set-ups and tactics, but failed to convince the team to any of them. Manchester United still looked like a patchwork of individuality winning matches thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s scoring performance. Sometimes, however, even the Portuguese spread his hands helplessly as he looked at the mistakes of his defense colleagues. This season, Manchester United have conceded 51 goals, which is their record in history Premier League. Only the defenses of Newcastle United, Southampton, Leeds United, Everton, Watford and Norwich City, i.e. teams that are either struggling to maintain or have just secured their maintenance, look worse.
Cloakroom, which did not want a German
The fact that Rangnick did not convince the team is good in the quality of Manchester United’s pressing. Although the German is considered the godfather of gegenpressing, his team in this element looks pitiful. It was emphasized by Liverpool, which is famous for very aggressive pressing. Less than two weeks ago, Manchester United lost to him away 0: 4. This is a better result than a few months ago at Old Trafford, when it was 0: 5 during Solskjaer’s tenure.
“They were pathetic, they gave up before the game even started.” They lost without taking up any fight. This is absurd. Most of these guys aren’t worthy to wear this club jersey. I understand that you can lose the game. You can even lose it high. But 90 minutes of standing on the pitch is unacceptable – former United captain Roy Keane has gone to hell after the last game against Liverpool.
– I spoke to Jess Lingard. I don’t think he will be offended if I say that there is total chaos in the Manchester United dressing room. The atmosphere in the team is catastrophic – another former player of the club added after the match against Arsenal, Paul Scholes.
Although Rangnick denied everything, he did not convince the media either. The German is dry and reserved in public appearances, and often answers questions with a shrug. Busy about the atmosphere in the dressing room, he only said that “he does not see the problem, but he does not dare to say that the players get along very well”.
In recent months, a cesspool has been breaking out of the Manchester United dressing rooms. The contestants were said to be dissatisfied with Rangnick’s bizarre training methods. Two groups were also to be formed in the team. One was to support the captain – Harry Maguire – the other, fighting for influence in the locker room – Ronaldo.
Klopp at Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City, Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea – the Premier League has known cases where coaches are taking over teams in the middle of the season and being successful with them. In Manchester, United was put on a six-month transition period, which provided his fans with further frustration. Rangnick, if any, will be mentioned at Old Trafford at best as the man who was involved in bringing Erik ten The Hague. Because it’s a Dutchman with Ajaksu Amsterdam will lead Manchester United from the new season.
Disappointing, bad transfers
There is a lot of hard work ahead of this Hague. Because it’s not that Solskjaer and Rangnick are responsible for everything that is bad in Manchester United. The club’s problem is a badly balanced team. They are a bunch of players, some of whom like to play high-pressing, others prefer to play from a counterattack, and still others to dominate and lead the game by initiating subsequent attacks.
Manchester United’s goal was to challenge Manchester City and Liverpool. Although Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford in the summer and the club spent a lot of money on Jadon Sancho and Raphael Early‘a, it was almost certain that the goal would not be achieved. Manchester United flexed their muscles in the transfer market, but forgot about solid foundations.
When the names of Ronaldo, Sancho, Edinson Cavani, Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Bruno Fernandes were impressive in the attack, the unequal Scott McTominay and Fred or Nemanja Matić were to be responsible for the protection and support of the defenders. It couldn’t have worked. The offensive, pushed to the limit, could not compensate for the fragile defense.
It seemed that Varane would be her buff, but his transfer turned out to be a misunderstanding. A French, just like a year ago, in Real Madridwhen playing, it looks average. His problem, however, is not only in form, but also in health. This season, Varane has already missed 16 matches due to injuries.
Sancho plays just as bad. The Englishman was about to return to the Premier League with a bang, and this season he scored only five goals. He, as well as a few other players, is playing far below expectations. The task of The Hague will not only be to build a new team, but also to dust off the failing stars.
Ronaldo has to go?
The Dutchman will also have to make a decision about Ronaldo. Although the Portuguese is by far the most effective player of Manchester United, he also divided the fans. Some adore him immeasurably, others believe that it is because of him that the balance on the pitch and in the dressing room has been shaken. Ronaldo’s opponents also point to his age and little commitment to pressing.
– Ronaldo has to leave if this Hag is going to raise this team. He’s a trainer who builds machines, and the players are just modes in them. If one doesn’t work, the machine won’t start. The players have to trust this Hag completely and listen to him. Ronaldo is an individualist and he certainly won’t. He is more interested in individual performances than in the welfare of the entire team – said well-known journalist Guillem Balague.
And he added: “Manchester United has to change its culture, which has been going in the wrong direction for many years. Ten Hag will be the first modern coach in the history of the club. The decision on Ronaldo will be a test for the government. If they agree to this, there is hope that Manchester United will come back to the top. At Old Trafford, however, they need to be aware that it may take at least three years. Such a mess cannot be dealt with immediately.
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