Manchester United Transfer Window Review
Even if its not unanimous, at least 99% United fans would like to think the transfer window could have been better utilized by the biggest club of England, Manchester United. The team lacks strength in depth, has failed to replace players who has delivered even if not to their full potential. Most importantly the club failed to show intent to mark an authority when the crisis looms higher than ever.
So what could have been better? Before the transfer window begun, I highlighted 4 positions which had to be paid immediate attention. United has managed to fill two of them, Harry Maguire as Center Back and Aaron Wan Bissaka as the Right Back. Both of them are brilliant acquisition. AWB was arguably the best right back in the league last season and perhaps one of the best world wide. It’s been a joy to watch him pre-season especially when you see that he has won 100% duels in his first five games for the club. Harry Maguire, in his prime at the moment, is a leader United’s defense line was pleading for. He will bring a lot of calmness and stability to the team which had conceded 50+ goals by often exposing the best goal keeper of the world. But then United need edto get a CM and a RW as well. Arrival of Daniel James as RW, is exciting but let’s not forget, he is a project at the moment and might take couple of years, to be, where he needs to, as an unstoppable winger. He is fast, can beat any defender and has a good attitude but he lacks final delivery which United might have wanted, more often than ever. And then a CM who can compliment Pogba and get the best out of him. Last season, Ander Herrera got the best out of United’s prodigal son, Paul Pogba. Paul’s scintillating form & ability to link up with Rashford brought in much hopes for the fans to be in Top 4 from the slump Jose left us. As soon as Ander got injured, Paul’s form took a nose dive along with the team and United finished 6th. Getting a CM might have been a bigger priority than ever and there could have been no better window than this season, where players who can play in CM position were available in abundance. But United turning a blind eye on the situation and resting their hopes on Scott McTominay, slowing down Matic and Fred raised a lot of questions among the fans. To be fair, this team could have been challenging Top 4 with ease if that position was filled.
So who’s failure is this? Is this a fault of the board for providing lack of fund or is it lack of footballing knowledge among the appointed folks to do business or is it lack of communication between the footballing minds and bankers within the club? When you look at an organization of the size like Manchester United, its stupid to say only one person was at fault. It has to be a collective failure of the whole system. And it seems the club just doesn’t seem to learn much out of the recent streak of failure they have been going through. They manage to run the same way, year in and out without recognizing what is pulling the club down.
Regardless of how the transfer window went, I am not a big fan of the names that comes in. With 14 years working in different Operations Roles, I know what matters the most is how you get the best out of what we have at present. How Ole builds synergy within the team. How he makes it a joy for players to play together and get those results which keeps them in hunt for all trophies. The pre-season has been impressive with United winning all the games. Ole and his backroom staffs have brought in a high pressing game style where players need to be at the pinnacle of their fitness to perform every week at that tempo. But in order to avoid being exposed to lack of depth, Ole really needs to rotate the players well. Something that he failed when he was brought in last season. United went on an unbeaten run of 11 games and he stuck to the winning combination however the players simply ran out of gas and succumbed to injuries. The team couldn’t recover anymore and I hope he has learnt from that.
I have no doubt that fans will get behind the team that Ole would field. Will cheer for them and wish them well. But there would be too many questions asked, if results go south and perhaps United will ponder themselves and wish we had planned better and got couple of players in positions that needed attention for sure. Glory Glory Manchester United.
