The Manchester United form is quite underwhelming at the moment. They drew with Fulham 1-1 on Sunday, September 20, to get to five points in five matches in the Premier League.
The fact that Manchester City are 10 points ahead of them already shows just how poor the Manchester United form has been so far.
The pressure is mounting on Michael Carrick, who was the darling of the Manchester United supporters even a month ago. The Manchester United form is probably making Carrick realise the difference between a temporary tenure and a permanent job.
Manchester United Form: Is a Change in Approach Needed at the Club?
The Manchester United form makes one wonder if a change in the club’s playing style is needed. Since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013, the Red Devils have continued to embrace a direct style popularised by the great Scot in the 1990s and 2000s, which has transformed into a counter-attacking style at times.
However, the rest of the football world has evolved in terms of playing style. The biggest example of the same can be seen a few kilometres away from Old Trafford. Not only has Manchester City shifted to a new and bigger stadium from the erstwhile one at Maine Road, but they have adopted a new playing style as well.
Pep Guardiola used the short-passing and possession-oriented style at Manchester City, with spectacular results. Guardiola won 20 trophies in 10 years at Man City, and his success reminded one of Ferguson’s glory days with the red half of the city.
However, as the current Manchester United form continues to disappoint their supporters, one is forced to think whether the direct style is doing them any good. This approach was followed by everyone from Jose Mourinho to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to Carrick, but has failed to yield the desired results for the club.
Football has evolved from the days of Ferguson, when 4-4-2 was the most predominant formation. Barcelona’s 4-3-3 under Frank Rijkaard and later Pep Guardiola in the mid-to-late 2000s indicated a paradigm shift to a more possession-oriented style. Ferguson’s Manchester United lost twice to Guardiola’s Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League finals of 2009 and 2011.
Since then, there has been an emphasis on 4-2-3-1, which became 3-2-4-1 under Guardiola at Manchester City, with one of the full-backs playing as an inverted full-back and increasing the numbers in central midfield.
In both 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3, the presence of an extra central midfielder changes the dynamics of the game. It means that the teams are more difficult to break down with a direct playing style.
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Extra Time Notes
It is probably high time that Manchester United recruited a manager who can make the team play possession-oriented football.
Xavi can do it, having played for Barcelona for such a long time. Maybe a few others like Vincent Kompany can do that as well. One is, of course, not counting Guardiola here, as he will not come to Manchester United, having been at Manchester City for so long.
The current Manchester United form probably calls for some fresh approach and philosophy. The direct approach is not doing the trick at the club, as they do not have a midfield and a forward line as stacked as Ferguson’s Manchester United.
Unless the club management takes a step in a new direction, the concerns over Manchester United form are likely to remain.
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