One of the more damning aspects of Manchester United’s tortured rebuild is their inability to multitask. So much money has been frittered away, pushing United into the ridiculous position of going one position at a time each summer. Last year was all about the attack and the recent window was about central midfield, even though the options at full-back do not look strong enough to cope with a season back in the Champions League.
United remain a listless, drifting operation. The ownership is reviled and the fanbase is becoming increasingly mutinous. It was not just Gary Neville seeing red as he commentated on United’s dismal efforts away to winless Fulham.
There was an ominous shift in the mood in the away end at Craven Cottage, summed up by the boos that greeted Michael Carrick substituting Kobbie Mainoo with 10 minutes to go. Carrick filled in as an emergency centre-back when United last lost this fixture, way back in December 2009. This has been a happy hunting ground since then and there was a sense of inevitability to United saving themselves on Sunday, although that was more to do with Fulham’s nerves at 1-0 up than any great show of defiance from the visitors when a third defeat in the space of a week was on the cards.
The late equaliser was fortunate, Matheus Cunha’s potshot hitting the luckless David Affengruber before going in. Bernd Leno was deceived in the Fulham goal but United did not fool anyone by stirring only after falling behind to Lisandro Martínez’s slapstick own goal. Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville called out the lack of effort during the 15 minutes before Fulham’s goal.
Players went through the motions and pulled out of tackles, while the manner of the concession was feeble. United could not get out of their box and when Cunha melted in a challenge with Calvin Bassey, the Fulham centre-back barrelled forward before testing Senne Lammens, only for Martínez to turn the rebound past his goalkeeper. It was a farcical goal and in keeping with the flow at that stage.
United had no control or presence in midfield. Bruno Fernandes was the No 10 and Mainoo was deeper with Youri Tielemans, signed from Aston Villa last summer, but the ease with which Sander Berge and Shea Charles dominated for Fulham was proof that Carrick’s renovation in the engine room remains a work in progress. It is interesting that United targeted quantity during a summer in which rival clubs were spending so much on midfielders.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
