Slowly but surely, a season marred by nightmare is coming to an end as per Manchester United is concerned. The Monday night 3-0 win over Brentford is nothing but just an ember of what has used to be, in a floodlight that is already fading.
Nemanja Matic and Edinson Cavani of Manchester United acknowledge the fans following the Premier League match between Manchester United and Brentford at Old Trafford on May 02, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
The event teaches beneficial lessons. One being that sometimes when things doesn’t go your way, you have to consider changing your way. Lessons including the effect of over appreciation and holding onto what should have been let go.
So many expectations yet so much more disappointment for a club that has spent so much to improve, and arguably has the biggest wage bill in the Premier League and in Europe at large.
Last night at Old Trafford birth regrets over what could not be mended, as the season was marred by failed promises that turned heros to villains, and incompetent companies that turned winners into losers. Overall, it was a season of promising start but a nightmare finish for The Red Devils.
Starting from what Namenja Matic has done in the past few games and what Juan Mata did on the night, one could not help but get exasperated at the decisions made by the team managers, starting from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer earlier in the season and Ralf Rangnick in the later days.
A season that started with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s high hopes after the second place finish in the league last season, which was rewarded with a new bumper three year contract will now end with Ralf Rangnick as the interim manager whilst Erik Ten Hag will succeed him at the end of the season.
In the summer, it got better with the £73million acquisition of Jadon Sancho, the English sensational who has been running riots down the flanks in the Bundesliga for more than two seasons. Big things were expected of the youngster who was once on the blue side of Manchester after getting what was a dream move but unfortunately, the expectations are still yet to be matched.
Raphael Varane also joined from Real Madrid, coming in with a big reputation earned over the years playing for both Real Madrid and world Champions, France, just one of the few players in recent times to have won almost all there is on offer in the game.
The 29 year old has also struggled to get going in England and has had to battle with injuries. His time so far has also not been made any easier by the form of his other half, Harry Maguire.
To cap it off with the best of the lot, Cristiano Ronaldo returned 12 years after leaving the club, even marking his second debut with a brace at Old Trafford against visiting Newcastle United.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been Manchester United’s top performer this season. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
At that point, it was all going according to plan for the manager, the players, the hierarchy, the fans and everyone attached to the club. But then, it all started to come down towards the second half of September.
Let’s say, it all started with that Bruno Fernandes’ late penalty miss against Aston Villa at Old Trafford, giving the visitors their first win away to United since 2009. That loss was a tough one to take for everyone at the club, which also raised questions as to why the midfielder is taking the penalty when Cristiano Ronaldo was on the pitch.
Previously, they’ve lost in their Champions League opening game, another one that could have been avoided had Aaron Wan-Bissaka kept his cool against Young Boys and avoid the red card.
Then they suffered early elimination from the Carabao Cup against West Ham United, which was The Hammers’ first win at Old Trafford since 2007, just three days after they had beaten the David Moyes’ side in the league thanks to a Jesse Lingard’s late goal completing a 2-1 comeback win.
A lot of changes was made to the side that lost the game to West Ham and even though they were unable to deliver the round four ticket, they had a good game but the aftermath of that result means the players have lost their manager’s trust.
Dean Henderson for instance, that match was the last time he featured for the club under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. It must have been so frustrating for a goalkeeper, who had been used to featuring in all games of the season (while one loan at Sheffield United) not to have made just one league appearance this season.
He did started 12 league games for the club last season but in the current campaign, even when things doesn’t seem to be going the way of David de Gea, there seems to be no way Henderson is getting a shot.
Not taking anything away from David de Gea, he has been one of the few players to stand out for the club this season but sometimes a break is needed as well as rotation to maintain a high spirit of each players in the group.
Not to forget, United also brought in Tom Heaton in the summer. That signing is one of the many bizarre decisions the club has made on transfers as the England goalkeeper is yet to start a game for the club. Well, how could he when the No.2 is rarely getting any ?
It (the loss to West Ham United) was also Juan Mata’s last major involvement under Solskjaer and watching the Spaniard display under the lights at Old Trafford in his last game as a United player in the stadium, the fans will not help but wonder how their season would have gone had he got more chances to start.
Juan Mata bids Old Trafford farewell at full time in the Premier League meeting with Brentford. (Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
The cause was also not helped by the unfortunate incidence involving Mason Greenwood while Marcus Rashford has been tremendously poor in the season.
Even as a Mancunian, it is obvious the fans won’t be able to contain their frustration much longer if the 24 year old does not get back to his old brilliant self in the early days of the new manager, Erik Ten Hag’s reign.
One could have easily forgotten that Donny van de Beek was once a world class player but his United career was not helped by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reluctance to try something different, as he is always under pressure to deliver positive results.
The pressure made him stick with the duo of Mctominay and Fred in most of the games, which was why he could not find space for the Dutch midfielder, as the later requires time to settle down in the Premier League and a new environment.
Even Nemanja Matic would have been better off Scot Mctominay but in order not to upset his game plan, he sticked to Mc-Fred in most of the games, even as poor results persisted.
In the other side of Manchester, Pep Guardiola signed Rodri for around £63million but not until recently that the player is starting the really stand out as one of the best in the league in his position.
Yes, he has been decent time since his arrival but that was thanks to the platform of the City team. However, even in his down moments, not once did Pep Guardiola made him feel not needed in the team. Same thing currently happening to Jack Grealish this season.
Maybe De Beek was a signing to please the fans but there is no denying that prior to his arrival, everyone knows he offers better than his compatriot at the club. His treatment at the club is now starting to have its toll on his actual ability.
A lot of the stars United counted on at the start of the season were not there. There were times Bruno Fernandes struggled for form yet he continues to start almost every game whereas there are options on the bench but are never called upon. He was rarely made to feel he is at risk of losing his place.
Players were not allowed to compete with the regulars for a place and when team was at a dead end, they (fringe players) were brought on with the thought they should work magic in very limited time and when they failed, they get much of the criticism.
Whether or not Jesse Lingard will leave the club in the summer, his move to West Ham United in the second half of last season showed he is fantastic, miles better than what many thought him to be and should have been allowed to leave on request in the summer, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer felt he has plans for him at the club.
Plans ? Yes he did came of the bench to net the winner at the London Stadium in September but not even once in the season the Norwegian showed Lingard that he is indeed a major part of the plan, leading to the downgrade of his stock, which was very high had the choose to cash in just months ago.
Lingard has started only two league games this season, none under the manager that had plans for him (Ole Gunnar Solskjaer), yet he was one of the few players that made good contributions for the Norwegian before his departure in November.
Another one of the lot is Ivorian defender, Eric Bailly, who has never been lucky with any appointed managers. Even though there were times it almost became inevitable that he will be selected, the manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this time, went for another option that backfired.
Individually, Harry Maguire has had a season to forget but it appears even the player is not aware of this. In a recent interview, he shared that if he plays so bad, he wouldn’t have been selected to play so many games. Well, he couldn’t be wrong there, could he ?
During the reign of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Maguire was selected even when he is not fully fit or has had a bad game in the game before. Surely, such consistency in selection makes one feel top of the world.
Then there was Bailly, who hardly get game time nonetheless how good he has been in his rare appearances. His best United memories has been under Jose Mourinho, who brought him to the club from Villarreal.
United did have a poor history with African players and Bailly looked on course to change that after he was acquired by Mourinho in 2016 but that dream has now turned to disaster as managers after Mourinho have made the defender regret that move.
Over the past four seasons, Bailly has only started 22 league games which is very low for an established international player. He has been patient enough to try and justify the £30million paid to secure his services but seems he wouldn’t just fit into the plans of the managers.
He, Mata and Matic are three players who could have really make crucial contributions for United at some point in the season but the managers continued to overlook them. They possess the quality and better experience than those who have been made to feel are superior in the pecking order.
Even Jadon Sancho needed time before he can get going but lack of trust in players to fill in led to him not being afforded the time needed to settle down. He has had a better season than Jack Grealish but it is hardly evidence because his countryman benefits from the form and performance his teammates under Pep Guardiola.
The win over Brentford is United’s biggest under Ralf Rangnick and it incidentally happened that Bruno Fernandes is the only part of the club’s attack that scored five against Leeds United on the opening day present in the game.
Marcus Rashford was supposed to be as good as new after undergoing surgery on his shoulder but it look as though he getting past it games after games, so much that Anthony Elanga is now given more attention that him.
There is also Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and even Edinson Cavani have all failed to deliver for the club.
French midfielder Paul Pogba started the season well, recording seven assists in his first four games of the season but that has since faded away, and looking back at his time at United since coming back from Juventus in 2016, he was always a shadow of the player is actually is.
Might have also played his last game for the club as he is sideline for the reminder of the season. The issue with his contract saga is another evidence to believe Pogba does not want to be a part of the club that paid £89million for his signature, after previously releasing him for nothing.
Edinson Cavani was supposed to be the leading striker had Cristiano Ronaldo not been signed. As expected, the player is disappointed for not getting to be the main man but should United pat him on his back to compensate, whilst he spent a good part of the campaign out injured ?
Anthony Martial was even allowed to leave on loan in the winter in a bid to rejuvenate his career but nothing promising has come off his move to Sevilla having made eight LA Liga appearances, the ghost threatening his United career continues to haunt him even in Spain.
Managers have bear the brunt and it is time for the players to get a bit of their own medicine. Unfortunately, those that did not administer the pain also get a share in the turn of events and one could not help but feel for the club at this time, it is a shame, total shambles.
But looking back at their final night at the Theater of Dreams, one will hardly seize to ponder, what if they had been afforded more chance during the course of the season ? Would it have been a better ending for United ? Would they have made the top four and have Cristiano Ronaldo available to play under Erik Ten Hag ?
What if…
Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi