Man Utd delivered one of their worst displays in years at Old Trafford, losing 3-0 while being completely outplayed by Bournemouth.
Battle of the 9s
Erik ten Hag rotated his strikers for the fifth straight game, thus both of their sides’ No. 9s started.
A few years ago, this sentence might have seemed strange, but Dominic Solanke looked twice as good as Anthony Martial as a striker, to the point where any Manchester United supporter would have been happy to switch them.
Solanke kept the ball up nicely, took his goal brilliantly, and executed all of his actions with purpose and accuracy. He also struck the post once more.Martial was a supporting player who frequently took a while to respond to lost balls and had trouble forming strong bonds with his teammates. There is talent there, as evidenced by his performance at Everton a few weeks ago, but he lacks the all-around skills necessary for his position.
An enormous roar went up throughout Old Trafford as, with his team chasing goals, Martial was substituted off before the hour mark. He has now made 21 Premier League starts without playing all 90 minutes. This is an incredible record that reflects primarily on his complete ineffectiveness as a player but also on his fitness issues.
Though Solanke’s career has been a slow burner and he has seen goal droughts to rival that of Manchester United, this season has seen a turning point in his play, and you can see the improvement that confidence has brought to his whole game. Even as a backup striker, Martial’s play is deteriorating, and he scarcely seems deserving of his spot in this team right now.
The issue for United is that Solanke continued to appear to be the greatest striker on the field until Rasmus Hojlund entered the game. Although Hojlund obviously has potential, a team that has given up on winning titles would make the wrong choice to pay £72 million for a raw 20-year-old to lead the line.
It is not sustainable. It is inquiring too much of the talented Hojlund to be learning on the job in a team that’s falling apart. United have to find a way to sign a striker in January.
Maguire’s form
Imagine being informed in the summer that, as Christmas drew near, there would only be two legitimate contenders for United’s player of the season award: Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire.
Despite being prodded in the direction of the escape door, both choose to stay and have made their way back inside. There can be no debate about Maguire’s position in this team, but there is still disagreement over the merits of playing McTominay, at least on social media.
This season, the dismissed captain has become the best player, which speaks volumes about both his skill and mentality. He should be commended greatly for his ability to bounce back from being used as a punching bag by both his club and his nation.
Maguire outperformed every one of his colleagues in the first half against Bournemouth, and it was shocking. Ten Hag has frequently insisted on a more proactive defense, and he followed through on that demand. He made a great intervention to prevent Solanke from getting a shot, read the play well, and charged into tackles.
Maguire was also an excellent ball carrier, taking advantage of any space that presented itself in front of him and typically making a smart pass. The World Cup winner has no problems at all right now if Ten Hag is to be believed and he just sees Maguire and Raphael Varane vying for that one slot as the right-sided center-back.
Scrutiny on Ten Hag
The club and the supporters want to save Ten Hag from the criticism this gloomy season, but that will only work for so long. He bears some of the responsibility for these outcomes and performances.
After losing to Roberto De Zerbi at Old Trafford earlier in the season, he was easily outcoached and outthought by Andoni Iraola here.
This is his team now, and although it’s reasonable to be unhappy with a few of these individuals, the manager cannot be completely shielded by them. Ten Hag has struggled tactically this season; United may not want to hear it. He has made an attempt, but it is failing, to make United bold, proactive, and dynamic. In any case
Now is the time when the very best would compromise. They would steady the ship and find their way again. Ten Hag has to prove he can do that.
Contrasting starts
On Wednesday night, United came out swinging. They pressed Chelsea hard in the opening move of the game, and they hardly let up on that aggression. It established a bar that they had to clear.
They were disciplined after playing sluggishly against Bournemouth for four days. Luke Shaw misdirected a back pass in the first minute, allowing Solanke to beat Andre Onana to the ball and fall too easily.
That ought to have served as a warning. It didn’t occur. Bruno Fernandes clipped a tentative pass into midfield a few minutes later. Lewis Cook, who was more determined to win than Scott McTominay, made up roughly 15 yards before Sofyan Amrabat turned to see the danger. Prepare food.
Playing out from the back
Having mostly avoided that option in previous games, it was clear from the opening minute of this match that United would attempt to build up from Onana. Amrabat and McTominay retreated to present an alternative, while Shaw and Harry Maguire divided.
In preparation for a more direct pass or for United to occasionally successfully beat the press, the full-backs pushed up towards the halfway line after that.
Even yet, there were moments of frustration for the Stretford End when Onana, Amrabat, and Maguire worked together to move the ball forward down the left halfway through the first half.
Onana was put under pressure and Amrabat received the ball with a defender at his back, but they did manage to get the ball in
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