Manchester United can sell 15 players

VaselineMay 11, 2024

0 4 minutes read

I wouldn’t be disappointed if Manchester United sold 15 players this summer – we need to make massive changes, a big overhaul.

The player profiles are not correct. If you give Pep Guardiola this team, they’re not going to pass it around like Man City. If you give Jurgen Klopp this team, they’re not going to press high, dominate possession and create lots of chances.

Man United need a major clear-out this summerCredit: Getty

If you sack Ten Hag and bring in Thomas Tuchel or Roberto De Zerbi, they have a certain style of football that won’t suit these players either. It always comes back to the players, we’ve got to change them.

There’s a core group of players we should definitely keep – you’ve got Lisandro Martinez who has been injured all season, Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot has had a good season.

Bruno Fernandes is another. He’s not had a great season, but when he’s not in the team they’re even worse!

There are others I’d give a chance to, like Mason Mount and Andre Onana, I think they should be given another shot.

Calamitous De Gea/Onana mistake

Look, it’s still season one for Onana. If you look back to what he was like for Ajax and Inter Milan, his distribution is very good and he was one of the best goalkeepers in Europe.

Man United haven’t been able to play that way this year due to the injuries at centre-back, we’re not playing with a sweeper keeper, so he’s not really been able to display his best skill set.

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But as a basic goalkeeper, I’ve said it all season, I don’t have a lot of faith.

Positioning, ability to get down, covering his front post – these are basic goalkeeping skills that David de Gea was way better at.

I do think it was a mistake to get rid of De Gea, I think we did it a year too early.

You’ve just got to hope that Onana in year two will improve in his basic goalkeeper skills and we become a team that actually plays out from the back, because then you will see improvement in him.

But there are issues there.

Casemiro is a ‘great’ but he needs to go

It’s a strange one. Casemiro’s been one of the best players in his position for the last decade and he was very good for Manchester United last season, but over the last few weeks there’s almost been a nonchalance to his play.

The way he took the penalty (against Coventry in the FA Cup semi-final) and just kicked it down the middle, trying to run the ball out against Crystal Palace, diving into tackles as the last man, the header against Burnley when he tried to head it back into a packed penalty box.

We lost that game, and we would have won it had he not done that, so he is actually costing us goals and points, and he’s on £300,000-a-week – it’s not good enough!

I really like Casemiro, but I wouldn’t expect this from him. He was the captain on Monday night (in the 4-0 defeat to Palace) and his standard is on the floor. People have the right to call it out.

Casemiro’s status as one of the greats is secure, he’s won five Champions Leagues, but he’s damaged United this season and has to goCredit: Getty

He’s still a great of the game, in my opinion – this doesn’t change what he did for Real Madrid – and he played well for Brazil at the World Cup too.

But he’s playing in the Premier League and it’s a lot quicker than other leagues, the Champions League and international football.

I’m not saying it’s better or not, but it is a lot quicker and for players like Casemiro it’s too quick for him, although he is playing out of position.

I don’t think it damages his reputation, but he’s certainly damaging Man United at the moment.

He will be a high priority player to move on because of how he’s playing and his salary.

Eembarrassing seasonbut it’s not over

I’m not surprised Chelsea are above Manchester United now.

They’ve had a terrible season, but I think United, Chelsea and even Newcastle in many ways are very similar – they’re not in a position they can shout about, it’s pretty embarrassing.

All three clubs have had major injury problems and I think Tottenham and Aston Villa have been lucky all those three clubs have underperformed.

It’s a season to forget for United and Ten Hag, but I still think sticking with the manager is the best optionCredit: Getty

But what’s happening now is Chelsea and Newcastle have managed to put teams out that can get results, predominantly they’ve got a back-four and a midfield – Manchester United don’t have that.

We’ve had an injured Jonny Evans, Casemiro, Aaron Wan-Bissaka at left-back, Christian Eriksen doesn’t look anywhere near the level any more.

There’s not a lot between the teams, but Chelsea and Newcastle have found a way of putting a team together that actually has a structure to it, that’s been the difference in the last few weeks.

I think all three of them have had really forgettable seasons, but if you can get that last Europa League spot at least you can salvage something.

It won’t be Man United in the league, though, we’re not going to finish above Chelsea or Newcastle.

So it’s all going to come down to the FA Cup final… against Man City.

VaselineMay 11, 2024

0 4 minutes read