Since Alex Ferguson left, there has been a longer than expected transition period at Manchester United. The arrival of David Moyes was supposed to be a long lasting one but the ex-Everton manager’s stint turned out to be a disaster. United then went on to appoint Louis Van Gaal who happened to be a manager closer to Ferguson’s stature. But under his tutelage, United never looked the convincing team they used to be although they did win a silverware under his guidance.
Jose Mourinho’s arrival gave the supporters a renewed hope as the manager is famous for changing around things. The Portuguese had a very rough start to his United career and even was humiliated by his ex-employer Chelsea 4-0 at the Stamford Bridge. But things started to improve as United maintained a healthy streak in the Premier League but a number of useless draws hampered their chances in the Premier League.
Antonio Conte’s maiden managerial stint at Chelsea turned out to be an effective one as the West London side went on to lift the title. Chelsea did possibly everything right and the luck also seemed to have inclined to their favour as there were no notable injuries for them throughout the season.
Change Of Tactics
Despite having the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, somewhere United lacked that x-factor in the attacking department. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the sole provider of goals but the player will turn 36 and age will be a deciding factor in his future.
Mourinho has to strike that perfect balance between his attackers, Also too much importance on defending might be a cause of their poor performance. Mourinho emphasised more on reshaping the backline but to do well in the next season he has to give importance to attack.
Investing On New Talents
Mourinho handed his transfer list to United CEO Ed Woodward who is at the helm of transfer related issues. Paul Pogba is due to take a much bigger role in United setup and Mourinho has to sign a top class midfielder who could authenticate his movement in the middle of the park. Pogba is dangerous when he has the help of a solid and stable midfielder and we have seen his performance at Juventus.
To Retain The Core Of This Team
Mourinho’s first season yielded a fairly positive response and if he manages to retain the team there will be a better chance to deliver. Players like Ander Herrera, Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones and Antonio Valencia have provided the necessary support to the team and they are expected to exert more influence in the next season. So Mourinho has to ensure they stay at the Old Trafford.
