In terms of the personnel available, Jose Mourinho has an enviable squad to work with at Old Trafford this season. With their summer transfers making the headlines, the arrival of names like Zlatan Ibrahimović, Paul Pogba and Henrik Mkhitaryan has not only enhanced the quality of the squad but also its reputation and fear factor. The appointment of Jose Mourinho at the start of this season marked the shift of the club’s policy with the Portuguese bringing an immediate change in the first eleven. Some players were allowed to leave while some were brought in, others were assigned different roles.
Mourinho was very clear about the players he wanted to leave and the ones who will be featuring in his plans, of those who according to the new boss will have a role to play at the club is Morgan Schneiderlin.
Schneiderlin came to Old Trafford from St. Mary’s in 2015 for a fee of £24m. Under Luis Van Gaal, the Frenchman made 24 starts but the overall passivity in the play didn’t allow him to play the way he has earned his reputation in the Premier League. Schneiderlin, during his time at Southampton, was undoubtedly one of the best defensive midfielders in the league.
His ability to break play and influence the middle of the pitch with his excellent passing allowed the other players to excel in their forward play. With the arrival of Jose Mourinho, a manager renowned for his defensive organisation, Schneiderlin will be potentially the perfect player to function as the pivot of his system.
This season Paul Pogba was roped in from Juventus for a world record transfer fee by Manchester United. So far. Pogba has flattered to deceive, looking out of sorts in the deep positions. Many think Pogba can function better if he plays further up the pitch, to make that happen it would require somebody strong enough to be placed in the deep midfield position who will have good passing attributes to complement the players with the forward passes. Ander Herrera can provide that but the Spaniard has a knack of moving up forward vacating his space to be exploited. In Morgan Schneiderlin, Mourinho and United have the perfect base, who has all that’s needed to push Pogba further up the pitch.
Schneiderlin was not utilised properly by Van Gaal during his short reign, but Mourinho cannot afford to do that mistake. With the presence of so many star names in the squad, the manager is under huge pressure to deliver this season. Schneiderlin is the glue which will allow the manager to implement his strategy fully without losing the balance between the attack and the defence.
Over the years, the former Southampton man has always excelled in his passing, rarely giving away possession while he also possesses great vision. Being far taller and stronger than Herrera, the player is also an asset during the set pieces in both the halves. The 26-year-old thus should be the ideal man in the deep midfield for Mourinho, who will not only deliver consistently but would also allow for the better use of talents like Paul Pogba, giving the former Juve man to play as a number eight rather than a number six.
