Mathew Cohen, Author at Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person

More assists, interceptions, 3x more possession won: this rising star is a massive upgrade on struggling United veteran - opinion

Mathew Cohen — Mon, 13 May 2024 21:00:17 +0000

Following a disappointing season, Manchester United need to revitalise their starting lineup. One position that appears to be desperately in need of change is central midfield.

While Kobbie Mainoo has enjoyed a breakout season, his performances, particularly against Burnley two weeks ago, have slipped in recent times, perhaps signifying that the youngster has been overplayed.

Christian Eriksen is clearly becoming less of a central player in the squad as he ages, while Mason Mount has continuously struggled with injuries this season.

Sofyan Amrabat appears to be on his way back to Fiorentina following what has been a disappointing loan spell, while Scott McTominay has proven to be more effective as a shadow striker, particularly off the bench later on in the match.

Ultimately, the biggest disappointment in United’s midfield comes in the form of Casemiro. While one of United’s most crucial players last season, the Brazilian has been a constant disappointment throughout the current campaign, proving to be at fault for United’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal this past weekend.

Now 32 years old and clearly in decline, it appears that Casemiro was a short-term solution for a long-term problem that United have faced in the midfield, particularly in the defensive midfield role. For this reason, it’s imperative that the club seek a replacement.

According to Sport Witness, United scouts were present at FC Porto’s 2-1 Liga Portugal victory over Boavista, which has apparently been commonplace this season.

While no specifics have emerged regarding the player that United have been keeping an eye on, one Porto star that has been linked to United is holding midfielder Alan Varela.

Just 22 years of age, Varela has proven to be a key member of Porto’s starting lineup, starting in 27 of the team’s 33 league games so far this season.

Scoring two goals and grabbing three assists, Varela has provided a passing masterclass this season, completing 90% of his attempted passes as well as 94% from within his own half.

He has shown immense quality on the ball, completing 78% of his dribbles while also proving to be effective when tracking back in defence, making 1.2 tackles per match. He has also made 0.8 interceptions per game. (Stats via Sofascore)

Casemiro has paled in comparison. While he has completed 83% of his passes, he has only managed to complete only 50% of his dribbles while managing a measly 0.7 interceptions per game. The Brazilian has managed just one goal and two assists in the Premier League this season.

Not only is Varela a young talent who can build a long-term future at United, but he also has a wealth of top-level experience, helping Porto to the last 16 in the UEFA Champions League where they recorded a surprising 1-0 win over Arsenal before bowing out of the competition.

The time has come for United to accept the truth and part ways with Casemiro before his performances descend even deeper. Varela could prove to be his ideal replacement leading into the future.

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0/2 crosses, 7/8 duels: Inconsistent defender's disastrous error against Arsenal puts United future in doubt

Mathew Cohen — Sun, 12 May 2024 17:56:57 +0000

Manchester United exhibited a severe lack of creativity and drive as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday.

From the start of the match, it was the away team that appeared to be in the driving seat, dictating the flow of play as Man United appeared content to sit back and allow the match to unfold according to Arsenal’s will.

Unfortunately, it was the off-form Casemiro who once again proved to be at the heart of United’s problems as their dismal form as of late continued.

Of his several errors, Casemiro’s worst moment of the match came in the 20th minute, when Arsenal grabbed the only goal of the match. While the Brazilian had dropped far behind the rest of the United defence, he somehow was unable to track back in time to mark Leandro Trossard.

As Kai Havertz made his way into the box, Andre Onana had little choice other than to cover him as he laid the ball off to Trossard, who slotted the ball into the abandoned net. Had Casemiro been more alert, this situation may not have unfolded.

In his new position at centre-back, the Brazilian made three tackles and three clearances. He did not, however, make any interceptions nor block any shots.

One of the more positive aspects of his performance was that he was never dribbled past.

Probably Casemiro’s shining moment in defence was when Gabriel Martinelli weaved his way past the United defence near the final whistle. While he appeared to be on goal, Casemiro stopped Martinelli in his tracks, putting out a leg and tackling his fellow Brazilian to extinguish the danger.

Casemiro’s passing game was respectable, completing 66 of 81 attempted passes for an 81% passing accuracy. His long balls left a lot to be desired, with only six of the 15 finding their target, while both of his attempted crosses were inaccurate.

He also proved strong on the ball, winning seven of his eight total duels.

On the attack, Casemiro had a fair amount of involvement, particularly when compared to his teammates.

In the second half, Casemiro took a shot from distance that the Arsenal keeper saved. Disappointingly, this was only United’s first accurate shot of the match. He also had one of his shots blocked.

Ultimately, it was another poor performance from an ageing Casemiro, whose future at Old Trafford appears to be in jeopardy. Struggling as both a centre-mid and centre-back this season, the Brazilian appears unable to deliver value to his team from any position, thereby testing the patience of fans and pundits alike.

(Stats via Sofascore)

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United slump to 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford against dominant Arsenal

Mathew Cohen — Sun, 12 May 2024 17:28:33 +0000

Manchester United slumped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday, continuing their shambolic recent form.

From the opening minute, Man United were on the back foot, with Arsenal pushing deep into the final third and threatening the goalmouth with a well-drilled corner kick.

Before the fourth minute, United managed to launch a quick counter, however, Rasmus Hojlund misfired to send the ball over the crossbar. Two minutes later, Alejandro Garnacho took a shot, replicating Hojlund’s effort that ballooned over the top.

At the 15-minute mark, Diogo Dalot unleashed a shot from outside the box that also flew over the top. Clearly, United have some work to do on the training pitch to improve their shot accuracy.

20 minutes in, the away side grabbed the lead as Kai Havertz slipped the ball past Onana on the right to Leandro Trossard, who put the ball into an open goal. Despite tracking back in support, Casemiro failed to mark Trossard – his latest in a growing list of concerning slip-ups in recent times.

Eight minutes later, Bukayo Saka slotted a pass to Ben White, whose shot from the right beat Onana but also flew past the far post.

In the 36th minute, Amad Diallo was brought down on the edge of the box by Thomas Partey, however, the referee dismissed the calls for a foul. While Amad required some medical attention, he was able to return to the action soon after.

With three minutes to go until the break, Amad laid the ball off to Garnacho on the wing, who dribbled into the box. While he was able to get away a threatening cross, Arsenal keeper Raya managed to parry the ball out of danger.

Two minutes into three minutes of stoppage time, Sofyan Amrabat found Garnacho in the box, who attempted a shot which the Arsenal defence easily blocked, once again proving to be too well organised for United to break down.

As the teams made their way down the tunnel at half-time, it was clear that United would need to improve their shooting, failing to get any of their seven shots on target. For the majority of the half, the visitors appeared comfortably in control.

Four minutes after the restart, Garnacho swung in a cross that was unable to find a teammate. It appeared that time and again, the visitors’ defence was a step ahead of United’s attacking lineup.

A few moments later, it was Arsenal’s turn to pounce, with Trossard and Saka both attempting to get shots away in the box, however, United’s defence was able to hold steady and defuse the danger.

On the hour mark, Garnacho did well to cut into the box, with acres of space on either side of him. Despite being under no pressure, Garnacho’s shot flew over the top, continuing United’s appalling inaccuracy in front of goal.

64 minutes in, Trossard passed the ball into the box, which Havertz laid off to Martin Odegaard. The Arsenal captain’s shot made it through the hole in United’s defence, however, Onana was alert enough to catch the shot just in time.

A few minutes later, Casemiro tried to get United level by attempting an audacious long-range shot which Raya comfortably caught. Unbelievably, this was United’s first shot on target of the afternoon.

In the 69th minute, Erik ten Hag looked to introduce fresh legs to the contest, with Antony coming on for Amad.

Two minutes later, Antony weaved into the box and took another accurate shot for United, only for the Arsenal keeper to make a comfortable save. It appeared that some fresh energy was exactly what United needed to shift things up a gear.

Jonny Evans match came to an end 15 minutes early as he was replaced by Willy Kambwala.

In the 76th minute, United ramped up the pressure, with captain on the day McTominay laying the ball off to Garnacho, with his shot grazing the side netting.

With 12 minutes left on the clock, Gabriel Martinelli weaved through the United defence, laying off a threatening shot that Onana managed to tip over the bar with a full-stretch save. This was arguably the save of the match as United came within touching distance of falling two goals behind.

After United cleared a corner, Declan Rice collected the loose ball, driving a thunderous effort goalward that Onana did well to keep out. He made yet another save after Rice took another shot before Onana managed to get the ball out for good.

In the 85th minute, Kobbie Mainoo clashed with Takehiro Tomiyasu, with both players falling to the ground. Fortunately, Mainoo was able to recover and continue playing.

Ten Hag then decided to make a trio of substitutions, with Hojlund, Wan-Bissaka, and Amrabat making way for Ethan Wheatley, Omari Forson, and Christian Eriksen.

Six minutes of added time were announced, giving United plenty of time to find an equaliser.

While Martinelli appeared to be in on goal, Casemiro did well as United’s last line of defence, sticking his leg out to intercept the ball. While he laid off the ball to Garnacho, the Argentine was unable to capitalise yet again as his shot once again went wide.

Once the full-time whistle blew, United’s defeat came as little surprise following what was another lacklustre performance from a team lacking any passion or drive to win.

Starting XI: Onana, Amrabat, Hojlund, Amad, Garnacho, Casemiro, Dalot, Wan-Bissaka, Evans, Mainoo, McTominay

Subs: Antony, Kambwala, Eriksen, Forson, Wheatley

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United and Arsenal face off in race to sign French wonderkid who's a dribbling machine - report

Mathew Cohen — Thu, 09 May 2024 22:00:42 +0000

Manchester United are in the race to sign Rennes midfielder Desire Doue.

Given the massive drop-off in the form of Casemiro this season as well as Christian Eriksen’s age, it appears that Man United are in desperate need of some midfield reinforcements.

While Sofyan Amrabat was brought in on a season-long loan, his tenure at Old Trafford was not as successful as planned. Now, the Moroccan appears to be interested in departing for Italy, with Juventus being named as a potential destination for Amrabat.

Suddenly, it appears as if United are in desperate need of a midfield partner for Kobbie Mainoo. Now, United appears to have their eye on a young talent that can be offered as a long-term solution.

According to TBR Football, United are monitoring 18-year-old midfield talent Desire Doue.

The Stade Rennais player has made a large impact on his team’s performances, contributing four goals and four assists in 29 Ligue 1 matches this season. He had proven particularly talented on the ball, completing 69% of his dribbles.

As per FBRef, he ranks in the 99th percentile of midfielders across Europe in successful take-ons, progressive carries, and progressive passes received, indicating a dribbling machine who’s adept at evading the opposition press.

Doue also appears to be effective when tracking back, making 1.1 tackles per game and winning 55% of his ground duels. (Stats via Sofascore)

The French teenager has also shown his worth on the international stage, representing the France U23 team twice, scoring two goals for the national side.

Still, the path to signing the youngster may be far from simple given that United are not the only team with Doue on their radar.

Premier League rivals Arsenal are also believed to be monitoring the French teenager, as are Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, FC Barcelona, and Napoli.

Given his ability to play as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder, and winger, Doue could prove to be the utility player that United need, especially with wingers such as Antony and Marcus Rashford struggling to find form this season.

Ultimately, United may need to act fast if they are to bring Doue to Old Trafford, especially with so many rivals sniffing around what appears to be a top talent.

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United could snag Premier League-winning manager as his talks with Napoli stall - report

Mathew Cohen — Tue, 07 May 2024 15:00:24 +0000

Antonio Conte appears to be back in the running to become Erik ten Hag’s successor as Manchester United manager.

Throughout the current campaign, Man United fans and pundits alike have criticised Ten Hag for his team’s inconsistent performances. While a feeling of defeat is nothing new this season, the club fell to a new low last night.

Slumping to a humiliating 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Crystal Palace, United achieved a record that no team would want to break. The club registered its 13th defeat in the league for the season – a club record during the Premier League era.

Naturally, this harrowing loss as well as the unwanted record have piled on the pressure for the Dutch manager, who has already faced a barrage of criticism and gotten into rows with the media over his playing style or lack thereof.

With Ten Hag’s days at Old Trafford expected to be numbered, several candidates have emerged as potential replacements.

Gareth Southgate and Graham Potter have both long been linked with the club, while high-flying Girona boss Míchel Sánchez has also been named as a potential managerial target.

In the lead-up to the Palace defeat, The Peoples Person relayed that United had allegedly made contact with the representatives of Hansi Flick to inquire about his availability.

Suddenly, it appears as if former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has reentered the race to become United’s next manager.

This is not the first time that the Italian has been linked with the club. Prior to Ten Hag’s appointment, rumours emerged claiming that Conte could replace then-United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

While such reports never came true, Conte’s name is yet again being thrown around as discussions over Ten Hag’s successor take centre stage.

Italian news outlet RaiNews claimed that Conte has been considered by Napoli as a managerial candidate, however, the club has not advanced negotiations to secure a deal. This leaves him on the market.

Given this development, Sport Witness suggested that a move to United could be a possibility for Conte, claiming that a new manager could form part of INEOS’s staff overhaul of the club.

Still, even with a plethora of managerial candidates being linked with the club, United are yet to announce a decision on Ten Hag’s future, causing mass anxiety for concerned United fans.

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0/3 ground duels, 0 dribbles: United midfielder clearly lacked stamina in 4-0 defeat to Palace

Mathew Cohen — Mon, 06 May 2024 21:40:53 +0000

Manchester United hit a new low this season, slumping to a devastating 4-0 to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday night.

While a top-four Premier League finish may already have been out of reach, it’s now uncertain whether United will manage to qualify for Europe at all this season. The team is now in eighth place, losing ground to Newcastle United and Chelsea.

Despite retaining 57% possession, United were unable to show any attacking threat on the night, taking just seven shots, with two hitting the target.

Ultimately, it was the midfield that let United down, with Christian Eriksen struggling to make any positive impact on the match.

Taking just one shot that was blocked, Eriksen posed little to no attacking threat. With Bruno Fernandes absent through injury, it was up to Eriksen to take United’s free kicks on the night.

Unfortunately, he was largely unable to make an impact from set pieces, sending a shot over the wall but also over the crossbar before the half-time break.

In the second half, the Danish midfielder produced a promising free kick, crossing the ball to Casemiro whose header hit the post. While he managed to score the rebound, the goal was ruled offside.

Eriksen’s short-range passing was adequate, with the 32 year old completing 45 of his 55 passes for an 82% passing accuracy.

He also managed to complete all three of his attempted crosses, while four of his eight long balls found their target. The area where Eriksen struggled, however, was in defence.

Winning none of his three ground duels, Eriksen’s poor physicality came back to haunt him. He lost possession on 14 occasions while proving unable to make a single tackle.

Although he managed to block a shot, this one success would not be enough to overshadow his flaws.

Eriksen’s biggest slip-up of the game came in the 12th minute. As Michael Olise made himself available for a throw-in, Eriksen, who should have been marking him, allowed the Palace winger far too much free space. As a result, when Eriksen finally realised his error, Olise was away, dribbling past Casemiro and thumping the ball past Andre Onana to hand Palace their opening goal of the match.

He was also unable to complete a single dribble throughout the encounter.

Ultimately, Eriksen showed a severe lack of energy during his performance. Going forward, it appears as if the Dane may have a limited role in United’s future should he be unable to improve his stamina.

Stats courtesy of sofascore.com.

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Uninspired United demolished 4-0 by Crystal Palace in performance devoid of energy and motivation

Mathew Cohen — Mon, 06 May 2024 20:58:15 +0000

A dismal Manchester United fell to a humiliating 4-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace on Monday night in a performance lacking any sign of energy, motivation, or tactical awareness.

While the hunt for a top-four spot is over, getting three points was crucial for Man United to keep their hopes of any European football at all next season alive. Prior to the match, United found themselves in eighth place in the Premier League, putting themselves in serious danger of slipping out of Europe altogether.

Palace were off to a strong start, earning a corner in the first minute after forcing an early save from Andre Onana. Ultimately, it was Jonny Evans who dispossessed Tyrell Mitchell to diffuse the home team’s attack.

United attempted to advance up the wings, with Alejandro Garnacho on the left and Diogo Dalot on the right seeing much of the ball. Still, the Palace defence remained resolute, preventing United from penetrating their back line.

In the 12th minute, it was none other than United transfer target Michael Olise who put the home team ahead. After dribbling past both Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, Olise slotted the ball into the bottom right corner with a left-footed shot.

Even after the restart, United just couldn’t regroup and string together a threatening attack. After 20 minutes, the away side was still unable to get a shot on target.

23 minutes in, Olise almost doubled his tally when he took a snapshot from the edge of the box that Onana did well to catch. Yet again, the defence was wide open, allowing Palace an easy opening.

A minute later, United earned a free kick on the edge of the box when Will Hughes brought down Garnacho. Eriksen lined up to take the free kick, thumping his shot over the top.

As United belted in a corner, it appeared as if they levelled as the ball rolled into the net. The goal was disallowed, however, given that Rasmus Hojlund fouled goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

Seconds later, Olise was in on goal yet again, picking up a poor pass from Kobbie Mainoo only for Onana to dive at the ball just in time.

Again, United’s defence was caught sleeping when Eze got on the end of a sneaky cross. Onana came racing out of his box, chesting the ball before clearing it out of danger.

Five minutes from the break, Palace struck again. John Mateta easily dribbled past Jonny Evans on the left and thumped his shot past the near post to double the home side’s lead.

In a rare attack, Eriksen whipped in a threatening free kick that Casemiro headed over the bar.

Following three minutes of added time, the referee drew a close on what had been a shambolic first-half performance by Erik ten Hag’s team.

From the moment the match kicked off, United struggled to show any signs of energy or enthusiasm. A serious shift in attitude would be crucial for United to find a way back into the game. As the players made their way out of the tunnel after the break, United fans would surely be hoping that their team would show an improvement in the second half.

In the 49th minute Eze got on the end of a cross, taking a one-touch shot that Onana was fortunate to save. Yet again, United appeared to be on the back foot.

A minute later, United were on the attack, with Antony cutting into the edge of the box and forcing a save from the Palace keeper. Finally, United got their first shot on target of the night.

52 minutes in, it appeared as if United got the breakthrough. A free kick by Eriksen found Casemiro, whose header reverberated off the upright. While the Brazilian managed to tap the rebound into the net, he was ruled offside.

Three minutes later, the home side were back on the attack, with Olise laying the ball off to Eze on the edge of the box. Eze’s shot veered inches wide of the far post, sparing United another moment of humiliation.

Just seconds later the bombardment of United’s goalmouth continued, with Mitchell slamming a shot goalwards to force a save from Onana. The subsequent corner found Hughes on the edge of the box, whose volley forced another diving save from Onana to hand Palace another corner.

In the 58th minute, Palace finally got their reward, with Mitchell scoring from close range to all but seal the win for the underdogs.

Before the restart, Sofyan Amrabat came on for Antony. Still, one couldn’t help but think that Ten Hag’s first substitution of the match has come too late to make any real impact on the final outcome.

In the 66th minute, Palace rubbed even more salt in United’s wounds. Munoz easily dispossessed Casemiro, passing to Olise, who whipped in a curling left-footed shot from the edge of the box for his second goal on the night.

Amrabat was shown a yellow card following a recklessly rough sliding tackle on Olise.

With 10 minutes to play, Rasmus Hojlund came off for Ethan Wheatley while Amad Diallo replaced Mason Mount. In the 81st minute, Munoz came close to scoring a fifth for the home team, earning a corner.

As six minutes of added time were announced, Jordan Ayew swung in a corner that almost made its way into the goal save for a clearance from Dalot. Moments later, Edouard almost scored a fifth when his shot hit the post.

Minutes later Ayew got a shot that deflected off Dalot, with Onana barely managed to block it before it crossed the goalline.

With the full-time whistle bringing an end to proceedings, United players hung their heads in shame following a truly disgraceful defeat. It’s becoming increasingly hard to imagine Erik ten Hag going into next season as United’s manager.

Starting XI: Onana, Mount, Hojlund, Eriksen, Garnacho, Casemiro, Dalot, Antony, Wan-Bissaka, Evans, Mainoo

Subs: Amrabat, Wheatley, Amad

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Former United player threatens to derail INEOS' plans to sign top striker this summer - report

Mathew Cohen — Sun, 05 May 2024 15:00:19 +0000

Former Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku could play a pivotal role in determining whether the club is able to sign Victor Osimhen this summer.

Last summer, Man United were in a desperate search for a new striker, particularly after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from Old Trafford.

While the club ultimately settled on signing young Atalanta prodigy Rasmus Hojlund, he certainly wasn’t the only promising forward on United’s radar. Another target that United set their sights on was Napoli goal machine Victor Osimhen.

Scoring a whopping 31 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions, Osimhen played a crucial role in leading his team to last season’s Serie A title; their first in over 30 years.

This season, he has remained clinical in front of goal, bagging 14 goals in 22 Serie A matches.

In January, Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis revealed that his star striker is on his way out of the club this summer. While the striker signed a new deal with the club, it appears as if this was done just to protect his market value.

With Osimhen seemingly ready to depart Napoli, United appear to have reignited their interest in the player, with The Peoples Person relaying last month that United are ready to move for him so as to relieve the heavy goalscoring burden faced by Rasmus Hojlund.

Now, a former United striker appears to be the deciding factor in whether Napoli will indeed allow a deal with United to ultimately advance.

Calcio Mercato reported that Napoli are considering Romelu Lukaku as a replacement for Osimhen this summer.

With Lukaku currently on loan at Roma, the report claims that upon his return to parent club Chelsea, Napoli could make a move for the Belgian. Still, this would require the Italians to send Osimhen to Stamford Bridge, with the Premier League club looking to fill his boots in attack.

As a result, Lukaku could very well cause his former club to miss out on signing Osimhen should a swap deal with Chelsea be reached.

Still, even if United miss out on Osimhen, one couldn’t help but wonder whether this outcome would actually be for the best given the Nigerian’s €130 million release clause which would cause a major dent in the club’s budget.

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United’s player of the month for April could prove to be Ten Hag’s lifeline

Mathew Cohen — Fri, 03 May 2024 17:08:54 +0000

Manchester United have named Bruno Fernandes as the club’s player of the month for April.

“Fending off stiff competition from Harry Maguire and Alejandro Garnacho, Fernandes has stepped up when needed during a vital stage of our campaign,” a statement on the official Man United website read, justifying his victory.

Fernandes played every minute of United’s six fixtures in all competitions in April. While a challenging period for Erik ten Hag’s team, with only two wins in addition to four draws and a defeat, United’s skipper nonetheless proved his worth on several occasions.

The Portuguese playmaker scored in a 4-3 defeat to Chelsea while also drawing level in his team’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League.

He then grabbed a brace against Bournemouth, saving his side from embarrassment in a 2-2 draw. It was then off to Wembley, where United were set to face Coventry City for a spot in the FA Cup final. Fernandes was United’s lifeline, scoring a goal and bagging an assist as the match ended in a 3-3 draw after 120 minutes.

During the subsequent penalty shootout, Fernandes showed his complacency by scoring to secure a 7-5 win.

While Fernandes was clearly United’s standout player in April, it wasn’t just during this month that the club captain has proven crucial.

In 45 games in all competitions this season, Fernandes has found the back of the net 15 times while providing 11 assists. (Transfermarkt)

Completing 87% of all passes within his own half during his 33 Premier League games, Fernandes has shown his quality on the ball time and again. He has been particularly lethal on the attack, with an xG of 9.94 while successfully converting 11% of his shots into goals.

Still, he has also been effective at tracking back to support his team in defence, with 2 tackles per match and 5.8 ball recoveries per game on average. (Stats via Sofascore)

Although the United captain has been a revelation for his team, United’s, and more specifically, Ten Hag’s reliance on Fernandes to bail them out of trouble is a major concern.

Not only is it dangerous to rely on a single player for results, but it’s clear that Fernandes cannot deliver success to Old Trafford single-handedly, especially given the lack of wins that United have had as of late.

With only two wins in six in April and 16 wins in 34 Premier League matches across the course of the season, a summer transfer overhaul may be necessary in order to bolster the United squad and ensure that it has the necessary depth to improve over the course of the next campaign.

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"He's going to be very hands on:" United executive sets out to overhaul club's rotten culture - report

Mathew Cohen — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:00:35 +0000

Manchester United technical director Jason Wilcox is looking to overhaul the club’s culture and working environment.

Following INEOS’ minority takeover of the club, part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has begun a major overhaul of the club, starting with the back office staff.

In addition to appointing a new CEO and pursuing Dan Ashworth as a sporting director, Ineos also decided that the time had come to hire a new technical director.

Earlier this month, The Peoples Person relayed that Wilcox has been hired as United’s technical director with immediate effect.

The former Academy Director of Manchester City, Wilcox left his role as Southampton Director of Football in order to join United.

While Southampton proved difficult to negotiate with, Wilcox decided to resign from his role at the club in order to faciliate his move to Old Trafford.

During his week in charge, the new technical director has had his hands full, with Ratcliffe instructing him to conduct a thorough audit of Erik ten Hag‘s performance as manager.

Ten Hag would effectively be on trial for a month, with his managerial credentials and his dressing room relations under evaluation.

It appears as if Wilcox has fully immersed himself in his special project, meeting with Ten Hag after the FA Cup win over Coventry. Apparently, further meetings have been planned.

Still, Wilcox’s involvement with Ten Hag may not be as deep as some might think, given a recent report explaining that he is more concerned with the broader mentality that has been adopted at the club.

GiveMeSport claimed that Wilcox did not instruct Ten Hag to change his playing style as was alleged in prior reports.

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Wilcox is more focused on improving the culture and working environment of the club, rather than focusing on the playing style.

“What has been made clear is that he’s going to be very hands on, which you would expect from a technical director and that the culture at the club on and off the field is deemed to be very important,” Jacobs stated.

Should this report be true, Wilcox will have a major task on his hands following seasons of underperformance, with the club unable to return to its glory days under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Player power continues to run rampant while managerial changes have seen the club go from one extreme to the other with the club stockpiling average players and subsequently finding it difficult to move them on.

This rotten culture needs to change and Wilcox has quite the job on his hands!

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The post Technical Director Jason Wilcox is looking to change Manchester United’s culture appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.