Boring, boring, Man United

For the best part of 25 years, Manchester United and adventurous attacking football went hand in hand. Under Alex Ferguson, they were a side feared the world over for their ability to score goals at will. This season it feels as if the well has run dry. With just 15 goals in 11 EPL matches to their name, even the Old Trafford faithful are starting to show their displeasure, booing the manager’s decisions and screaming for their heroes to “Attack, Attack, Attack”.

Why are they struggling so much in front of goal? Having examined United closely in recent weeks, here are some reasons.

A numbers game

American hip-hop group De La Soul once insisted three was the magic number, but where strikers are concerned, it has always been four.

It is no coincidence that Ferguson’s best teams always had a quartet of ravenous goal munchers to choose from. As they pushed one another to win their own in-house scoring competition, sharpness and high standards were always maintained.

How many truly top-class centre forwards does Louis van Gaal currently have at his disposal?

Despite spending in excess of £250 million (S$533 million), you could argue he does not have any — and that is a major oversight. Teenager Anthony Martial is potentially fabulous, but is still learning his trade. Wayne Rooney looks more like a midfielder with every passing day. Marouane Fellaini is a utility man who is happy to stand in as an occasional battering ram. And that is just about it. United does not have anywhere near enough quality firepower. Until they add two strikers of pedigree, I fear United’s struggle for goals will continue.

Taking the easy option

Keeping possession is an art form, but United are guilty of overkill, and it is boring their fans senseless.

The facts are clear. Stoke City are the only top-flight club to have had fewer efforts on goal and, as it stands, Van Gaal’s men have only tried their luck with one shot for every 80 passes they have attempted this season.

In contrast, Arsenal and Manchester City have each averaged a shot on goal for every 42 passes.

Anyone can play a five-yard pass to a team-mate, and it makes your stats look amazing. But if there is no end product or cutting edge, what is achieved? To score goals, individuals must take risks and try something inventive. United are famous for wingers who take on their men, midfielders who burst into the box, and hungry forwards who love to have a crack on goal. It is high time they showed more of those qualities.

Lacking width

Van Gaal loves to use Juan Mata, Memphis Depay, Ashley Young or Martial as “inverted wingers”. Playing them on the opposite side to their strongest foot, he encourages his wide midfielders to cut inside and link play, or to fire off shots.

For this to work effectively, you need full-backs who relish flying forward and supplying the width. They do not really have that. Without the injured Luke Shaw, United does not have an attacking left-back alternative. Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind are defenders, not wingers. On the other flank, Matteo Darmian has lost form and Antonio Valencia remains an enigma.

The final ball from wide areas has been a letdown so far this season. To me, it is obvious that too much of their play is veering predictably inside. Crosses from the byeline are a defender’s nightmare. But United’s wingers are not getting into those positions often enough.

Messing with Martial

Martial’s blistering start should have been the precursor to a run of matches leading the line, and a hatful of goals. Yet just as the talented young Frenchman was beginning to feel at home, Van Gaal moved him to the left wing, putting Rooney back up top. It was a strange decision that disrupted his rhythm.

Rooney is still an outstanding footballer but, at the top level, he is all but finished as a striker. He will score goals, but the dynamism of his movement is no longer what it was. Last time out at Crystal Palace, Rooney played as centre-forward and had 45 touches, yet not one of those involvements was inside the Eagles’ 18-yard box. The penalty area was left empty too often when United attacked. Playing Rooney behind the younger and quicker Martial is surely a no-brainer. The use of Fellaini should only ever be a desperate last throw of the dice.

Tactical Overload

Van Gaal is a coach who likes to challenge his players. He wants to make them think. Does he ask too much of them in this regard? Sometimes I feel he does. His team lack innovation and spark. Worried about carrying out the manager’s specific instructions, the side is rarely at ease, and that has an impact on their flow.

There is nothing wrong with the 4-2-3-1 formation. The shape is functioning just fine. All I would question is who plays where, and the nature of their collective mindset.

This is where assistant boss Ryan Giggs should try and make his voice heard. He played for United at a time when the manager let his players breathe, refusing to burden them with too much information. He knows if footballers are overly concerned about what the manager does not want them to do, it is rarely conducive to the production of flowing football.

If Giggs can convince Van Gaal to ease off a little, and take less of an intense approach to pre-match tactics, I believe we will see a more fluid and entertaining United side.

Big Match Predictions

Man Utd v West Brom

The Baggies love inflicting misery on United at Old Trafford, stunning them with victories on their past two visits.

Boasting four clean sheets from five away contests this term, Tony Pulis’ well-drilled outfit will quietly fancy their chances of a treble against the shot-shy Reds.

That said, now that United have broken their seven-hour goal drought, against CSKA Moscow midweek, I fancy them to nick the points.

Prediction: Man Utd 1 West Brom 0

Stoke City v Chelsea

Jose Mourinho will be watching this one on television with the rest of us, but I have a hunch his absence (due to suspension) will galvanise the side he sends out to battle.

The Blues were unlucky to be dumped out of the League Cup by Stoke on penalties, and will be fired up to exact revenge. Stoke have one player who is capable of stopping them, and that is on-fire keeper Jack Butland. He is in for a busy evening.

Prediction: Stoke City 1 Chelsea 3

Aston Villa v Manchester City

Villa fans will give new boss Remi Garde — my team-mate when I was at Arsenal — a warm welcome ahead of kick-off, but will they be in such a generous mood when the final whistle blows? I doubt it.

The gulf in quality between these two teams is huge and, but for one of City’s sporadic no-shows, I cannot see anything other than a straightforward away win. Pellegrini’s men are in superb form right now.

Prediction: Aston Villa 1 Man City 4

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs are no longer the soft touch they used to be, so I think they will provide stubborn opposition at the Emirates.

Midweek exertions could take the edge off both teams’ play, and with defeat considerably less tolerable than a draw to both managers, I wonder if it might be a cagey, cat-and-mouse affair. Playmakers Mesut Ozil and Christian Eriksen will do their bit to light up this derby, but I have an inkling tactics could take centrestage.

Prediction: Arsenal 0 Tottenham 0

Liverpool v Crystal Palace

The Eagles spanked Liverpool 3-1 at Anfield in May, but they return to Merseyside without a striker of note.

With this in mind and Simon Mignolet iffy from crosses, I wonder if set-pieces will be Alan Pardew’s greatest hope of repeat success. As for Liverpool, if they are half as impressive as they were in beating Chelsea, they should be fine. With Philippe Coutinho and Christian Benteke on song, they will be confident.

Prediction: Liverpool 2 C Palace 1

TV TIMES

Tonight:

Bournemouth v Newcastle (Singtel Ch102 & Starhub Ch227; 8.45pm)

West Ham v Everton (Ch103 & Ch228; 10.55pm)

Sunderland v Southampton (Ch104 & Ch229; 10.55pm)

Norwich v Swansea (Ch105 & Ch230; 10.55pm)

Leicester v Watford (Ch106 & Ch231; 10.55pm)

Man Utd v West Brom (Ch102 & Ch227; 11pm)

Tomorrow:

Stoke v Chelsea (Ch102 & Ch227; 1.30am)

Aston Villa v Man CIty (Ch102 & Ch227; 9.30pm)

Arsenal v Tottenham (Ch102 &Ch227; 11.55pm)

Liverpool v Crystal Palace (Ch103 & Ch228; 11.55pm)

About the author

TODAY EPL analyst Adrian Clarke is a former Arsenal mdifelder who has played at every level of the English game. Now an experienced sports journalist, he writes for many international publications.