About anticipation, desperation and disappointment

For more than a week, it has been on my calendar to watch the start of the season for OGS' men in Red. I was looking forward to Van de beek making an impact, a rejuvenated Pogba, an inspiring Harry Maguire and a scintillating set of play makers and strikers in Bruno Fernandes, Martial and Rashford.

I was in for a surprisingly disappointing performance by the team against Roy Hodgson's Eagles. In their white outfits, the eagles looked like pigeons that flocked around the ball and they built a wall which was impenetrable. If this is the way, Eagles are going to play - take a lead early and seal the box, they can make many teams sweat. 

The game was put on a platter, garnished well, decorated and given away to Eagles by lack lustre, unimaginative and unconvincing play. With a transfer season that promised so much yet delivered so little, it was an anticipation that the good run of the post covid 19-20 season would be replicated. True to a fan's thought process, I brushed aside the defeat in a friendly to Aston Villa as an aberration but what happened at Old Trafford on the first game of the season for Red Devils sowed the seeds for worst premonitions.

First opinion - do away with Victor Lindelof. The Swedish player has become a liability with his speed often wanting and indiscipline in sticking to the defensive plans. With someone like Bissaka, Brandon Williams in the ranks, Lindelof is a poor choice. It is not only the skill but also discipline that counts and Lindelof fails to exude any confidence as far as his playing to a plan is concerned. His lazy approach was the reason behind 2 of the 3 goals and the third one accounted for his stupidity. Harry Maguire looked lost, failed to inspire and importantly lacked leadership.

With 76% possession and more than 700 passes successfully completed between them and then conceding 3 goals off the 24% possession opponent had - poor defending. At critical phases in the game, likes of Pogba should be blamed for giving away possession way too easily. It could have been a day when play making was tough but 3 play makers and the striker operated in Silos. The runs they make when walls are erected in defence was absent, the commitment to convert a corner into an opportunity was missing. I have not seen it but, the heat map would have shown that while the Eagles covered a large part of the ground, Devils failed to do so. 

Some bad habits from the Mourinho Era should be done away with. There is a lot of callous passing in the box and also keeping the ball in the midfield moving it backward. ManU has thrived keeping the ball moving forward. That culture of attacking football needs to be rekindled.

All in all, it was a pretty disappointing start to the season and we hope for a quick turn around in form, factor and strategy. Clubs like Manchester United thrive on a culture and if OGS can revive that culture of attacking football - Good days are ahead.