[ad_1]
It’s safe to say that the most effective attack at Old Trafford right now is cyber-type.
This was to be the season that Manchester United assembled a fearsome offensive unit, augmenting one of Europe’s most exciting attack lines with the capture of Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho.
Instead, United appears to have taken a step back, particularly on their own patch.
They found it harder to find a way to beat the unfortunate West Brom than the hackers whose breach of United’s IT system is still being fixed by the club. He needed technology of a different kind for two VAR interventions to rescue them.
As it stood, United achieved their first Premier League victory at Old Trafford in five attempts this season.
Bruno Fernandes’ penalty ended a nearly five-and-a-half hour wait for a league goal at home since he converted from the post against Tottenham, but they haven’t scored one in open play since the opener here two months ago.
Of course, five goals beat RB Leipzig at home in Europe and many goals away too: four at Newcastle and three at Everton and Brighton.
This is still a United team better suited to attack opponents at half-time than to open them.
However, they created more than enough chances against West Brom without making it worth it, and that’s an additional concern for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
It’s a peculiar problem for a team with so much attacking potential, even considering Sancho’s failed pursuit.
Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford scored more than 20 goals last season, while Mason Greenwood weighed 17.
Martial and Greenwood have yet to score in the league so far. Rashford has two goals and Edinson Cavani only one as he finds his feet in English football.
There is no doubt that last season’s rapid turnaround has had an impact, as have a couple of international breaks, but Solskjaer now hopes to see improvement.
“We’ll have three or four months together now and it’s about staying together and keeping the way we want to play,” said the United manager (right).
‘We are arriving, definitely, working hard, closing, without granting many opportunities. We also create enough opportunities to win this comfortably, but we must be more clinical.
“Hopefully we can achieve something like we did towards the end of last season.”
Greenwood and Paul Pogba were absent and will be evaluated before Monday’s Champions League game at home to Istanbul Basaksehir, but United continue to rely heavily on Fernandes for offensive momentum.
Fernandes, who was responsible for awarding a penalty that was disallowed by referee David Coote, converted a repeat penalty shot at the other end after the excellent Sam Johnstone had missed his first attempt, only for the VAR to spot the former United goalkeeper off his line. .
“I felt like it was little West Brom and the big decisions were against us,” said frustrated coach Slaven Bilic.
“Instead of being 1-0 up, we are one less. That basically killed us. ‘
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
[ad_2]
