Manchester United produced another desperate display as they came away with a fortunate 2-2 draw from their south coast trip to Bournemouth. Open in midfield, vulnerable in defence and toothless in attack, it seems this season cannot end quickly enough for Erik ten Hag’s men. Here are the key takeaways from another poor outing for the Red Devils.
Manchester United Key Takeaways as Desperate Red Devils Lucky to Draw on the South Coast
Shot after shot after shot
At halftime, the Red Devils had conceded 565 shots on their goal this season, the most since 2003/04, with six and a half games remaining. With prospects of Champions League qualification dwindling – Ten Hag must use the rest of the season to find a way to stop the team being so porous in midfield.
Casemiro: No Way Back
Beset by injuries this season, there is a temptation to excuse the Brazilian’s sharp second-season decline, but the lack of mobility and, most damningly of all, desire. At 32 years old, it is hard to imagine a scenario where the midfielder lasts beyond this summer at Old Trafford.
Individual Errors And Injuries
Although Erik ten Hag is far from blameless for the predicament, he cannot account for the obscene amount of individual errors his players are committing.
Whether it’s Willy Kambwala’s slip for Dominic Solanke’s opener or the absurd amount of time the United defence allowed Justin Kluivert to pick his spot for Bournemouth’s second following Alejandro Garnacho refusing to track back, almost every single player has been culpable at some point in the past weeks for this desperately poor team.
Antony’s withdrawal from the game was United’s 63rd separate injury this season. This statistic puts into perspective either the club’s miserable luck or the incompetency of its medical department.
Bournemouth vs. Manchester United Key Takeaway: Hard To Find Positives
With an FA Cup semi-final against Coventry City next weekend, Ten Hag needs to pick his players up for the game that could salvage something from this desperate season. If the Sky Blues were watching this performance, you could forgive them for licking their lips at the prospect of facing this team, devoid of character, leadership and confidence.
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