Manchester United didn’t make any new additions to their squad in January.
A striker was the precedence for the month, nevertheless, the final two matches have highlighted each an issue and an answer to Erik ten Hag’s midfield.
With that in thoughts, let’s check out the participant United missed out on who might have elevated the facet dramatically.
Man United’s midfield dilemma
Within the final week of the switch window, studies indicated that the Previous Trafford outfit had been in talks to signal Morten Hjulmand.
The Danish midfielder solely joined Sporting CP in the summertime from Lecce, however he has already excelled in his new environment. The Portuguese membership have slapped a £68m launch clause within the participant’s contract, which in the end meant that the Purple Devils could not signal him within the winter.
Nevertheless, in an alternate actuality, the 24-year-old might have been strolling onto the Previous Trafford pitch towards West Ham United on Sunday instead of Casemiro.
The Brazilian returned to the United squad final Sunday towards Newport County, and his efficiency left loads to be desired. All through the sport, the 31-year-old was sluggish, wasteful, and utterly off the tempo, as highlighted by his 4 fouls and 64% go accuracy.
Casemiro’s efficiency towards Wolverhampton Wanderers this week was barely higher, however his incapacity to lock down the midfield on his personal was obviously apparent. The previous Actual Madrid man was dribbled previous 4 occasions, dedicated a penalty, and solely gained 5 of his 12 floor duels.
How Hjulmand might have unleashed Mainoo
Kobbie Mainoo has been United’s most constant performer during the last month or so, and it’s clear that Ten Hag has realised simply how essential he’s to the facet, as he has performed each minute of the final 4 video games after he was substituted at half-time towards Nottingham Forest.
The 18-year-old skillset is extraordinarily well-rounded, and he has been utilised as a defensive midfielder primarily since coming into the facet. Nevertheless, his final two matches have indicated that his finest function could also be barely additional ahead as a box-to-box quantity eight, as he has scored in each of them, together with a last-minute winner on Thursday, the place he confirmed the world what he is actually able to and why he is such a “special” prospect, as per analyst Ben Mattinson.
Having Hjulmand within the facet would permit Mainoo’s artistic traits to flourish, in addition to his skill to have an effect on the sport within the remaining third. The desk beneath Hjulmand’s statistics from this Europa League season proves why.
|
Hjulmand’s stats |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90) |
Hjulmand |
Percentile |
|
Tackles |
2.70 |
High 20% |
|
Tackles gained |
1.72 |
High 22% |
|
Tackles (Mid third) |
1.72 |
High 7% |
|
Interceptions |
1.97 |
High 11% |
|
Dribblers tackled |
1.23 |
High 26% |
|
Stats through FBref |
||
As you possibly can see, Hjulmand is the definition of a “monster” out of possession, as alluded to by journalist Zach Lowy, as a consequence of his athleticism and talent to cowl floor, not like Casemiro. The Danish worldwide reads the sport brilliantly and mops up in the course of the pitch, as proven by his interceptions and deal with statistics.
Simply by fielding Hjulmand within the beginning XI, United could be far more defensively safe in transition, which is the place they’re presently caught out with Casemiro within the crew, and what’s stopping the quantity 37 from pushing on. Subsequently, Mainoo might transfer additional ahead to offer assist to the attacking gamers whereas additionally having the choice to drop deeper to get on the ball.
Giving the academy graduate the liberty to specific himself wherever on the sector might simply see him turn into United’s finest midfielder for the reason that days of Paul Scholes.
