United went into the season thinking that they could win the Premier League, but now they would probably put it down as a big success if they finish in the top four. They might have a good run in one of the cups but there is no way that they are going to be consistent enough to challenge for the league this season.
Four of a kind
It seems that José Mourinho doesn’t seem to know what his best side is or what his best shape is and, as a result, the players are not playing with anywhere near the amount of confidence they should. You can’t win unless you know how you’re going to play, why you’re doing it and who plays best in that system.
Mourinho essentially has a squad put together by four managers: Alex Ferguson, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and himself. There are all these different types of player and it’s impossible to build a side to compete with the best clubs in Europe. Like the Barbarians in rugby terms, they are a group of all stars from around the world, who try to give a good account of themselves against the best teams in the world, but are not a cohesive unit.
Avoid a disastrous season
The sum has to be greater than the parts and, at the moment, the parts are great but the total is a shambles. Until Mourinho gets them to play effectively, this inconsistency is going to carry on.
It’s going to take time and another overhaul of the squad before they are in a position to go toe to toe with the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal over a 38-game season.
They have got to have the top four as a target. If they don’t finish in the top four and they don’t win a trophy, they have gone backwards from challenging for the top four and winning the FA Cup last season. With all the money they’ve spent, that would be a disaster. You can’t bring a manager like Mourinho in and go backwards.
Having said that, the last thing they want to do is sack him. The problem they have had since Ferguson retired is they don’t give anybody time to get the job done. You can’t build something by constantly chopping and changing. Let Mourinho put his stamp on the team even if it takes time.