Aside from a brief purple patch during Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim stint – which was aided by a favourable run of fixtures – it has been a truly miserable season for the Red Devils, with not even the arrival of Ruben Amorim helping to shift the mood.
Now in 14th in the Premier League after 18 games, having scored just 21 top-flight goals, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find positives, with even man of the moment Amad Diallo looking somewhat off the boil at Molineux. The Ivorian was replaced late on after losing the ball 18 times and winning just five of his 19 total duels.
The change in the dugout, in truth, has only further exposed the lack of quality in the United squad, with focus once again needing to be turned toward recruitment decisions over the last few seasons, in particular, under Erik ten Hag’s watch.
Ten Hag’s dismal recruitment record at Man Utd
In defence of the Dutchman, the £12.8m pickup of Noussair Mazraoui continues to look like an astute move, while the signing of Manuel Ugarte is also beginning to bear fruit, with the Uruguayan looking “unstoppable” in the Manchester Derby, according to Bruno Fernandes.
That said, other positives of the Ten Hag tenure are hard to find, with new man Joshua Zirkzee having notably scored just four times since arriving from Bologna this summer.
Looking further back, the £86m capture of Antony remains a baffling addition considering the Brazilian has scored just 12 goals and registered only five assists in 93 games for the club to date. The £70m signing of his compatriot, Casemiro, also deserves scrutiny, with the veteran midfielder now among those that INEOS are reportedly keen to sell.
Among those also signed in that first summer under Ten Hag was Lisandro Martinez, and while the Argentine impressed in that first campaign in English football, it has been a rocky road since. Could an exit even be in store before too long?
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After two defeats from two in Ten Hag’s first two games in charge, fingers were pointed at Martinez, in particular, with the 5 foot 10 centre-back notably hooked at the break amid the 4-0 thrashing at Brentford.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher was perhaps among the harshest critics, suggesting at the time that Martinez’s height means that he “cannot play” as a central defender “in the Premier League”.
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