A long version of the ManchesterWorld Q&A.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Michael, just on Manchester United, obviously we've touched on it,
00:04 the start to the season has seemingly got progressively worse and worse.
00:08 What do you put it down to?
00:09 What do the fans put it down to?
00:11 Because there's something clearly not right there.
00:13 Yeah, there are a lot of factors why the season has started so badly.
00:21 I think it started in our career, that opening night against Wolves,
00:25 and it has snowballed into where we're at now.
00:29 I think Saturday's win against Brentford might have slightly masked
00:34 some of the ongoing issues at United because it was not a good performance.
00:38 United played really badly and managed to, quite fortuitously in my eyes,
00:44 come away with three points.
00:45 But I think the big thing with United, to always say,
00:48 is that it is the outside factors.
00:50 The takeover, which provides so much uncertainty just around the running of the club,
00:55 is one obvious factor.
00:57 I think that when you think about all the other things that are going on
01:00 with the club away from the football pitch,
01:04 I mean, Mason Greenwood, Anthony, Jadon Sancho, there is a lot going on there.
01:09 I don't think that's certainly helped the atmosphere and the mood around the club.
01:13 But keeping it specifically, what's happened on the pitch,
01:17 I think injuries are an obvious thing to say.
01:19 And for all the issues that I don't think Ten Hag's been always brilliant
01:23 in the first couple of months of this season, but the injuries aren't his fault.
01:27 I think they've had 14 players who have missed games through injuries this season.
01:31 You've also had Anthony and Jadon Sancho,
01:34 so that brings the squad to various stages.
01:36 16 players have been absent.
01:38 There was 12 absent for the Bayern Munich game, for instance,
01:40 as just one game as an example.
01:42 So, yeah, that's a big factor.
01:43 I think individual form of certain players has been really disappointing.
01:46 Casemiro is the big one.
01:47 He is just nowhere near the levels he was playing at last year.
01:50 I'd say the same for Raphael Varane.
01:52 I would certainly say the same for Marcus Rashford.
01:54 I do not know what has happened to Rashford's form,
01:56 although it's not the first time United fans have seen him.
02:00 He can be a streaky player in terms of form.
02:03 I think that defensively, they are just far too easy to play against Manchester United.
02:08 Bringing back that first game against Wolves,
02:10 how easy was it for Wolves to repeatedly break through the middle of them?
02:13 It was the same against Brighton.
02:15 Brighton managed to put a 30-pass sequence together.
02:19 Bayern Munich managed to just attack through the middle.
02:22 Look how easy it was for Galatasaray to score the other week.
02:24 They go on and on and on, just far too easy.
02:27 And I think that also does tie back to Casemiro's form.
02:29 I think on the ball, they've not done enough.
02:31 I think they're too ponderous in possession.
02:33 I think they're too slow.
02:34 I don't think they create enough chances.
02:35 The game against Palace, where the loss was just awful,
02:38 they just pass, pass, pass.
02:39 They're aimless, without creating enough chances.
02:42 And I think an over-reliance on Rashford, as I mentioned.
02:44 He has scored one goal in 11 games this season.
02:47 Not good enough.
02:49 Simply not good enough for a player of his standards.
02:51 They were too reliant on Rashford last season for goals.
02:53 That has impacted the start of this season.
02:56 So that's a factor as well.
02:57 I mean, their xG, in terms of the chances they've created,
02:59 I think they should, based on xG,
03:02 they should have scored 13 goals in the Premier League this season.
03:05 They've only scored nine.
03:06 Now, that's a factor as well.
03:08 And I think the big thing that always comes back to is United as well.
03:10 In the last couple of years, it's just a lack of character.
03:13 When things get difficult, when their backs are up against the wall,
03:16 they do not respond well.
03:17 They don't offer enough fight.
03:18 They don't show enough personality, I suppose.
03:22 Even games last season, when last season was good,
03:24 but you think of the 7-0 to Liverpool,
03:27 you think of that 4-0 defeat to Brentford,
03:29 the horrendous performances, for instance,
03:32 against West Ham and against Sevilla.
03:34 You know, that issue was there a little bit last season.
03:38 So, in short, there are a lot of problems with Manchester United at the moment,
03:42 both on and off the pitch,
03:43 that Ten Hag, or certainly on the pitch,
03:45 that Ten Hag has to try and deal with.
03:47 And one player specifically, Scott McTominay,
03:49 obviously came in and won the game,
03:52 you know, won their last Premier League game.
03:54 But where do people stand on him now?
03:57 Because so many times, it's, "He's so good."
04:00 It's, "He's not good enough."
04:02 "Where does he fit in?"
04:03 "Is he going to leave the club?"
04:04 It's been such a mixed feel for him.
04:07 But he can come up with moments, and he did so.
04:10 You know, what can you say about it?
04:11 Because, you know, you obviously have seen the good and bad sides of him.
04:16 Yeah, and I think you're spot on with what you say.
04:19 He is a player who can produce moments.
04:21 I think on the international stage, he's absolutely flying at the moment.
04:25 And, yeah, I was really impressed there.
04:28 It's an interesting moment with Scott McTominay,
04:29 and you and I were just talking about it, you know, before we came on here.
04:32 A couple of weeks ago against Bayern Munich,
04:34 he didn't track back a runner.
04:35 It really didn't look good, I have to say.
04:37 And he was absolutely slated on social media.
04:40 Then he suddenly scored two goals,
04:43 and now he's a world-beater who should be in the team every week.
04:46 Now, the reality is that the truth is somewhere in the middle.
04:49 I think that clip against Bayern Munich was uncharacteristic of McTominay.
04:53 I don't think anyone would actually ever really question his work-witness effort
04:57 when he's in the Manchester United team.
04:58 He always gives his all.
05:00 But he's also not this, you know, two-goal hero every week
05:03 who has to be playing in the Manchester United team.
05:05 And, you know, I've seen a lot of comments in Gary Neville,
05:08 Peter Schmeichel say that.
05:09 I've seen some of my colleagues basically say that, you know,
05:12 he's got an important writing,
05:14 that he's got an important role to still play in the team.
05:17 Look, you know, in short, I think he's a squad player.
05:19 I think he can offer a role for Manchester United.
05:21 I certainly think he can come in against the weaker sides and have a role.
05:24 I think his best characteristics and qualities always is his energy
05:28 and the tempo he brings to the midfield.
05:30 He's a good tackler. He does have a decent shot
05:33 and his ability to press off the ball.
05:36 But I don't think he's a player anyone thinks
05:38 should be starting for a Champions League side week in, week out.
05:41 I mean, there's just no way.
05:42 He's just, you know, last couple of years, he's had a bad 18 months.
05:45 Let's be honest, in the team,
05:46 Ten Hag started in something like, you know,
05:49 excluding the first, I think it was seven games
05:52 of the last Premier League season,
05:53 he started like three of the last 30 or something like that.
05:56 You know, Ten Hag doesn't, didn't rate him highly enough.
06:01 He could have gone in the summer.
06:03 At one stage, he looked like he was going to go.
06:05 There's certainly interest from West Ham and there were other clubs.
06:07 I know we're interested in him, but yeah.
06:10 So, I mean, in short, a good player who is not this kind of two-goal hero
06:15 every week that has been discussed over the last couple of days,
06:18 if I'm honest.
06:19 Michael, it's very rare that we talk about the other club in Manchester
06:23 that has come off the back of three very, very different results for them.
06:27 Pep Guardiola's side really struggling, obviously, out of the EFL Cup,
06:31 which they are so well known to win.
06:34 Then they lose to Wolves, then they lose to Arsenal in the Premier League.
06:37 This is something very unheard of.
06:39 What's sort of gone on over the last three games
06:42 because it was a flying start for them?
06:45 Yeah, I think you're right.
06:47 I think this is very uncharacteristic for them.
06:49 The Princes lost two Premier League games in a row.
06:52 They haven't done that since 2018.
06:54 So it shows just how long ago we're talking.
06:57 The Carabao Cup, I mean, it's funny, the Carabao Cup,
06:59 you're right in what you say.
07:00 They actually haven't gone beyond the quarterfinals now for three years in a row.
07:04 Every year I've covered the club, they've gone out relatively early.
07:08 The three years before I covered the club, they won every year.
07:11 So maybe I'm the problem.
07:13 But no, and in terms of the league form, I mean, look,
07:17 you've got to remember, let's take the season as a whole.
07:19 They played eight games, they've won six.
07:21 That's a very good start.
07:22 I don't think anyone would argue with that.
07:24 I think you'll certainly be disappointed to lose the last two.
07:28 But I think the Wolves game are really disappointing
07:30 because I think they weren't good that day, they weren't good enough.
07:33 But I think the Arsenal game, that was it.
07:36 Guardiola always says, "Oh, it's a flip of a coin."
07:38 Certainly talks about knockout matches in the Champions League like that.
07:41 I think Sunday was the same against Arsenal.
07:43 I think that could have gone either way.
07:45 I think you'd be slightly disappointed they didn't create enough chances.
07:48 But it struck me of a game that actually Guardiola was happy
07:50 to go to the Emirates and take a point
07:52 when you play in those type of very fine margins.
07:54 Gabriele Martinelli just scores a goal,
07:57 it takes a huge deflection on the way in, and they end up losing.
07:59 So I don't think there'll be a huge amount of concern there for Guardiola.
08:03 I mean, I know you and I were just talking about Rodri and the impact he has.
08:06 I think there is a slight concern that City seem to be so reliant on Rodri
08:11 through various aspects of their game.
08:14 But if you take the best, the most important player out of any side
08:16 in the Premier League, it's going to have a huge impact.
08:19 So I think they'll certainly be pleased to get him back.
08:22 The one thing, and look, I'm probably a broken record,
08:24 you probably know what I'm about to say,
08:26 my one concern has always been with City,
08:28 is just the squad size.
08:30 And they do have a small squad.
08:32 They've always been that way since I've covered the club.
08:35 I always think the first season I covered the club,
08:37 they limped over the line.
08:39 Last season, they were so fortunate that they didn't get a huge amount of injuries.
08:42 This season, they've had to deal with more injuries and suspensions.
08:44 And I think you see how small the squad is
08:46 and how kind of stretched in it can be at times.
08:49 And that is a concern.
08:50 But as I always say, when I say it,
08:53 Pep Guardiola knows better than me,
08:54 and he seems to make it work all the time.
08:57 So listen, if Guardiola knows,
08:59 whatever kind of Guardiola says tends to be right,
09:01 to be honest, when it comes to football.
09:03 And specifically Calvin Phillips,
09:05 obviously he's had a really tough period at City.
09:09 We thought to be giving him time, etc.
09:12 But it has got to that point now where he just can't get in the side.
09:15 And Pep clearly hasn't favoured him at all, really.
09:19 And in the moments that he did,
09:20 he sort of let the side and let Pep down.
09:23 What's the situation there?
09:24 He still certainly can't be favoured
09:27 or compared anywhere near to Rodri when he's been absent.
09:30 Yeah, I mean, listen, there's certainly no criticism
09:36 in not being kind of too close to Rodri's level.
09:38 But I think that sadly, he just obviously,
09:41 for whatever reason, just has not got what Pep exactly wants him to do.
09:45 I mean, I actually think it's a really not a nice situation at this stage now,
09:52 because look, Guardiola obviously doesn't rate him.
09:56 The player doesn't seem to be able to get what Guardiola wants him to do.
09:59 I think it's a bit embarrassing for the club as well.
10:01 They've paid all that money and it's not worked out.
10:03 I think this has just now become a situation
10:05 that he needs to kind of move on, basically.
10:09 I think he had the opportunity to go in the summer.
10:10 I know he didn't want to go in the summer.
10:13 He was quite vocal about that, actually, that he wanted to stay.
10:16 I admire that in some ways,
10:17 that just because it doesn't go well straight away
10:19 doesn't mean you give up and you pack your bags and say, "That's it."
10:22 You know, but it hasn't worked out.
10:24 It just hasn't.
10:25 And I mean, after the Forrest game, when Rodri was sent off,
10:28 he basically did an interview with some of my colleagues after the match.
10:31 It was not that game, but he basically said,
10:33 "This is the biggest week of my City career.
10:35 I've got the opportunity to start two games here."
10:38 And then three, when you include the Arsenal game the following week,
10:43 those three games, he started one, the Carabao Cup,
10:45 which is, I mean, Guardiola even said himself,
10:47 he didn't see it as a huge amount of importance.
10:50 He was brought off the bench against Wolves.
10:52 He didn't even play a single minute against Arsenal.
10:54 So this was his big week.
10:56 He still doesn't get the opportunity, still doesn't get the chance.
10:59 Guardiola doesn't have a defensive midfielder in the team.
11:02 He still can't play him.
11:03 He put Bernardo Silva instead of him.
11:05 I mean, I think that is, you know,
11:07 where he ranks in.
11:09 Guardiola's pecking order.
11:10 He moved Phil Foden, Rico Lewis into midfield.
11:13 OK, players who can play midfield,
11:15 but, you know, traditionally,
11:17 players who haven't played in midfield under Guardiola.
11:19 So, yeah, it's a difficult situation.
11:22 It's not a good one for everyone, I think, concerned.
11:24 And I don't think there's any point in fingers and such.
11:26 It just hasn't worked out.
11:28 And I think in January,
11:30 he certainly needs to go somewhere and play football,
11:32 particularly, obviously, with the summer and the Euros in England and everything.
11:35 So, yeah, just a bit of an awkward situation at this stage, if I'm honest.