Man United yet to taste victory

The cavalry cannot come soon enough for Louis Van Gaal and Manchester United. It is one point from six now, and a rather spawny one at that.
Sunderland were the better team here. Not just in terms of chances, but in the technical fields, too. They knew what they were about, they executed the manager’s plan, they were physically dominant.
Their weakness, as ever, was in front of goal. Still, it was only as the game became ragged near the end that United looked dangerous. They are a shadow right now; a shadow of themselves, and of a team with Champions League ambitions.

The result was an improvement on last week’s home defeat to Swansea City, but the performance was not. United have debilitating nerves at the back and the forwards are struggling to make the most of a pretty ordinary supply line.

They weren’t outclassed by Sunderland, but in a pedestrian second half, the best chance fell to Gus Poyet’s team when Tyler Blackett blocked a Connor Wickham shot – after a bit of ball juggling – on its way to goal. That substitute Michael Keane had made a hash of a straightforward defensive manoeuvre to allow the chance was par for the course. At the back, United are an accident waiting to happen these days.

Marcos Rojo will be in the starting line-up soon – Van Gaal really cannot afford delay, once the red tape has been snipped – and maybe Angel Di Maria if United can pull off this summer’s marquee signing from Real Madrid. Whether an Argentinian winger solves the biggest problem here is doubtful, with a defensive overhaul so long overdue.

Van Gaal may argue that invention is just as pressingly required, though. Vito Mannone, Sunderland’s goalkeeper, was rarely called into action and the best of it was a 50-50 with Ashley Young, which the Sunderland man won, impressively.

Young had earlier been booked for diving, so not everything at United has changed since Sir Alex Ferguson left.
The bottom line problem for Van Gaal’s defence right now is this: whatever route to goal the opposition takes, they look vulnerable. Ball in the air – vulnerable; ball down the flanks – certainly vulnerable; ball through the middle – vulnerable; misplaced pass that any League Two centre-half would mop up in his sleep – surprisingly, still vulnerable.

Sunderland soon worked out that their approaches to the United goal did not have to be of any grand quality. Get it up there and let United’s jitters do the rest.
Nor can the blame be laid solely on the 3-5-2 system. Defenders of this reputation – and expense – should not be exposed by what is one of the more common tactical variations. Van Gaal is probably mystified at the limitations of what is, with the exception of Luis Antonio Valencia at right wing-back, an English defence.

It is no great surprise that Young looks as comfortable at left wing-back as he would sat on a spike, but Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are England internationals, supposedly part of the national team’s rebuilding programme with youth at its heart. It is worrying to see them so devoid of confidence when faced with new ideas.

Also missing is the certainty that accompanied a Manchester United opening goal. Time was, if this team took a single goal lead at Sunderland, victory could almost be presumed. On Saturday, when Juan Mata put United ahead against the run of play after 17 minutes, the presumption was of a Sunderland equaliser, most likely before half-time. In the end it took just 13 minutes.

Meanwhile Nacer Chadli ruined Harry Redknapp’s return to White Hart Lane as the Tottenham winger’s double inspired a 4-0 rout of woeful QPR yesterday.
QPR boss Redknapp was back at his old club for the first time since his sacking in 2012, but his hopes of avenging that surprise dismissal by chairman Daniel Levy swiftly evaporated as Tottenham ran riot.

Inspired by a sublime display from Argentine playmaker Erik Lamela, Spurs surged into a three-goal lead before half-time thanks to a brace from Belgian winger Chadli either side of defender Eric Dier’s second goal for his new club.

Emmanuel Adebayor compounded Redknapp’s misery when his strike put the finishing touch to the move of the match in the second half.
Redknapp had insisted he harboured no grudges about the manner of his exit from the Lane, but that didn’t stop him heaping pressure on Tottenham’s new manager Mauricio Pochettino this week when he claimed anything less than a top four finish in the Premier League would be a failure. — MailOnline.