In my preview of West Ham Vs Manchester United, I stressed that the failure of the club and Ed Woodward to support their manager in the transfer window, would become a major factor that would impact, not only in this match but on the season as a whole.
The lack of investment in a consistent, creative midfielder with a decent work ethic was crucial, but the absence of strikers was going to be a real problem.
They spent hard cash on Harry Maguire but with Lukaku and Sanchez off the books, they were insanely short of fire power. It’s good to consolidate at the back, but when you can’t control the game in the middle or create and finish up front, the season is going to end in tears.
January seems a long way off to bring in the type of quality they need and how they must be hoping that Pogba will move on to release funds for James Madison and a quality striker of the ilk of Mauro Icardi, but those type of players cost big bucks and it remains to be seen if United want to spend that kind of money around £150/£160m.
Leicester have already shown backbone and if United come knocking, they will pay above the market price. As for Icardi, he’s going to cost £72m minimum.
The West Ham Vs Manchester United match looked as if the Hammers could dominate it on paper, but the fact was that the first 45 was a drab affair with little to warm the supporters on an equally drab day.
It was a day to forget for Ole Gunner Solskjaer, especially when his only sharp attacking knife, Marcus Rashford left the field with an injury.
With goals in short supply and a lack of people to get them, it was the worst possible outcome and perhaps now, Ed Woodward will accept his responsibility in the ongoing transfer debacle.
How much longer can this guy avoid the bullet with his name in it ? Forever, it seems.
United looked so bad in the first half of the West Ham Vs Manchester United game that you had to look at the scoreboard to check they were on the field.
Yes, definitely Manchester United but those wearing the shirts were sadly lacking creativity, desire and inventiveness. At this rate, this is going to be a difficult season for them and without strength and depth, it’s only going to get worse.
Let’s not make this all about United because West Ham lifted themselves where needed, but at times looked bereft of belief. They need not have worried and with United lacking any semblance of momentum, up popped Ukrainian forward Andriy Yarmolenko to put the Hammers in front with a divine first time strike which escaped the attention of David De Gea.
This was followed up by an exquisite Aaron Cresswell free kick in the 84th minute which put the game out of reach and even if Fergie time had been available, it may have taken another 20 minutes before United looked capable of getting close.
Both sides performed better in the second half ,but Mata squandered a chance that could have changed the game in the early stages of the second half. Mata should have made it count with his experience and quality but once that chance went, West Ham threw back their shoulders and puffed out their chests.
The final straw was Rashford’s departure and Solskjaer knew that the injury for the ambition of his side was worse than the players problem.
The traveling supporters started to clock watch and plan their escape, realising that the West Ham Vs Manchester United fixture was another transitional day to forget but the board should be keen to hold talks with Mr Woodward who has been far to comfortable in his seat.
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It seems almost farcical that the global phenomenon of Manchester United have to begin a Premier League campaign with a trigger-less gun that contains no bullets.
Something has to change if Solskjaer is to avoid the scapegoat tag.
Let’s also consider the lunacy of the Mourinho era where he spent money like it was going out of fashion on substandard, low end, underachievers. Ed Woodward take a bow.
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