Saturday’s game against Burnley at Old Trafford provided the perfect opportunity for Jose Mourinho and his men to pick up their first league win in 4 games since the 4-1 drubbing of Premier League champions Leicester City. On that afternoon against Claudio Ranieri’s men, Manchester United put in a performance packed with sheer dominance, skill, panache and an exciting brand of attacking football. The game against Stoke at Old Trafford also was indicative of the kind of attacking football Jose Mourinho is slowly moulding his players to aspire to and practice. The direct and fast-paced style that United have been missing for a number of years since the retirement and departure of arguably the greatest manager ever to grace the game, Sir Alex Ferguson.

During Louis Van Gaal’s tenure at the club, possession was 9 tenth of the law at Old Trafford; United were bored to death by the style and “philosophy” that was so commonly used in the Dutchman’s press conferences. United would dominate possession but end up leaving the field of play only having a couple of chances on goal. The stats picked up from last season made damning reading for those associated with the club. Last season, United set a club record for the fewest goals scored in the league after netting just 49 times in 2015/16. Their previous low was 58 in 2004/05.

 

In terms of chances created, Louis Van Gaal’s army only conjured up 312 openings – only West Brom, Aston Villa and Watford created fewer chances. The stats doesn’t stop there, Manchester United only had only 430 shots on goal – ranking them 15th out of the 20 Premier League clubs – Tottenham had the most with 229 more than United.

However, life under Jose Mourinho has been a vast improvement on this, despite the results not representing the dramatic change in the brand of football. Mourinho has got his men deploying a more exciting and effective brand of football which is far more appeasing to the fans; however, with 10 games in to the 2016/17 Premier League season, the league table does not make good reading for Mourinho and his men. With rivals Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea impressing and accumulating vital points at this stage of the season, Jose Mourinho finds his team languishing in eighth place in the table 7 points behind 4th placed Chelsea and eight points off Manchester City in first place. United have a serious mount of catching up to do in order to be amongst the pack chasing the silverware come May 2017.

 

Saturday’s draw against Sean Dyche’s Burnley certainly did not help their cause. On a day where Mourinho and his men were expected to pick up 3 valuable points as they regain lost ground, they unfortunately faltered and found themselves wasteful in front of goal as Burnley and former United employee Tom Heaton was made to look like a World Class goalkeeper. United had a remarkable 37 shots on goal, but found Heaton in impenetrable form as he made 11 top saves. A few weeks ago against Stoke was similar tale in the United melodrama as they had 24 shots on goal compared to Stoke’s 7 and still found themselves dropping valuable points. Stoke goalkeeper on the day, Lee Grant was also named Man of the match after making eight saves in the game.

“It’s simple – the best Manchester United performance of the season,” Mourinho said at full-time, “its could have been 3-0 or 4-0 at half-time and six or seven at the end of the game. I can’t believe the result is 1-1. It was very undeserved.”

It was a similar story on Saturday as United may have put in their best performance matching that of Stoke and Leicester earlier on in the season, but none of that means anything if Mourinho and his men don’t turn these exciting performances into positive results. It was a case of everything but the goal as not one of the 37 shots on goal were converted. The players must take responsibility and certainly none other than Zlatan Ibrahimovic who was the chief profligate for United, missing at least three guilt-edged chances out of 12 on goal meaning he has now gone six league games without finding the net – his worst run stretching back to his time at Inter Milan in 2007.

Ibrahimovic who started the season so well with 5 goals in 5 games has been poor in front of goal since then and has been victim of missing some guilt edged opportunities – if converted – could have United competing with the frontrunners for the Premier League title but instead his lack of quality in front of goal has put a dent in United’s early title ambitions. In the 2-1 defeat against City at Old Trafford, he had great chances to win the game but he could not convert. In the 0-0 draw against Liverpool, a brilliant Paul Pogba cross could not be converted by the Swede when it looked so easy to score. In the final moments of the Burnley game, Pogba again provided Ibrahimovic with a telling cross only for the Swedish great to scuff his opportunity.

 

In fact, in the last six games, Ibrahimovic has played 540 minutes of football, he has had 35 shots, but hasn’t registered either a goal or an assist in those minutes which is staggering considering his World Class ability and his knack for the unthinkable. Certainly, it is only a problem when you’re main striker isn’t creating and fashinoning chances for himself but when you have the ability and the quality and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, he is expected to deliver week in week out for the club and his scoring drought is at the centre of Manchester United’s recent slump. Can we say its down to a lack of confidence or is Zlatan just unlucky as he settles down into life in Manchester? We can’t say its the former because we as fans are accustomed to the self-righteousness and self-confidence of the Swede that we can’t associate his poor form down to a lack of confidence. So maybe he is just unlucky.

Nonetheless, Jose Mourinho has a massive job on his hands to rediscover the form of Zlatan and the whole squad. What solutions does he turn to? Is the Portuguese coach brave enough to drop the Swede for the likes of Marcus Rashford or Anthony Martial who provides a much needed pace up-front or does he stick with Ibrahimovic? There is no denying the fact that once Zlatan scores his much needed goal, he will rediscover his purple patch form that he is enjoyed throughout his illustrious career amongst the best clubs in the world. It is only a matter of time. Ibrahimovic is not playing badly, his link-up play with Mata, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford at times has been a joy to behold. There’s little sign of fatigue in the Swede’s game. He can still cut it at the top with the very best despite his age; every striker goes through a bad patch, didn’t Sergio Aguero go 6 games without scoring before hitting a double against West Brown on Saturday? Its not only Ibrahimovic’s poor form that Mourinho would need to address, his FA charges really doesn’t help his problems on the field with the club but the suspension of Ander Herrera (Manchester United’s most consistent player of late) would be a huge blow for the key fixture against Swansea on Sunday.

Reports have surfaced that Bastian Schweinsteiger is back training with the squad and what about Henrikh Mkhitaryan? The Armenian international has been cast out of the squad on numerous occasions with Mourinho claiming that he needs to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League. If he needs to adapt to the game then he needs minutes; that is the question on the lips of every fan associated with Manchester United. Jose Mourinho has a lot of questions to answer, and the fans will want a response reasonably quickly.

 

 

 

Whatever the reasons and excuses – from poor form to slippery pitches; Manchester United find themselves in a difficult position, 7 points behind Chelsea in fourth place and the Premier League table does not lie. United are in dire need of results. Thursday’s Europa League game against Turkish side Fenerbache and Sunday’s battle with Swansea City could not come at a sooner time, it is vital that United pick up victory in these games to restore confidence in the dressing room or else they could find themselves out of the title race before Christmas. We all know what happened to Mourinho the last time this occurred…

Sunday’s emphatic 4-0 win over Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United oversaw Chelsea back to their brilliant best. After defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal, Conte had much left to ponder as his side have blown hot and cold on too many occasions this season. However, wins over Leicester and Sunday’s victory over Manchester United showed Conte’s Chelsea have moved on from Mourinho’s shadow of last season and that their current form just may reignite their resurgence towards a strong Premier League title challenge.

The appointment of Conte in the summer was down to the belief and confidence that Roman Abramovich had in the Italian to lift the mood around the club and also to revive and restore the winning formula that seemed a near impossible feat last season as Chelsea stuttered and staggered as they attempted to go in defence of their Premier League title win of 2015 under ex-coach and now Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho. After the uncertainty surrounding the formation and tactics Antonio Conte planned to go about deploying throughout the season, his side were always going to have to find a way to adapt and become familiar with as the season progresses and that goes without saying – Rome wasn’t built in a day, a phrase Conte will know well from his time at Juventus.

Conte has likened a manager’s career to that of a tailor. After some shapeless and off-colour performances ludicrously led some bookmakers to suspend betting on the Italian being relieved of his duties at Stamford Bridge after just 7 games. If Sunday’s result is anything to go by, the bookmakers have a long while yet before they can start betting on anything as Chelsea ripped apart Manchester United with ease.

It usually takes about five meetings between a client and a tailor to conjure up a perfect and well tapered suit. It looks as though it may have taken 9 games for Conte to do likewise for his Chelsea side. In the new look 3-4-3 formation , Chelsea looked back to their fluent best; a team full of confidence, players playing for each other and Conte has revived the fluency that Chelsea so constantly missed last season in their failure to defend their Premier League crown.

The start of the season had many believe Conte would start his reign at Stamford Bridge with his trusted 3-5-2 formation – a formation he was successful with in his time in Serie A with Juventus. Conte arrived with the idea of a similar set-up to try on his new players but injuries halted the Italian’s plans, instead he was forced to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation – a system so familiar with Chelsea football club. The results against Liverpool and Arsenal showed that the formation wasn’t working as Chelsea were left exposed by Arsenal and Liverpool’s pace, power and fast-paced footballing style. Conte needed to be proactive in his decision-making, the setup needed to be changed fast but as Sunday showed, Conte deserves full praise for the tactical work on the training pitch because his Chelsea side have adopted very swiftly to his philosophy.

 

The 3-4-3 system as seen above has clearly brought Chelsea back to their fluent best and Conte must garner much praise for his tactical awareness and adaptation. Many pundits and fans alike doubted his ability to adapt to the fast paced nature of the Premier League; the fact that it is vastly different from the Italian League, Serie A- where the football is more slow and tactical but it looks like Conte has consummately adapted himself to the style of the Premier League.

Conte has blended in a perfect balance within his team and one man that is central to the Italian’s tactical master plan is Eden Hazard who is given the freedom to roam and strut about his normal skilful, fluent and World-Class ability. The formation allows Hazard to not so much focus on defending as he has the cover and defensive abilities of Matic, Kante and left-wing back Marcos Alonso to support him. Diego Costa has allies in attack to deflect the attention away from him – the reason for his renaissance in front of goal with 7 goals already in the league. The three at the back has defended so resolutely and as a unit as David Luiz at times has been allowed to venture forward into midfield to support Kante and Matic. Since the defeat to Arsenal, Chelsea have won their last 3 games by a combined 9-0 , against Hull, Premier League champions Leicester and now Manchester United who have been swept away by Conte’s tactical masterplan and the determination of his players. Not least, Victor Moses who was cast aside under Mourinho last season, has somehow forced his way into Conte’s plan and eagerly impressed – turning defence into attack very swiftly with his pace and impressive wing-play.

And how about Cesar Azpilicueta? The Spanish right-back has reverted to a centre back role alongside David Luiz and Gary Cahill and has made the position his own as Chelsea captain John Terry finds his way back from injury. Students of formations are devouring the evidence of Chelsea’s big tactical shift, which has Azpilicueta, David Luiz and Cahill forming a solid three-man base with Moses and Alonso in the wing-back roles, Matic and Kate in between and Diego Costa, Pedro and Eden Hazard constantly alternating and switching positions in the attacking three. Defenders are left second guessing and confused as to who to mark as the front 3 constantly roam around; this was evident in Chelsea’s first goal under 30 seconds on Sunday, a long punt up the field caused panic within the United defence as Smalling hesitated and allowed Pedro to creep in from the right-wing to nip the ball, round De Gea and notch his first league goal of the season. The goal highlighted the freedom Hazard and Pedro have to join Diego Costa centrally and cause havoc; also, Diego Costa has also been given the license to drift wide and hold up the ball which allows Hazard and Pedro to drift about.

Most importantly, we can clearly see that Belgian starlet Eden Hazard is enjoying his role in this Chelsea side. Eden Hazard has finally found a receptive audience, an audience that connects and responds joyfully to every impressive move he makes on the pitch. The Chelsea man’s longstanding desire to play as a No.10 is progressively being realised by Antonio Conte. The change of shape for the victories against Hull, Leicester and United has allowed Hazard to move from his station on the left to a more attacking position in support of – and frequently in advance of – centre forward Diego Costa.

This role is similar to the one he plays with Belgium where his full-backs bomb up the pitch to free up space for him to run into. New arrival, Marcos Alonso has also enjoyed the fruits of his labour in the left-wing back role as his defensive and attacking awareness has allowed Hazard the freedom to go about and play his own game. “It’s a good system for Chelsea”, Hazard explained. The fact that it is also good and beneficial for him is implicit in his comments. The system is working so far. Certainly, its not the No. 10 position he craves but its close enough. Lets be honest, Hazard is at his best when he does not have defensive responsibilities. Okay, we can say the whole team should work as a unit but Mourinho tried that last season and look where it left Hazard – with only 4 league goals in the whole of last season and 6 league goals in all competitions where he played 43 games.

Those poor statistics was surely down to his role in the side and his lack of confidence. Hazard with the ability he possesses, only has one responsibility – and that’s to be an attacking threat, he does not need the added strain of coming back to defend and Conte is starting to realise that at Stamford Bridge despite his defensive tactical nous. “I think I have more freedom offensively”, Hazard stated after the victory against Leicester City. Giving Hazard freedom hasn’t always been the best solution for Chelsea especially last season. Mourinho was solely focused on harnessing his abilities rather than unleashing it. The Portuguese coach sought to only channel the players obvious talents and mould him into a reliable match winner but that isn’t enough for Hazard and that showed against Mourinho’s Manchester United. How Mourinho must be thinking to himself that if he had adopted Hazard similar to the title winning season, he would still be in the job at Stamford Bridge.

Hazard is a very special player and when he is in the mood like he was in Sunday’s victory over United, he can match the abilities of those at the top such as Neymar, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Mourinho’s argument over the players loss of form last season was that when Hazard was deployed in the No. 10 position, he often found himself running into congested areas but deploying him out wide opened up one-on-one situations where he could “attack defenders more in an individual way” instead.

There is logic to the theory. Much of Pep Guardiola’s build up play is to designed to isolate his wide man against their markers. But allowing Hazard to dribble at defenders in the central areas only adds to the immense threat he can pose. An interesting statistic popped up after the victory against Leicester:

“While 29 per cent of Eden Hazard’s touches of the ball came on the left wing last season, only 15 per cent of his touches came in that zone in the 3-0 win over Leicester.

There is no denying that Hazard possesses the ability and the technique to elude close attention, after all. Various statistics have clearly shown that allowing Hazard to roam isn’t damaging his obvious dribbling technique. His numbers have much improved this season. In fact, he has completed more dribbles than any other player so far this season.

Premier League dribbles 2016/17

It should be duly noted that Conte’s decision has not been made because of any high-minded expansive football. In fact, his recent formational tactics in recent seasons with Juventus goes against that notion. He is sure to have been troubled by concerns over Hazard’s defensive deficiencies. The incident that was sure to put the gloss over Conte’s concerns was the 3-0 defeat to Arsenal last month. The second goal by Theo Walcott was as a result of Hazard failing to track Hector Bellerin’s run.

Though, the difference between Conte and Mourinho is in respect to their solutions to the problem. The Italian seems to have abandoned any defensive intructions into the Belgian starlet. After all, has Messi been laboured with defensive instructions over the years? No. Can the same be said for Cristiano Ronaldo? Yes. Sacrifices have to be made for these sort of players – possessing the ability and the knack to win matches by themselves. Antonio Conte, the tailor has soon decided to cut his cloth accordingly; the Italian must receive all the praise for Chelsea’s resurgence and he will hope that in continues well into the season.

On 23rd June 2015, while competing for Brazil at the Copa America, Hoffenheim and Roberto Firmino agreed terms for him to make a transfer to Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool for a fee of up to £29million pounds on conclusion of the Copa America competition. Liverpool then confirmed the signing the next day on 4th July 2015. In addition to the capture of Firmino, Rodgers also added the signing of Christian Benteke that season as he tried to compensate for the loss of Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling who were part of the trio alongside Daniel Sturridge that nearly won Liverpool their first League title since 1986 in 2015.

Roberto Firmino arrived in the Premier League after a hugely impressive few seasons at German First Division club 1899 Hoffenheim where he hit an impressive 49 goals in 153 appearance in 4 years from the N0.10 position, but it was his penultimate season at the German club where he gathered much notice and acclaim. During the 2013/14 season Firmino hit an outstanding 22 goals in 37 games and finished that season the fourth highest goalscorer in the German Bundesliga with 16 league goals. Team captain Andreas Beck hailed his development as “outstanding”.

It was that season that Firmino experienced a positional and tactical change as manager Markus Gisdol exploited his strengths in a false-9 role, a role where he fully realised his potential and abilities. It his versatility and will to play in any position across the attack, which brought the attention of Liverpool coach Brendan Rodgers. One particular match in which he stood out from the rest was his memorable performance against Jurgen Klopp’s former side Borrusia Dortmund in his last season for Hoffenheim, where he completely ran the show and forced Rodgers and even his later coach Klopp to take notice. His aggressive pressing and ball retention abilities caused havoc amongst the Dortmund defence, this is evident in his goal in that game where he dispossessed Serbian defender Neven Subotic, ran through on goal and audaciously chipped Roman Weidenfeller reminiscent of his fellow countrymen Robinho who scored a similar type of goal against Arsenal for Manchester City.

His performance that night was certainly warrant of a move to a bigger club, a club like Dortmund or Bayern Munich who were also linked with a move for the Brazilian playmaker. It was at Liverpool where he desired to continue his football as Rodgers was aiming to the recapture the similar football and style  he that succeeded the previous season as he so nearly won the Premier League title at the expense of Manchester City. The departures of Suarez and Sterling to Barcelona and Manchester City respectively later played on a damning effect on Rodgers as he failed to build on the impressive performances of the previous 2014/15 season. As a result, Rodgers invested in both Firmino and Benteke to find another solution and build on Liverpool’s 14/15 season along with Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Mario Balotelli, Lazar Markovic and Danny Ings but it wasn’t to be for Rodgers as he failed to find the right formula for his signings. Besides that, Rodgers received such criticism regarding his use of Firmino and Benteke, especially the big Belgian striker whose sheer size and ability in the air thrives off crosses but the tactics of Rodgers did not exploit the Belgians strengths. Roberto Firmino was praised for his stellar performances but his combination with Christian Benteke drew much criticism.

Liverpool’s performances simply were not good enough and Brendan Rodgers was finally relieved of his duties after pressure and protests from the fans as Firmino was left in a loop as his expected future at the club hanged in the balance, but over a year on, in comes Jurgen Klopp and the German coach is enjoying the lavish spoils of Rodgers’ last signings. Under Klopp’s management, players like Adam Lallana, Coutinho, Emre Can and especially Roberto Firmino have discovered a new lease of life. Rodgers’ signing of Roberto Firmino has proved a huge blessing for Jurgen Klopp. The German coach certainly knows the player well from his days at Dortmund, and must have been licking his lips when he arrived at Anfield and he’s made great use of the attacking players at his disposal so far.

In one of his first games at the helm against Manchester City, Klopp found himself on the end of a dominant and impressive victory at the Etihad as Liverpool put in a performance that was typical of a Jurgen Klopp side with free flowing counter attacking football as Firmino, Coutinho and Adam Lallana ran Pellegrini’s city ragged, at the heart of the play was Roberto Firmino has we used in a false-9 role – a role he was familiar with at his old club Hoffenheim. Firmino ended the night with a goal to cap off a controlled and stylish performance, his combination play with Coutinho was a joy to behold that night as both players found themselves on the scoresheet.

It’s the kind of combination that Klopp so cherished at Dortmund with Mario Gotze and Shinji Kagawa the year they won the league title under the noses of Bayern Munich. Klopp created a dynasty at Dortmund and imprinted his blueprint in which Thomas Tuchel is now clearly adapting to at the German club. Now, Klopp is doing the same at Liverpool with the attacking prowess at his disposal, clubs are now looking at Liverpool as a force to be reckoned with.

The high pressing style game is a system Klopp has the perfect players suitable and highly suitable to the “gen-gen press”. Roberto Firmino, Adam Lallana, Coutinho and Jordan Henderson are all adhering to Klopp’s desired game perfectly because of their high energy and skill – to add to the firepower, he has also brought in Sadio Mane from Southampton who has already made an instant impact on the team and is vastly becoming a fan favourite at Anfield.

In the impressive 5-1 victory against Hull, Klopp deployed a system that would aim to from the first minute, get at Hull’s backline. The 4-3-3 formation is working wonders for the German coach; the movement, technical ability and pace of the from 3 of Firmino, Mane and Coutinho is a nightmare for any defence across Europe much to the delight of Klopp who in his post match interview stated:

“It was a brilliant performance, especially in the first half where we played the football we had to against Hull. We saw in the first few minutes that they started well with their counter attacks, which was quite impressive.

We had to play the game like we did, really patient, never lost direction, were always greedy in front of goal. But, when they had the ball, we had to be kind of positive-aggressive in the counter pressing situations, and that was brilliant. How we won the ball back was really impressive.”

Certainly, Liverpool’s football was a joy to behold. Once Hull had possession in their own half, they could not withstand the aggressive press from Klopp’s side. The energy and high intensity was key to Liverpool’s victory, Hull could not cope with it. It is Klopp’s use of players such as Firmino that is really captivating. The Brazilian’s ball control, technical ability and link up play was impressive. At the start of the season, we all would have thought that Daniel Sturridge would be Liverpool’s main man up front but instead Klopp is placing his trust on Firmino to lead the line in a more withdrawn role – resigning Daniel Sturridge to just a place on the bench despite his goal scoring record for the club. The Red’s front five will rightly take the plaudits for their movement, skill and tenacity but that should not detract from the work-rate and contribution from the other players in the squad. Liverpool were more energetic and more aggressive throughout, harrying the Hull players and denying them the breathing space and time to think and look for a pass.

Whatever term you use to describe Klopp’s tactical approach, the benefits have been clear to see now his squad have the time to digest his message. Without participation in any of the two European competitions, Liverpool can truly reap the benefits of that throughout the season. One thing is clear, Liverpool look a totally different outfit to last year and it is clear that Klopp’s approach is slowly but progressively working. It is only a matter of time before Klopp forms an formidable outfit, a side built and moulded in his image just like his former project at Borrusia Dortmund.

So can we truly argue that they are Premier League title contenders? Without the European competition, Liverpool have the luxury of more tactical work on the training pitch and also more time to gel with each other to get the most out of Klopp’s ideas. As we’ve seen so far this season, the tactical work is reaping its rewards but there is still more twists and turns to come in this season with regards to who wins the Premier League. The bigger teams all look much more prepared and hungry than last year when Leicester surprised the whole world let alone the whole nation with their Championship win. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City look just as impressive as Liverpool while Arsenal and Manchester United both came away with big wins this weekend and also there is Chelsea, Tottenham and Leicester to contend with also. But with the way Klopp has got his players performing, there is no reason why they can’t mount a serious title challenge come the end of the season.

The future is looking bright Jurgen Klopp and his Reds.

Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat against Watford on Sunday was Jose Mourinho’s 3rd defeat in a row within a week and highlighted the massive problems the Portuguese coaches faces as he plans to rebuild the mentality and style Louis Van Gaal was commonly criticised for last season as United finished in a disappointing 5th place. If anybody thought Mourinho and his side would be happy sailing after the first three wins against Bournemouth, Southampton and Hull they were wrong as the defeats to Manchester City, Feyenoord and Watford have proved United are nowhere near reaching the levels attained under the glory days of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Manchester United slipped six points under Guardiola’s Manchester City, concluding a week to forget for Jose Mourinho. It’s the first time since 2002 that Mourinho had endured three competitive defeats in a row. Next up is a tricky home tie against champions Leicester. On evidence of United’s performances in the past week, there are doubts that they might not get the results they so desperately desire against last seasons surprise winners. Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini claimed United are going through a “little crisis”; Fellaini played the full 90 minutes against Watford as goals from Etienne Capoue, Juan Zuniga and Troy Deeney consigned the Red Devils to a disappointing defeat.

The Belgium International told French Broadcaster SFR of the impact of Sunday’s defeat:

“It’s a little crisis you could say, because Manchester United cannot lose 3 games. But we have to lift our heads. It’s still early, its the start of the season still. We haven’t even played 10 games yet, but we absolutely have to win.”

Hopes were high and exciting for Jose Mourinho following his arrival at Old Trafford, but as Match of the Day host Gary Lineker jokingly acknowledged; matters again look bleak for Mourinho’s men:

“Manchester United lose 3 games in a week. I’m not sure even Louis Van Gaal managed that achievement.”

Sunday’s defeat highlighted a number of cracks in the clubs latest marriage. It was a match made in Heaven. Manchester United had desperately searched for the perfect partner in three years after their prolonged union with Sir Alex Ferguson ended in 2013. The ring never fitted with David Moyes and Louis Van Gaal, but Jose Mourinho is believed to be the perfect match. This summer finally saw the Portuguese coach wed with the club he had desired for over a decade. Marcus Rashford was the page boy, Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic were the lavish gifts bestowed upon Mourinho and the club for their partnership. Victory against Leicester in the Community Shield at Wembley at the start of the season consummated the marriage followed by impressive victories in their first three games of the season, but already the cracks are showing.

Against Watford, United were lethargic, bereft of confidence and a team that is in dire need of a change in system. In previous games this season so far, United’s deficiencies have been down to the uncertainty in Paul Pogba for the defensive midfield role he is trying to adapt to, the inability of Wayne Rooney to play in the No.10 position and the ineptitude in the heart of the United defence must be clearly down to the system Mourinho is trying to use. It is clear, the 4-2-3-1 formation isn’t working for United. Looking across Manchester at Guardiola’s system, he accentuates a formational plan that brings the best out of his players. Fernandinho is a man reborn in that new position just in front of the defence, Fernandinho’s role is similar to Sergio Busquets at Barcelona who was the main cog in Guardiola’s tiki-taka style when he coached the Spanish club and it seems as if he is deploying the same style at the Etihad but in a more disciplined and stable system. Busquets or Fernandinho in this instance facilitates the Anchor Role, a role that stabilizes and protects the defence, also it allows Ilkay Gundogan or David Silva and Kevin Bruyne the freedom to move about the midfield and flaunt their ability.

A simple and fluid 4-1-4-1 come 4-3-3 formation is clearly working for Guardiola so why can’t Jose Mourinho take a leaf out of the Spaniard’s book and deploy the same style at United? If we take a look at United’s best possible set up in this formation used by Guardiola:

This system above is the formation Jose Mourinho should be considering for his players going forward, the 4-2-3-1 formation being deployed is not working. In the picture below, we see the congestion between Pogba, Rooney and Ibrahimovic when the formation is being deployed, Pogba is not given the freedom to roam as he did with Juventus but rather he is limited to just a holding role and when he does go forward that leaves Marouane Fellaini by himself to cover. However, the system above would give Pogba the license to work in behind Ibrahimovic knowing that behind him, Schneiderlin/Carrick are covering and protecting the back line when he goes forward, that can be said for Ander Herrera too who over the past two seasons has really impressed when called upon. The ability and style of the Spaniard is one Mourinho cannot ignore; when deployed in a 4-1-4-1 formation as shown above, Herrera could form and impressive partnership with Pogba and with Mata on the right wing in a similar system the last time United won at Anfield in March 2015, Herrera worked a perfect combination with his fellow Spaniard and it was his pass that led to Mata’s goal with an eye of the needle pass that carved open the Liverpool back line. It is a similar style and system that Mourinho should deploy, especially in the big games.

Against Watford, for both the 1st and the 2nd goals scored by Capoue and Juan Zuniga, Pogba and Fellaini were nowhere to be found at the edge of the box which allowed both goal scorers so much space and time to pick their chances as seen below:

The poor positional discipline of both Pogba and Fellaini allowed Watford the confidence and the license to control the game as both Capoue and new signing Roberto Perreya picked off the gaps left by Pogba to exploit. However, if Mourinho deploys Schneiderlin or Michael Carrick in that ‘Anchor Role’ talked about previously, these gaps would not have been left vacated as Schneiderlin/Carrick would have been asked to cover the defensive line which would allow Ander Herrera or Pogba the freedom to play their usual game on the front foot. The style and “philosophy” as former coach Louis Van Gaal placed much emphasis on is still languishing around the environment at Old Trafford, and Mourinho would need to change the slow and boring mentality quick if he wants to revive the glory days at Old Trafford and the fast paced counter attacking, free flowing football that Sir Alex Ferguson so impressively mastered in his time at the club .

Danny Higginbottom, Sun Sports Column Analyst and former Manchester United, Stoke and Sheffield United defender discusses:

“If you play 4-2-3-1 – then either your fastest or slowest attacking player has to be the centre forward. If its the fastest player, that would be Marcus Rashford or Anthony Martial in the attacking four. They would be used to run in behind and stretch the game, to create space in behind. With the slowest player, Rooney or Ibrahimovic – neither have the pace of other attackers – would drop off creating a vacuum behind them for the quicker players to attack into.”

It’s very difficult to play the system if you have a centre forward in Zlatan who drops off and a No.10 in Rooney who doesn’t have the will to run in behind. It’s even tougher if Pogba tries to come into that same area trying to make space for himself – it becomes so congested in that area which then limits the movement and freedom. You end up with three of United’s main players ‘pretty much holding hands’. United’s opponents are happy to see them bunched up because it creates space in behind for them to exploit and run at the fragile defence because of the lack of the protection or the ‘Anchor Man’ as talked about earlier. If Mourinho is to exploit the 4-2-3-1 then Mkhitaryan would represent a better option at No.10, the Armenian would take the risks and pull the defence one way to create space for Zlatan Ibrahimovic – but that would mean at the expense of captain Wayne Rooney.

It is clear Rooney is not in the best of form, and that is affecting the rest of the team, after all, he is the captain and an example for the rest of the squad. The England record goalscorer has found the net just twice in his last 17 games and failed to register a shot on target at Vicarage Road. Former Liverpool defender Phil Babb says Wayne Rooney needs to improve his performances this season.

“If you’re reading the stats, and I know that Jose Mourinho does, you would argue – what is he doing?”, said Babb. “Is he effective? Even though he has the armband on is he really driving this team?

“You could argue that he isn’t but we know that Rooney is a class player. In a week where nobody in the side is firing, he – obviously with his high profile – will get a lot of the flack being the skipper.”

Yes, Rooney is a class player and there is no doubting his ability, he has been a shining light for the club over the years, a true legend, but right at this moment in time his form is a real concern for Mourinho, so what does he do next? Does he keep Rooney in the line-up and run risk of dropping more vital points as rivals City keep on impressing? Does he change Rooney’s role or does he drop him completely from the starting XI? A high percentage of United fans will agree with the latter, and question will arise as to whether Mourinho could show the ruthlessness that Van Gaal and Moyes lacked, a ruthless streak that makes Mourinho the winner he is.

The Portuguese coach has to change the mindset of the players and the tactical system – a system that would get the best out of his squad – as the last few games have showed, the formational plan at Old Trafford is not working, a plan that has been tried over the past two or three years at the club. The United fans are desperately waiting for the glory days to return, and the marriage between Mourinho and United has got off to a topsy-turvy start, but to avoid yet another managerial divorce, Mourinho must revert the style he is so adept to and adapt to a new system, a system that elevates Paul Pogba to his former self and brings the best out of captain Wayne Rooney.

Mourinho is a proven winner and he is going to get it right at Old Trafford, the Manchester United hierarchy wouldn’t have partnered with the Portuguese if they didn’t believe in him. Jose Mourinho, however does have a tough job on his hands and that goes without saying. The glory days will return at Old Trafford under Mourinho – a job he has so truly desired since his days at Real Madrid – its not a matter of if, but when.

Saturday’s Manchester Derby provided the most anticipated pre-match preparations with nearly the whole world glued to their TV screens as Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho re-kindled their fierce rivalry for the first time in English football – at the final whistle, it was Guardiola’s Manchester City who drew first blood with a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford.

 

The famous derby provided fans and neutrals with 95 minutes of frenetic end-to-end football, this was football we are so accustomed to when it involves Mourinho and Guardiola with their rivalry stretching back to the time they were facing off as Real Madrid and Barcelona coaches respectively and Saturdays derby proved no different. The first half was sign of things to come in the future for Manchester City under Guardiola as they totally outclassed, out-fought and out-muscled United off the park on their own backyard in the first 40 minutes. The performance was reminiscent of the outstanding Barcelona side Guardiola managed for 4 glorious trophy-laden years. Those Barcelona sides played with a sheer fluidity and movement, brilliantly passing the ball at speed to tire and dumbfound opponents. On Saturday, fans were treated to a performance of a similar ilk as City carried on their impressive Old Trafford run and maintain their 100% winning start to the season.

 

From the first minute, City confidently ferried the ball around the pitch as they looked much more hungrier and fitter than Mourinho’s Red Devils who did not know whether to press them or sit back and hit on the counter. During the first half, United looked slow and laboured as they could not muster up any ideas to hamper City’s dominance despite Ibrahimovic’s consolation 3 minutes from half-minute after a bad mistake by new £17million goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.

While City’s play and style on the day should be lauded, so many of United’s deficiencies was of their own making. It should have come as no surprise as to how Guardiola would set up his side even without his star striker Sergio Aguero. This was a signature Guardiola performance while Mourinho put out a side that were unable to cope with City’s pace and movement; before the game, questions were asked to the reasoning of starting Jesse Lingard and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. On the face of it, both players stylistically provide Mourinho with a tactical to sit back and hit on the counter attack because of their pace and ability on the ball; however, both Lingard and Mkhitaryan had just recovered from injury so we could argue that the result was because of Mourinho’s ill-fated decision to start both players while Mata and Martial who were equally impressive in the recent victories against Bournemouth, Southampton and Hull had to sit out the match.

 

On top of that, the likes of Paul Pogba struggled grab a hold of the game as the movement and fluidity of Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva bypassed him. Yes, it is only his 3rd game back to the Premier League and he has had a solid start to his second spell at Old Trafford but Saturday’s performance showed that Mourinho would have to find a solution for Paul Pogba to show the kind of performances he displayed week in, week out at Juventus ; maybe switch United’s formation to a 4-3-3. Didier Deschamps made the same mistake at Euro 2016 as Pogba was asked to form a defensive midfield and was shackled to a defensive position along with N’golo Kante and on that evidence it showed as France fell victim to Portugal’s surprise European Championship victory. What the 4-3-3 would provide Pogba is protection as the French international thrives on the freedom to manoeuvre and control the game like he did so regularly on the left side of midfield where he enjoyed his best ever season at Juventus last season alongside Midfield enforcers Sami Khedira and Claudio Marchisio. After the changes to the formation through the introduction of an extra midfielder in Ander Herrera and striker Marcus Rashford at the restart, we could see that there was an improvement in Pogba’s game as United searched for an equaliser. For certain, Pogba would come good at Old Trafford and show the world why he could be considered as the best midfielder around but in order for that materialise, Mourinho would need find a formational situation quickly in order to get the best out of Pogba and the rest of his players.

 

On Saturday, United’s players were like statues as Manchester City enjoyed and thrived on a lions share of possession and they weaved and articulated themselves through United’s midfield with their slick passing game. In the build-up to City’s opener, Armenian international Henrikh Mkhitaryan gave Aleksander Kolarov so much room to launch his pass up field. For City’s second and decisive goal, United had plenty of bodies back in their own area and were not quick enough to anticipate on the ball hitting the post which allowed young striker Kelechi Iheanacho to double City’s lead under no pressure whatsoever.

Despite the defeat, United still contributed to the all out energetic and thrilling end-to-end football that we as fans experienced on Saturday, and were able to claw their way back into the game as they came back and dominated the United should not be discouraged by Saturday’s; certainly, fans will be distraught at losing to their closest rivals but Mourinho is a proven winner and if anyone can claw their back from the dust, the Portuguese manager has been there and done it in his illustrious managerial career and with an array of talent at his disposal, it would be relatively easy for Mourinho to pick his players up, start again and catch up with Guardiola’s City as we gather pace in what is thought to be the most highly anticipated Premier League season in its history. We are in for a frenetic showpiece.

 

This summer transfer window has been a real captivating and controversial spectacle. The debacle of Paul Pogba’s potential move to Manchester United, the high profile signing of Gonzalo Higuian from Napoli to Juventus, and the ongoing negotiations between Everton and Manchester City for the deal to take John Stones to the Etihad have driven the whole footballing world to the edge of their seats, with their eyes glued to the football news, and rumours surrounding various transfer stories.

Not only the potential return of Pogba to Manchester United that has set the market alight – the signing of Sadio Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum to Liverpool with huge transfer fees, Michy Batshuayi and N’golo Kante at Chelsea, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Old Trafford, the £75million signing of Gonzalo Higuain to Juventus from rivals Napoli has caused a huge stir in the market, and there will be a few more exciting deals to come as the market reaches its final few weeks.

One club who haven’t been as active as expected, and must start recruiting to have any chance of finally looking a real bet for glory is Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal who have been left behind by the activity of their rivals in the Transfer market and with the Premier League resuming in a few weeks, Arsene Wenger is running out of time to get the players he needs to turn Arsenal into firm title contenders once more. Though, Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis made a statement that could cause a stir amongst the Arsenal faithful:

“We can’t afford to outgun competitors that have far more money. We have to be very careful and very selective.”

Certainly, Arsenal shouldn’t spend for spending sake and they should be weary of their marketing and financial structure, but whatever happened to taking risks? They invested heavily in Mesut Ozil for a fee of £42.5million pounds in 2013 which made him the most expensive German player of all time and the most expensive Arsenal signing to date along with Alexis Sanchez who cost Arsenal a fee of £31.7million in July 2014. The signings of Ozil and Sanchez represented the spending power Arsenal can exploit; they might not be able to match that of Manchester City, United and Chelsea in terms of their financial spending power but there is nothing wrong in taking risks and in order for Arsenal to finally lift the Premier League that has preceded them since 2004, Wenger must break free of his stubbornness during this transfer window.

Last season was a huge disappointment for the Arsenal, despite them finishing second 10 points behind Leicester in second place – also toppling their impressive rivals Tottenham. A recent study taken by Sky Sports News HQ found that Arsenal could have been champions had all their chances that hit the woodwork been converted. What can we say that is down too? Poor finishing? A lack of a top striker? There are many ways we could answer these questions, but certainly it is the latter question that needs to be solved quickly. Arsenal are in dire need of a top quality striker. The interest in Leicester’s main man Jamie Vardy earlier on in the summer was the opening of a realisation that Wenger needed that main front man; a striker who knows where the goal is; a striker who is selfish in and around the penalty box; a striker who even when he’s had a poor game – still has the quality to pull his team-mates through.

Can we associate these characteristics with Olivier Giroud? Certainly, Giroud holds a very impressive record at the Emirates, with 82 goals in 182 Arsenal appearances. Last season, Giroud notched 16 goals in 26 appearances, it seems a decent record for the French international but in actual fact it was a mere reflection of the missed opportunity to mount a serious Premier League title challenge on Leicester; Giroud and his team-mates missed a host of guilt edge chances to beat off the challenge of Claudio Ranieri’s men.

Wenger’s problem last season was he didn’t have a Jamie Vardy up-front, a player who wowed the whole nation with a staggering 24 goals in 38 Premier League games and he matched and topped ex-Manchester United striker and legend Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s record of consecutive Premier games with a goal. Then there is Arsenal’s main goal threat Olivier Giroud, who was the club’s top-scorer with 12 league goals – but Arsenal fans would say he could have had a whole lot more. The French international throughout last season missed 68.4 per cent of the clear-cut chances that fell his way. Of all the Premier League strikers you would associate with the so-called “Top 6” clubs, Giroud had the worst chances to conversion rate of them all.

Can we consider Giroud as a title wining striker? Looking up last seasons statistics, we all can provide answers to that question. Arsenal’s finishing woes must not escape Arsene Wenger’s attention. This summer transfer window, Wenger cannot simply afford to miss out again on signing a top striker, and face a lost opportunity on an assault for another Premier League title. Arsenal fans and pundits alike are crying out for Wenger to take action. Indeed, they have secured the services of Swiss international Granit Xhaka, but its up front in which needs major improvement. While Giroud is a very useful player and worth keeping around, if he remains the first choice striker at the Emirates this season, it is highly unlikely that Arsenal will be lifting the Premier League come May 2017.

Rivals Manchester United have invested in superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Chelsea signed Belgian international Michy Batshuayi, Vincent Janssen signed for neighbours Tottenham from AZ Alkmaar; these are all strikers who in previous clubs have led their sides to a Championship title in France and Holland respectively. Right now, Arsenal do not have that luxury within their strike force.

According to Sky Sources though, Arsenal are interested in securing the services of French international striker Alexandre Lacazette. The Lyon hitman capped an impressive campaign last season with 21 goals in 34 league appearances. An initial £29.3million pound bid was rejected by Lyon last week as the club formally stated that:

“Lacazette is irreplaceable and one of the main leaders in coach Bruno Genesio’s team.”

However, there have been major developments on the proposed deal to bring Lacazette to the Emirates; Sky Sources report that the two clubs remain in close talks and negotiations and that Lyon remain open to the possibility of selling the French international this summer.

Lyon coach Bruno Genesio stated:

“He can leave if Lyon want him to. There are some offers that you cannot refuse. My desire as manager is that the best players stay and Lacazette is very important for the team. I have been assured by my president that we will keep the player. You never know what could happen right until August 31st.”

Wenger has already had a bid rejected for the 25-year old marksman but is believed to be returning with an improved offer. Assuming Arsenal do get their man, Lacazette could prove the missing part of the jigsaw. The French international who holds 8 caps for his country has had a stellar few seasons at the Parc Olympic Lyonnais with 92 goals in 230 appearances for the club. Arsenal have an array of talent in the middle of the park and with the addition of Granit Xhaka, they are pretty stocked in that area but it is at no. 9 where they are struggling and the addition of Alexandre Lacazette is a interesting one but also a risk – one which Arsene Wenger is willing to take.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSc3jBgGirw

The French international is of course unproven at the highest-level; however, the move to Arsenal will allow him the opportunity to make a name of himself on the big stage, especially the UEFA Champions League. From the above clip, Alexandre Lacazette can provide Arsenal with the cutting-edge required to finally make a mark on the Premier League title; if he can bag 21 goals with a team considered the 3rd best in Ligue 1, then imagine what he can do with the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and so on providing him with ammunition, it is clear Arsenal need a clinical striker and Lacazette is just that. He has the ability and pace to beat defenders one-on-one, despite his short frame and stature he still holds the ball up well and his link up play has proved successful as well plus the obvious trait which is his incredible knack of converting key chances. According to WhoScored.com illustrating his ability to put chances away: Only Zlatan Ibrahimovic (40) has scored more clear cut chances than Lacazette (36).

Yes, the Premier League is a different kettle of fish and a much intense and a much more explosive competition compared to the French league, but throughout his managerial career, Wenger has a knack of successfully ingraining players into his philosophy and moulding them to becoming world-beaters, for example Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robin Van Persie, Patrick Vieira etc. are players who have thrived under the guidance of Arsene Wenger, and Alexandre Lacazette could join that long list of talents that have blossomed into World Class players.

As well as up-front, Arsenal have more pressing needs – an assured centre back who will partner Laurent Koscielny. With Per Mertesacker set for a long spell on the sidelines and fellow team-mate Gabriel joining him on the treatment table, Arsenal are significantly short of quality centre backs to compete as the opening day of the new Premier League season draws closer.

According to various sources, Arsenal are in talks to sign German international and Valencia CF defender Shkodran Mustafi who could well be the defender that Arsenal need, he is very experienced despite his tender age after spells at Everton, Italian club Sampdoria and his present club Valencia. He possesses a ball playing ability that is suitable to Arsene Wenger’s passing and possession style football, also his tenacity and aggression has made him a huge success in La Liga where he had an impressive 2015/2016 season at the Mestalla stadium.

No bids are thought to have been lodged by Arsenal though Mustafi has a release clause in his contract for £42.1million, Sky Germany sources understand that Arsenal may be able to sign the German international for much less in the region of £25.3m plus a further £8.4million in add ons.

Even before the Mertesacker injury, Arsenal fans have been crying out for a new partner for Laurent Koscielny at the heart of the Gunners defence. Since joining the club from Villarreal in January 2015, Gabriel has failed to force his way past Mertesacker in the pecking order and the likes of Calum Chambers are still seen as a work in progress plus the new summer addition of Rob Holding from Bolton who will be regarded as one for the future.

Mustafi could prove an ideal fit compared to his fellow compatriot Mertesacker, the defender ranked in La Liga’s top 10 for interceptions, blocks and clearances but it is his interception stats that make clever reading. Of the current crop of defenders at Arsenal, Koscielny is head and shoulders above the rest, making 127 interceptions from 33 games last season. Gabriel is next with 62, and Mertesacker made just 36 interceptions from 24 games.

Shkodran Mustafi will be a real improvement and upgrade in this area of the game, he made even made more interceptions than Laurent Koscielny – 133 – from 30 games last term. Provided Arsenal do complete the signings of Mustafi and Lacazette in this summers window, expect Arsene Wenger to mount a serious assault on the Premier League title, the panic of another season of disappointment and agony may be put to rest for the Arsenal faithful this season. Who knows?

 

 

Sky Sources understand Manchester United chief-executive Ed Woodward has begun negotiation about the possibility of bringing Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford in a world record deal worth £85million-£100million.

Italian heavyweights Juventus are desperate to keep hold of the player, but would find it hard to resist such a mega offer, which would also see Pogba earn up to £250,000 per week at the club he left in 2012. Various media outlets over the past few weeks have rumoured a return to Old Trafford for Paul Pogba now the story is officially out in the open and it is clear that Jose Mourinho is desperate to regain Manchester United’s pedigree amongst the top clubs in the world. With the signings of Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic, ex-Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan and defender Eric Bailly, Mourinho is already well on his way to fulfilling that expectation.

 

It is believed that Mourinho would love to bring in a massive marquee signing during the window and Paul Pogba certainly fits the bill; major reports have surfaced from Sky Sources claiming that Real Madrid have pulled out of negotiations for Pogba due to financial reasons which gives Manchester United clear run at securing the signing of arguably the world’s most coveted midfielder. According to sources close to the deal, United’s superior financial muscle has provided them with a huge advantage in the race to sign the French international. Negotiations are still ongoing with the player’s agent Mino Raiola – also agent to both Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan who have been snapped up by Mourinho at Old Trafford.

At this point in the negotiations, the basic transfer fee for Paul Pogba is said to be in the region of £85million to £105million pounds. However, taking into account the adding on fees, bonuses relating to the potential success of the player and the club – as well as agent Mina Raiola’s fee. The total amount United could pay for the Euro 2016 star is a staggering £105million pounds (€123m). This is not including the player’s contract, which is said to comfortably exceed £65million, where the club will pay him a basic £250,000 per week in wages on a five-year deal. The lengths in which United are going to complete the deal has led Real Madrid to admit defeat in the race to sign Pogba. Madrid – a powerhouse when it comes to competing for signings surprisingly do not have the economic prowess to compete for Pogba which also suggests that the pendulum has swung United’s way when it comes to securing world footballing talents with huge transfer fees.

If United do eventually pull of the deal, what does this mean for Juventus as they push for another Serie A crown and to again impress in the Champions League – a trophy they have failed to lift since 1996. According to reports in the Telegraph newspaper, Juan Mata who was sold to Manchester United in January 2014 by Jose Mourinho could be sold once again – as a makeweight in the deal to sign Paul Pogba – which could see the Spaniard go the other way. Other reports suggest Juventus are interested in Chelsea powerhouse Nemanja Matic. Pogba’s move to United could spell the end of Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger’s short stint at the club as Mourinho plans to also have a summer clear out to free up funds for other potential summer signings.

According to reports, Paul Pogba has expressed his desire to return to Old Trafford this summer. The 23-year old left Old Trafford on a free to Juventus in 2012 and has blossomed over the past 4 years into one of the most decorated midfielders in world football with his unerring pieces of skill, silky passing, a real eye for goal and a tendency for the spectacular. During his time in Turin, he’s established a reputation for his explosive and energetic playing style, one which has attracted the interest of Manchester United and Real Madrid. These characteristics has drawn comparisons with the French Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira – a decorated career in which Pogba is well on his way to matching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12miijMNxvw

 

Since joining Juventus in 2012, under tutelage of Antonio Conte and Massimo Allegri, Pogba has assisted the club to four consecutive Serie A titles, as well as Coppa Italia, and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. In January 2014, he was regarded by the Guardian newspaper as one of the ten most upcoming promising young players in Europe. A year later, Pogba was named in the 2015 UEFA team of the year, as well as the 2015 FIFA FIFPro World XI, after an impressive 2014/15 season in which he guided Juventus to the final of the Champions League where they unfortunately lost to eventual champions Barcelona.

Last season was a successful season in front of the Azzuri Juve fans for Paul Pogba as he finished the season with 10 goals and 12 assists, an impressive feat for a player – we should remember – who only turned 23 years of age in March, which suggests that there is much more to come from the French superstar. Whether or not Pogba chooses to return to Old Trafford, the potential transfer could make Mourinho’s men a force to be reckoned with. Yes, the big transfers involving Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao and that of Bastian Schweinsteiger failed to show some promise but the signing of Paul Pogba could see a return to United’s dominance in midfield – a position that has failed to provide the forwards with the service required to claim the Barclays Premier League title since the era of Sir Alex Ferguson.

 

The potential signing of Paul Pogba, along with the signings of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly signal a clear statement of intent from Mourinho that United do really mean business as the opening games of the new Barclays Premier League season draws nearer; United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham will all battle it out to snatch Leicester City’s crown.

 

 

 

 

According to BBC Sport, agent Mino Raiola claims that it would be wrong to abandon attempts to get the Borussia Dortmund playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan a move join Jose Mourinho’s revolution at Manchester United.  

Widespread reports claim that Manchester United will sign Henrikh Mkhitaryan in a £30million pound deal. Popular German newspaper Bild have reported that Borussia Dortmund would be willing to sell the provided that Manchester United match their valuation for the player. According to Sky Sources, United are close to completing the signing of the Mkhitaryan after the clubs agreed a £26.3m fee.

Sky Sports journalist Fabrizio Romano also reports on his twitter account that

“Talks are ongoing with BVB. Player wants to join #MUFC, Borussia is asking for €40M, but Man Utd is pushing.”

The 27-year-old Armenian international midfielder has yet to agree personal terms with United but there is huge confidence within the two clubs that the deal will eventually go through.

Mkhitaryan has just one more year left on his current contract, and after the departures of Mats Hummels and Ilkay Gundogan to Bayern Munich and Manchester City respectively, chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke would prefer to keep him at the Signal Iduna Park but going against the players wishes will be a tough ask. It is a transfer that looks close to completion. Here is a look at what he could offer Jose Mourinho and his new look side.

Assuming Manchester United do eventually complete the deal, Henrikh Mkhitaryan could prove a stellar signing by Mourinho. And with the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the two signings could become a real coup come the start of the season. Mkhitaryan who has a year left on his current contract would prefer a move to the Premier League rather than sign a new one at Dortmund.

With the versatility to play in many different roles such as a right-winger, a second striker, an advanced playmaker and also in the centre of midfield, Mourinho has a huge job on his hands finding the perfect role Mkhitaryan in his side; however, the ability the Armenian possesses could give the Portuguese coach a smooth nights sleep. Though, with the added pressure of getting the best out of players such as Memphis Depay, Adnan Januzaj – considering Mourinho keeps him at the club – and also continuing the development of the likes of Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, on paper Mourinho has a young and experienced array of attacking talent in order to make Manchester United the force they once were under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Moreover, Mkhitaryan currently captains the Armenia national and holds an impressive international record – capped 59 times, he is their all-time leading goalscorer having been on target 19 times for his country.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan started his career at Armenia with club side Pyunik Yerevan, before leaving in 2009 and spending four years in Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk following a short stint at fellow Ukrainian side Metalurh Donetsk. However, it is at Shakhtar where he began making his mark, playing with the likes of Chelsea’s Willian and Manchester City’s Fernandinho. They were one of the most feared teams in Europe with their impressive performances during the group stages of the Champions League and Mkhitaryan was at the heart of that impressive Shakhtar side from 2011-2013. He went on to win 3 Ukrainian League titles along with 2 Ukrainian cups scoring an impressive 44 goals in 104 games in his whole time in Donetsk before his club-record switch to greener pastures – at Borrusia Dortmund.

Since his move to Dortmund, Mkhitaryan has established himself as on of the best attacking midfielders in European football, and his statistics at the Signal Iduna Park tell its own story with an impressive 40 goals in 136 games in 3 years under the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel, last season his performances rewarded him with the Bundesliga player’s player of the year award where he notched 18 goals and 25 assists in the German league and Europa League competition. His partnership with Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Marco Reus led the team to an impressive 2nd place under Tuchel’s first season in charge where they pushed eventual champions Bayern Munich to the edge.

The signing of Henrikh Mkhitaryan will provide the attacking incentive Manchester United have craved for the past 2-3 seasons. With the scrutiny Louis Van Gaal faced over his style and philosophy at Old Trafford, he club would hope that Mkhitaryan does not prove a flop like that of Angel Di Maria and Falcao who were rather bought as an experiment by Louis Van Gaal – one which eventually backfired and led to an exodus of players at the beginning of last season. However, with the sudden urge to warp up deals for Ibrahimovic, Eric Bailly and Mkhitaryan, it does look as though Mourinho has a clear and effective plan in order to get the most suitable and best players for his system. The Portuguese coach aims to bring United back to its former glory – whether or not he is at the helm for the long term is entirely another matter.

With the signings of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and also the talented former Villarreal centre-back Eric Bailly, United have made a clear statement of intent that they mean business as the new 2016/17 Premier League season draws nearer. With the rumours surrounding Paul Pogba’s return to Old Trafford this summer according to the Daily Mail highlights the impact Jose Mourinho is quickly establishing after just over 2 months in charge. His ability to operate in the transfer market when given the funds will have been key to United’s decision to appoint him as manager at Old Trafford, with Ibrahimovic’s arrival and the Mkhitaryan signing is an example of Mourinho’s pulling power despite the club not being able to offer them Champions League football after Louis Van Gaal’s shortcomings.

It may be early days in Mourinho’s reign but, with Paul Pogba linked with a return to the club, Mourinho can prove his worth should he complete another high-profile signing. Reports suggest that Mkhitaryan has yet to agree personal terms and undertake a medical at the club; however, the deal does look highly likely to be wrapped up by the end of the week. The signing of Henrikh Mkhitaryan could indeed prove a stellar signing by Mourinho and once again raise the morale and excitement within Old Trafford.