Sevilla sent united out of UCL
Jose Mourinho made his reputation as a manager who always seemed to know the right performance for the right game, although as he watched his Champions League campaign turn to dust against a club who were last Spanish title winners in 1946, he may wonder if this old trick is wearing thin.
Against Liverpool on Saturday his team dug in to defend a two-goal lead and were lauded for it, and then three days later, when their superiority should have told against such a modest Sevilla side, United could not conjure a coherent attacking performance. They stuttered and they stumbled and then, in the space of four second-half minutes, they conceded two goals to a French substitute who is becoming one of the unlikely heroes of this season’s Champions League.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo has
scored more goals than Wissam Ben Yedder in this season’s competition
and even that did not guarantee the Frenchman a place in the Sevilla
starting XI, instead he had to wait to come on with 20 minutes left and
then heaped embarrassment on United. The first of his two goals came
just three minutes after the Stretford End had volubly demanded their
team attack, and you wondered, at a club where it once seemed second
nature, if they have had that instinct coached out of them.
The
dawning reality is that Mourinho’s gameplan against Liverpool, that
plunder-and-lockdown approach, might work occasionally but what about
the nights like these when the stage is set for United to play as United
are supposed to play at home? You could make a case for defending
against the free-scoring Liverpool on Saturday but there was no
justification to play with the handbrake on against a spirited but
mediocre Sevilla side who United could have overwhelmed if only they
knew how.
United
have committed to Mourinho with that new contract and they will hope
that a new style evolves that is more tangible for the future of the
team than this performance in one of their biggest games of the season.
What approach, for instance, does Mourinho take when Brighton come to
Old Trafford on Saturday in the FA Cup quarter-final, a competition that
is United’s last hope of progressing to a trophy this season? The mood
changes very quickly at this club in the post Sir Alex Ferguson era and
it could yet get worse.
It could
be that Manchester City seal the league title next month when they play
their old rivals at home and both they and Liverpool have reached the
quarter-finals of the Champions League with ease. For the United manager
it was a result that he brushed off as one of those things that happen
in football, recalling times when, as Porto and Real Madrid manager, he
had eliminated United, but this is one of those things that happens to
teams that have no discernible style of dominating games.
They hit the ball early and long to Romelu Lukaku, who had one of his better games, eventually claiming the goal that gave some faint hope to the supporters who had stayed after Ben Yedder’s second. In the first half, Fellaini, recalled for his first start since November 22, operated in a no-man’s-land between a deep midfield and a distant attack, trying to head the ball down into the path of Lukaku or chase shadows in Sevilla’s midfield.
They hit the ball early and long to Romelu Lukaku, who had one of his better games, eventually claiming the goal that gave some faint hope to the supporters who had stayed after Ben Yedder’s second. In the first half, Fellaini, recalled for his first start since November 22, operated in a no-man’s-land between a deep midfield and a distant attack, trying to head the ball down into the path of Lukaku or chase shadows in Sevilla’s midfield.
Fellaini
tried to get forward and he tried to get back and in the meantime Steven
N’Zonzi and Ever Banega had the upper hand in the centre of midfield,
although until Ben Yedder’s arrival there was no cutting edge to their
attack. Ben Yedder was a futsal international for France, a footballer
who developed without the benefit of a traditional academy education,
and perhaps Vincenzo Montella’s reservations were about the physicality
of this man who now has eight goals to Ronaldo’s 12 this season.
He took his first goal beautifully after United, trying to build a move from their own half, lost possession and had it turned back on them swiftly by Sevilla as the ball went from Banega to Pablo Sarabia and then Ben Yedder. He took a fine touch to keep it away from Eric Bailly and then slotted a shot past David De Gea’s left hand.
United’s response was instructive, insomuch as they fell apart. On the touchline, Mourinho was demanding his last two substitutions like a man ordering drinks at closing time. Anthony Martial and Juan Mata came on and immediately United seemed to get worse. A cross slung into the area and headed on by Joaquin Correa was steered over the line at the back post by Ben Yedder.
He took his first goal beautifully after United, trying to build a move from their own half, lost possession and had it turned back on them swiftly by Sevilla as the ball went from Banega to Pablo Sarabia and then Ben Yedder. He took a fine touch to keep it away from Eric Bailly and then slotted a shot past David De Gea’s left hand.
United’s response was instructive, insomuch as they fell apart. On the touchline, Mourinho was demanding his last two substitutions like a man ordering drinks at closing time. Anthony Martial and Juan Mata came on and immediately United seemed to get worse. A cross slung into the area and headed on by Joaquin Correa was steered over the line at the back post by Ben Yedder.
The
warning signs had been there before then when Sevilla had created
chances for their Colombian striker Luis Muriel, who had been largely
ineffective. Alexis Sanchez had created the best United chance of the
first half for Fellaini, which goalkeeper Sergio Rico saved, but this
was another poor show from the Chilean who seemed largely to be on the
ball a long way from goal. He has not had the transformative effect on
the team that was anticipated, unless Mourinho always saw him as an
auxiliary midfielder.
Lukaku volleyed a Marcus Rashford corner from close proximity for the goal but it is difficult to be a defensive team for the best part of two games and then transition to an all-out attack when your life depends upon it. If United had a plan to win this game then it never quite revealed itself, rather they were a side who spent far too much of the evening trying not to lose until at last even that was beyond them.
Lukaku volleyed a Marcus Rashford corner from close proximity for the goal but it is difficult to be a defensive team for the best part of two games and then transition to an all-out attack when your life depends upon it. If United had a plan to win this game then it never quite revealed itself, rather they were a side who spent far too much of the evening trying not to lose until at last even that was beyond them.
Are United Mourinho's worst team?
This is
largely a group of individuals. Mourinho has had success in the past
building teams but it's not all about spending big money, it's about
getting the right balance of players in the team and to do that is
incredibly difficult, especially when you consider how much United have
to pay to get anyone.
Mourinho's greatest strength is making a group of players better as a team, but that group has to have the desire and determination to battle in every single match. Too many of those United players aren't at it, they're there to perform for cameras rather than as a functioning part of the team.
The style of football isn't exciting, that's clear, but despite the many millions Man Utd have spent for Mourinho, this is the least balanced team he's ever had. Paul Scholes says no matter who they buy, how much money they spend, United always look three or four players away from being a team.
Mourinho's greatest strength is making a group of players better as a team, but that group has to have the desire and determination to battle in every single match. Too many of those United players aren't at it, they're there to perform for cameras rather than as a functioning part of the team.
The style of football isn't exciting, that's clear, but despite the many millions Man Utd have spent for Mourinho, this is the least balanced team he's ever had. Paul Scholes says no matter who they buy, how much money they spend, United always look three or four players away from being a team.
Steven Gerrard defending Mourinho
"I think it's just an off-night! They've been good at home!" says
Steven Gerrard, the only manager in training out of all the pundits.
Having that experience seems to have help him stop himself jumping to
conclusions. Scholes and Ferdinand look like they've just been told
their houses have burned down.
Jose Mourinho reaction
"I think the first goal would be always important in this match, not
just because of the first leg. We try to be aggressive and intense and I
could see some similarities between this and Liverpool but hten we
didn't score then Sevilla progressively kept hte ball and controlled the
game well.
"In second half we had good chances, good approaches to their box, they score one goal and form that moment everything becomes more emotional and much more difficult. The second goal impossible.
"The players were completely free for that, we had good situations, we had one good move with Lingard, Rashford and Valencia before end of first half which is exactly what we wanted. I can't say my players had something wrong with their attitude and intention to play.
"Fantastic team like Tottenham has the same as us to do that. Liverpool has the Champions League but doesn't have the FA Cup. That's football, that's life, we lost. Tomorrow is another day, Saturday is another match. We have no time for dramas, we have to work because we have an important match on Saturday."
"In second half we had good chances, good approaches to their box, they score one goal and form that moment everything becomes more emotional and much more difficult. The second goal impossible.
"The players were completely free for that, we had good situations, we had one good move with Lingard, Rashford and Valencia before end of first half which is exactly what we wanted. I can't say my players had something wrong with their attitude and intention to play.
"Fantastic team like Tottenham has the same as us to do that. Liverpool has the Champions League but doesn't have the FA Cup. That's football, that's life, we lost. Tomorrow is another day, Saturday is another match. We have no time for dramas, we have to work because we have an important match on Saturday."
Man Utd's shape
I agree
with Scholes there. The shape is all over the place. Sanchez should be
wide left but was nowhere near, Rashford was doing his best to make
things happen but Lukaku kept dropping deeper and the midfield was way
too empty. It's basically a 4-1-4-1 but with all the midfielders trying
to occupy the same space.
As for players, here's Sanchez's pass map. So wasteful.
As for players, here's Sanchez's pass map. So wasteful.
Rio Ferdinand tearing Man Utd apart
The onus is on you to attack. The team started conservative, this team looked like a team who didn't have it in them to win it today. Sanchez looks like a shadow of what he was. Here he looks like a stranger. When you go to a new team you don't lose all your talent.
A lot of underestimation of Sevilla going on
The BT
Sport pundits really don't seem to rate Sevilla. They kept United
entirely quiet over two legs and should have won the first, but for De
Gea's magical save they would have. In the second, they were patient,
waiting for United to come out of their shell... and then punished them
once the space was open. A lot of people seem a little Premier League
focused - it's not the only league in the world.
Dreadful result
Paul Scholes
"I think that's the way the manager likes to play. It's very difficult watching that. There's no desire, no speed no energy abotu the team. I can't explain it. It'll be interesting to see what the manager had said. The modern game teams go to places and try to score goals.
Steven Gerrard
"I don't think you can say that about Mourinho, he's more than capable at his level he's a world class manager. I don't think this players have turned up tonight, his big players were poor, Sanchez was poor, Rashford was poor. If you want to get through you need your big players to turn up and none of them were good enough tonight.
"United showed them far too much respect."
Rio Ferdinand
"Top teams don't pick and choose when they play."
"I think that's the way the manager likes to play. It's very difficult watching that. There's no desire, no speed no energy abotu the team. I can't explain it. It'll be interesting to see what the manager had said. The modern game teams go to places and try to score goals.
Steven Gerrard
"I don't think you can say that about Mourinho, he's more than capable at his level he's a world class manager. I don't think this players have turned up tonight, his big players were poor, Sanchez was poor, Rashford was poor. If you want to get through you need your big players to turn up and none of them were good enough tonight.
"United showed them far too much respect."
Rio Ferdinand
"Top teams don't pick and choose when they play."
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