In his beginning is his end; now the night falls. Two years ago, before their third game of the season, against Liverpool, having lost one of the games they’d played 2-1 to Brighton, Manchester United presented Casemiro before an adoring crowd at Old Trafford. At the weekend, before their third game of the season, against Liverpool, having lost one of the games they’d played 2-1 to Brighton, Manchester United withdrew Casemiro before a despairing crowd at Old Trafford. Two years ago, United won 2-1; on Sunday, they lost 3-0, and it could have been a lot worse.
It was, frankly, painful to watch: a player who once commanded games, who has won four Champions Leagues, been integral to one of the most successful sides in history, reduced to a player so devoid of confidence even the basics looked a challenge. The early signs this season had been promising. There was a sense that Casemiro was sharper again, that the concerns about his fitness that had plagued last season might have been surmounted. But on Sunday his pass accuracy was just 73%, way off what is acceptable for a defensive midfielder, and his errors cost the opening two goals.
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And yet there is a context. Eleven minutes in to the second half, Kobbie Mainoo was dispossessed leading to Liverpool’s third. Manuel Ugarte, who was presented before kick-off after his £42m ($55m) move from Paris Saint-Germain, must have wondered what he’s got himself into. The United holding position is like the Siege Perilous in Arthurian legend; eventually one will come who is worthy of achieving the Grail but until then whoever takes that position is doomed.
It’s not just about individuals. United now seem to be in a similar position to the late Arsène Wenger-period Arsenal. The structure has failed and so hopes are placed in individuals. Which is daft enough when the player involved is as talented as Mesut Özil, but eventually you end up believing Nicolas Pépé is the answer to your prayers. Ugarte may turn out to be an upgrade on Casemiro, but no one player can ever be the answer.
Ugarte will need a better system around him and that’s where the focus begins to shift and the camera comes to rest on Erik ten Hag. Even with allowances for the position they inherited, how can it be that, three games into his reign at Anfield, Arne Slot has created a more coherent midfield than Ten Hag, now in his third year at Old Trafford, has managed. How can it be that, of all the former Ajax players in the pitch on Sunday, the best was Ryan Gravenberch?
Take the first goal. As the ball is played back to Casemiro, both full-backs have started to advance. He chooses an ambitious first-time pass out to Diogo Dalot, but Gravenberch intercepts and suddenly Liverpool have a five-on-three break. The pass selection, obviously, was terrible, but equally, why were there so few options in front of him?
Or the second goal: a weak pass from Noussair Mazraoui puts Casemiro under pressure. The two closest players to him, Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes, are marked, while Joshua Zirkzee is free but static and the way Casemiro has had to take the underhit ball to him makes a pass at that angle difficult. At the point at which Casemiro is nudged off the ball by Luis Díaz, the six closest players to him are in white shirts. Everything after that is far too easy for Liverpool.
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Or the third goal: when Mainoo is bundled off the ball, he is surrounded by four Liverpool players. One pass creates a four-on-two break. These are systemic issues. Perhaps the hole in the middle of the doughnut isn’t as pronounced as it was last season, but the central midfield problems remain for United: players are walking into ambushes and there is then no cover when the ball is lost.
Defeat at Brighton the previous week was the result of a basic lack of defensive application, which is some ways is worse, but at least could be solved by professional players just acting like professional players. Midfield structures are about the manager. It’s still early, but this is looking like the future United must have feared when Ten Hag was reluctantly kept on: the same problems as last season, the same deficiencies, just now with Jim Ratcliffe and Dave Brailsford in the stand and a few more Dutchmen on the pitch.
Victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final was a great moment for United, arguably their best day since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club a decade ago. But the danger always was that it was a one off and that, by keeping Ten Hag in a job, it has postponed the next stage of their development.
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This is an extract from Soccer with Jonathan Wilson, a weekly look from the Guardian US at the game in Europe and beyond. Subscribe for free here. Have a question for Jonathan? Email soccerwithjw@theguardian.com, and he’ll answer the best in a future edition
