Two defeats on the trot have put this Manchester United side in a very difficult position indeed. It was always going to be difficult for David Moyes to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson, but now it’s beginning to look like a fools errand.
What’s most disappointing about the defeats against Everton and Newcastle was just how ineffective United looked. Whilst the opposition was energetic and well marshaled, the Red Devils put in a pathetic whimper of a performance. The fact that they couldn’t conjure up a goal in either game is telling.
The service into Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney just isn’t good enough. Manchester United miss Michael Carrick and they just aren’t getting enough from Shinji Kagawa and Marouane Fellaini. Adnan Januzaj rose to prominence quickly earlier this season, but I’m not sure he’s ready to be playing week-in and week-out.
Whilst it’s clear that David Moyes needs to have a tactical re-think, he’ll also need to spend some dosh during the January transfer window. He needs to bring in somebody who’s capable of speeding things up and linking with the club’s strikers a little better.
This brings me to The Mirror‘s claim that Manchester United are still in the running to sign Borussia Dortmund sensation Ilkay Gundogan. The German midfielder is one of the hottest properties in European football, but his future is shrouded by a cloud of uncertainty.
His contract will run down in summer 2015 and at the moment little progress has been made in regards to him accepting new terms. Dortmund’s CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke recently spoke about the situation:
“It is our absolute desire that besides Robert Lewandowski no other regular player leaves the club. Only in the case of Ilkay Gundogan, we do not yet know how it will turn out. We would love to extend [a contract] with him.”
It’s thought that he would cost Manchester United upwards of £25m. That’s a lot of money, but quality doesn’t come cheap. United need a player who can pull them out of their slump and Ilkay Gundogan is good enough to do exactly that.
He’s a quick thinker and he has all the technical ability necessary to jink past opposition, pick out passes and create moments of magic. He’d certainly be a big step up on United’s current options. Let’s hope that (for once), David Moyes is capable of pulling off this deal.
What’s your take? Should United be chasing this Borussia Dortmund superstar?
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