From the moment that Arsenal loanee Joel Campbell curled Olympiakos’ second goal into the corner of the Manchester United net, it was clear that the tie was over.
This is a Manchester United side with no spirit, no drive and no competitive edge. Try as I might, I can’t picture The Red Devils turning things around in the second leg. Good performances have been hard to come by this season and the club has been unwilling to trot one out, even on the big occasions.
Players are clearly dissatisfied (Robin Van Persie certainly hasn’t been able to hide his frustration) and you get the feeling that the summer can’t come quick enough.
Signing Juan Mata was a step in the right direction, but it’s now clear that there’s a lot more work to do. There needs to be a sea change at Manchester United if the club’s fortunes are to change. Personnel need to change, mentalities need to change and the structure of the team needs to change.
Let’s focus on the personnel. The Star recently outlined a five man ‘wish list’ for David Moyes when the summer transfer window re-opens. The players included are Southampton’s 18-year-old left-back Luke Shaw, Bayern Munich’s dynamic midfielder Toni Kroos, FC Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala, Sporting Lisbon’s young defensive midfielder William Carvalho and Dortmund’s crocked midfielder, Ilkay Gundogan.
These are all good players who would improve just about any side. In a perfect world David Moyes would sign all of them, but let’s assume that signing two of them would be a more realistic target. Who should he pick?
With Nemanja Vidic on his way out and Rio Ferdinand likely to follow, signing a centre-back is damn near essential. In that regard, Eliaquim Mangala is probably the top priority. The Frenchman is a great prospect who has all the qualities necessary to make it at a big club.
Next, I’d say we need another midfielder to provide a bit of creative support for Juan Mata. Ilkay Gundogan probably fits this billing best. The German ace is confident on the ball, technically good and unafraid to get stuck in.
Assuming he shakes off his injury, I’m sure he’ll attract a lot of attention in the summer with his Borussia Dortmund contract set to expire. Here’s hoping that Manchester United are willing to join the scrap.
What’s your take? Who would you most like to see move to Manchester United in the summer?
Please follow @ThePerfectPass for more football related action!
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.