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One win, three losses, and an exciting debut. Manchester United’s USA leg of the pre-season tour is now in the rearview mirror as the club returns to Old Trafford to face RC Lens next on August 5.
Over the course of four games, Erik ten Hag will have learned a lot of things about his squad as he famously said that they “don’t play friendlies”.
Here are the five things we learned from a tour which started with a lot of excitement but ended with some questions facing the team-
1- Andre Onana will be transformative for Manchester United
Not many were doubting Onana’s qualities on the ball when he signed, but the instant impact he had on United’s buildup play was still remarkable to see.
He immediately took command of his box and was routinely seen venturing near the halfway line when United dominated possession.
Playing out from the back became exponentially easier as Onana would invite pressure on himself, and then confidently break pressing lines with a progressive pass.
His shot-saving abilities also came to the fore as he knocked back some venomous close-range shots which bodes well for United’s prospects when competitive action resumes.
Onana will end up being United’s cheapest first-teamer signing this summer (Amrabat likely comes in as a backup to Casemiro), but early signs have shown that his impact will be felt most keenly. United are finally transitioning into modern football with the Cameroonian in goal.
2- This season’s Alejandro Garnacho is decided
Ten Hag has repeatedly stressed that he is aware of United’s traditions of bringing youth players into the first-team fold. He managed Garnacho’s expertly last summer and he is set to play a crucial role this year.
This season’s prospect who looks set to enjoy a similar path is Kobbie Mainoo.
The defensive midfielder wowed the fans and the club with his composed play in pre-season. He was arguably in line to start the Premier League maiden fixture as Ten Hag was throwing him at the deep end against elite opposition in pre-season.
An untimely injury will keep him out of action for the first part of the season but expect him to come straight back into the first-team fold upon his return.
3- Harry Maguire is delaying the inevitable
The club rejected a £20 million bid for West Ham United for the former United captain but there has also been a reported reticence from Maguire about leaving United.
The fans believe him to be expendable, the manager likely thinks the same, and this pre-season won’t have done his prospects any good.
His influence at the club has fallen to such a degree that Casemiro and Scott McTominay have been handed the armband over him when he is on the field.
He looks slow and laborious in a team that has been rebuilt into an energetic and proactive outfit by Ten Hag.
The preferred position of the left centre-back is on lock by Lisandro Martinez and even in his absence, Luke Shaw was preferred last season over Maguire.
While there is certainly something praiseworthy in his persistence about succeeding at United, it feels like he has entered a slippery slope of failure and is delaying the inevitable by sticking it out at the club.
4- No 9 glaring hole no more
When United started the pre-season, they had no natural striker in the team. By the time the USA tour finished, they have three.
And by the time the pre-season finishes, they will probably have four when Rasmus Hojlund arrives.
Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford were options last year as well, but the latter is more comfortable out wide while Martial is extremely injury-prone.
Ten Hag got creative this pre-season and has refashioned Jadon Sancho as something of a “False 9” in a fluid front-four system.
The role makes excellent use of his nifty ball-carrying, ability to pick out a pass in close areas, and intuitive finishing. He struggled to start off, but by the time the tour ended, looked increasingly comfortable enough that Ten Hag might turn to this option on occasion to keep the opponent guessing.
That is a certified tactical win for Ten Hag, and a testament to Sancho’s efforts who needs a big season to secure his future at the club.
5- Progress is clear, but perspective is needed
There was huge euphoria when United brushed aside Arsenal in their first game on the USA tour. It was a commanding performance against last year’s title challengers that filled supporters with hope for the season ahead.
It came down to earth after losses to Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. Even the loss to Wrexham was a wake-up call for United’s youngsters about the realities of “Men’s football”.
United were not bad per se in any game and progress is clear to see.
The passing is zippy, there are clear patterns of play in attack, playing out from the back has improved, and United press cohesively out of possession.
However, this squad still lacks the winning intangibles that elite teams who are used to competing at the top have in spades, like Real Madrid or Manchester City.
Arsenal felt this first-hand when City unlocked another gear en route to usurping them for the PL title.
Therefore, the progress must be praised but perspective is needed for the season ahead.
Closing the gap to title challengers along with a trophy and progress in the general level of play should be the aim for the season. A good start to the season, and less unbelievable collapses in big games should be the minimum expectation.
