No Need For Panic At Old Trafford Just Yet

There has been a lot of talk this week about a potential crisis at Manchester United, which might seem a bit ridiculous considering only 5 league matches have been played so far. There has also already been speculation about reinforcements come January, with Arturo Vidal seemingly linked.

But the Red Devils haven’t got off to a good start. United have just managed one league win so far this season which was against QPR last week. Mk Dons humiliated them 4-0 in the Capital One Cup Second Round, last month. They are currently 12th after 5 games following a shock 5-3 defeat away to Leicester, in which they led 3-1.

Despite spending over £150 million in the summer, Van Gaal is finding life in English football tough going. But with new signings such as Di Maria, Rojo, Falcao, Herrera, Blind and Shaw still finding their feet in the Premier League there is certainly no need to push the panic button just yet.

It’s fairly obvious that what they need is time. The new signings above mentioned have barely played between them. United’s defence has looked very shaky so far but once Rojo shows signs of his World Cup exploits and Luke Shaw finally becomes a regular, then the defence suddenly looks more solid.

There is no questioning Man Utd’s frontline. The trio of Falcao, Van Persie and Rooney are arguably the best strike force in European football, let alone the Premier League. The only problem is how they all get in the side.

The likely scenario is that Van Persie and Falcao play upfront with Rooney just behind as they did against Leicester. Then with the world-class ability of Di Maria and workmanship of Daley Blind, their midfield now is packed with quality.

It is true that Van Gaal should have added another centre back in the summer but they still have options. Rojo needs time but has the potential to be a quality centre back that can also play on the left. When Luke Shaw becomes match fit then he will be a sure starter at left back and he has the ability to be there for many years to come.

 Then there is Daley Blind. Although he is predominantly a defensive midfielder he can also play on either the left or right side of defence, which is the sort of versatility that can be a real asset for Manchester United.

So although Man Utd have had a tough start to the season, there is still plenty of hope that they will be challenging again soon. With the amount of potentially world-class talent in the squad, United will still be looking for a top 4 finish come May.