MAN UNITED COACH Kieran McKenna admits that more business is going to be required in the transfer market if the Red Devils are to get back to where they believe they belong.
A rather humbling fall from grace has been endured at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson headed into retirement back in 2013.
David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho have come and gone in a bid to get United back on track, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the latest to be charged with that task.
Slow progress has been made to his point, but the Fermanagh native is among those who believe that positive steps are being taken in the right direction.
The plan is to speed up that process by splashing the cash once more, with there an acceptance at the Theatre of Dreams that further recruits are needed in order to recapture former glories.
First-team coach McKenna told MUTV in a reflection of 2019 and look ahead to 2020, with the January transfer window about to swing open: “Yeah, there have been some highs and some of the performances have been really top end.
There have been some games and some nights which will go in the history of the top performances and occasions for the club.
“There have also been games where we have been disappointed as a team, where we have not quite hit the level.
“But, I think all in all people in the club can see the direction the club want to go in, the squad want to go in.
We have to push now to be more consistent to hit the level we are capable of on a more regular basis.
“We know we are going to have to grow the squad and develop it.
“We are going to have to bring in players who can help it over the next few years, but the direction and feeling of everyone at the club is that we are all fighting and pushing in the right direction.
“We want to get Manchester United to where it belongs.”
United are back in contention for a top-four finish this season, while progress has also been made to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and last 32 of the Europa League.
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Need world class LB, CB, CM x 2 and CF. 250 million plus if you take an average of 50 million. Also get rid of that Pogba lad.
@Seagoat returns: world class cost more than 50m these days
@Colm Connolly: They’re pretty stacked at CB with Axel coming through, and Williams might save them a fortune at LB if he continues his development, but can’t argue with the rest, although I’d add a specialist number 10 like Maddison as probably the top priority, but depth in midfield and up front is equally key.
@Sean: well said, Williams is the man
@Sean: I’d have top priority as a straightforward no. 9. Someone who’s only job is to stick the ball in the net. Rashford and Martial seem to miss the simpler chances and bury the sensational ones.
@Dave O Keeffe: The problem for United’s forwards is the quality of the chances they get against teams that sit in a low block. Against the top sides, they are able to exploit the space on behind teams that enjoy possession higher up the pitch, but they struggle to find any space in the box against two solid banks of four or five.
A number nine particularly one who is more of an aerial threat would be one option but a number ten is still a vital component in how Solskier wishes to play.
Take Martial for example, he’s excellent as a link man and perhaps is more of a false nine, often this season James has flashed excellent balls across the six yard box and it would seem Martial is at fault for not being there to convert, but in the majority of cases he is the one playing James in around a corner, it would almost be impossible for him to make the run to the six yard box. If a number ten such as Madison would take the creative load they would free up the number nine to convert the chances within the six yard box, Martial’s goal against Colchester is an example of how this should work, unfortunately though Mata doesn’t have the same creative effect in the Premier League as he did against League Two opposition during that move.
That’s some top notch analysis there, maybe keep going with what ye have and see how that goes… Liverpool’s rebuilding job went on for nearly 28 years, don’t see this getting fixed soon. Plus, throwing money at the problem isn’t always the answer. The players with talent at the club need to start pulling their weight and perform for more than 2 games in a row. And yes, get Pogba out sharpish.