Four games into the new Premier League season, Manchester United sit 10th in the table, with inconsistency again at the root of their issues.
The Red Devils finished eighth last season, their lowest finish of the Premier League era, and have won two and lost two of their league games this term.
Victory over Fulham was followed by defeat at Brighton then a horror 3-0 loss at home to Liverpool, before they convincingly triumphed 3-0 at Southampton in their last league outing, then thumped League One Barnsley 7-0 in the Carabao Cup.
Former Manchester United winger Lee Sharpe hopes that they can now continue that good form and banish their tendency to blow hot and cold, even during 90 minutes.
“It’s seemed to have been a carry-on from last season, there seem to be inconsistencies during games – it’s not quite the well-oiled machine that we were hoping for after two seasons in charge from Erik ten Hag,” Sharpe tells FourFourTwo, speaking in association with NewBettingOffers.co.uk.
“He has got some new players and it’s only four games into the season, so it’s still early doors, but there have still been defensive frailties.
"They’re creating a lot of chances, which is very positive and they do look exceptional at times during games in the passing and the movement, but they’ve still not quite been clinical enough, not putting enough chances away, and they’ve still been allowing too many chances to be created against them.
“I think the full-backs are sometimes a little bit ahead of themselves and a little bit too eager to get forward and into midfield.
"I think it catches them a little bit exposed defensively, we saw that against Liverpool when Salah came in at the far post, Mazraoui was nowhere to be seen – I think he’d already got on his bike thinking he was going to go and help the attack.
“As defenders, you’ve got to make sure you’ve got strong possession before you start going forward and running past the ball. There have been individual errors too, giving the ball away in bad areas. In this league you get punished – they got found out against Liverpool.”
Sharpe puts a lot of Manchester United’s inconsistent performances down to inconsistent team selection, by necessity.
“I think a lot has to do with injuries,” he says. “When you’re chopping and changing a team every week, it’s very difficult for players to get into a rhythm.
"Under Sir Alex Ferguson, whenever you came back from a long-term injury, he’d always say you’d need eight to 10 games to find a rhythm and the pace of the game.
“I think they only had the same back four for two or three games on the spin last season, which is very difficult, on an understanding level, and from a tactical point of view. If they can sort the injury list out and get a more regular XI, they’ve got a chance.
"It’s about the new lads fitting into the system and understanding what's asked of them.
"We know the manager wants to press high, we know he wants the full backs to get into midfield and he wants to look forward early, but you’ve got to be very clever as to when you do that. You can’t go too early. Decision-making and consistency is key.
“It’s no secret that successful teams always have a regular back four and a regular goalkeeper.
"We saw it with Arsenal, with their back four with David Seaman, and when we were successful we had a solid back four and an unbelievable goalkeeper in Peter Schmeichel. You need consistency at the back.”
Sharpe is still willing Ten Hag to lead Manchester United back to the top, and thinks one player in particular has sometimes been missed when he’s been absent through injury – for his defensive duties, even though he’s actually an attacking player.
“I hope Ten Hag succeeds,” the 53-year-old says. “I think he’s got a real strong squad of good players now, it’s just about getting them organised, getting everyone knowing what their job is, and quashing the individual errors.
“They’re creating a lot of chances, they tend to look good for half an hour with a high press but then as soon as you’ve got a couple of players out and others haven’t quite got the legs for it, they’re not pressing as well and they’re not as strong in that first third of the game.
"They miss Mason Mount for his legs, energy levels and work rate. You need the whole team to be like that.”
Asked what would represent success for the club this season, Sharpe’s answer is clear.
“I think another trophy, the Europa League would be a good one, and a top four finish,” he says. “Your league position shows whether you are consistent or not – they weren’t last season, that’s why they finished where they did.
“Top four is what they’ve got be aiming for and a trophy, so it’s either going to have to be the Europa League or the FA Cup again.”
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