Manchester United 0-0 Valencia
This is not the Champions League match we were supposed to see.
Manchester United have a lot of exciting players on the roster and one of the best managers in Jose Mourinho. While the tips point to a draw, they should have at least won against Valencia and score goals in the process.
However, what we bore witness to was a farcical draw that showed Manchester United at their worst. The fact that I am appalled at this result is proof of the chaos that is reigning at the once-proud club.
Highlights of the game
There was much riding on the line for Jose Mourinho and Manchester United coming into this match. After all, they just came off an extremely embarrassing loss to West Ham in the Premier League. The way they lost to the Hammers has brought plenty of negative press from pundits, former players, and fans alike.
The already-tense atmosphere surrounding Old Trafford is compounded by the presence of former United greats David Beckham and Ryan Giggs. One would think that the presence of these two club legends would somehow will Mourinho’s squad back to life and get them scoring goals again.
Marcus Rashford did make it seem like they would be able to score for United and break the four-game winless streak United are currently on. His proactive play during the first ten minutes of the game garnered applause from the supportive sections of the stadium.
Marcelino is looking to redeem Los Che after enduring a bitter defeat to Juventus in the first round of the Champions League. SBOBET fans saw Valencia absorb whatever attacking pressure Manchester United gave to them and mounted counter-attacks that ultimately didn’t give David De Gea a hard time.
Michy Batshuayi was a particularly standout player for Valencia during the first half. The Chelsea loanee made his presence felt by attempting cutting passes through the Manchester defence. While United struggle to score goals, what Old Trafford can count on Mourinho’s teams is solid defensive work. The United backline was able to clear any dangerous balls sent to the danger zone.
By the time the 30-minute mark hit for the first half of the game, the game would noticeably slow down and it is visible that the players in red are playing as if they have run for an hour straight. Their feet are planted to the ground. There aren’t any runs being made to support the ballhandler, and the man with the ball would usually have to force something out of the possession.
The half ended without either side even giving De Gea and Neto a hard time. Even the ones watching from their television screens can feel the frustration mounting at Old Trafford, and they were desperately hoping that Mourinho would go on to change something with the team during the half-time break.
However, it seems that the Portuguese boss is adamant on letting everyone experience what an exercise of futility is. The number of dangerous chances stepped up in the second half, but not much has changed between the United side that ended the first half and the United team that started the reset.
Goncalo Guedes and Paul Pogba had dangerous attacks to start the second half, but both ended up with nothing: Guedes’ strike went wide of the right post while Pogba was struck as offside. Pogba almost put United ahead in the 62nd minute with a sublime free-kick, but Neto pushed it away.
Michy Batshuayi, Marcus Rashford, and Romelu Lukaku tried showing off their attacking prowess late in the game, but it was pretty clear even to the most casual of players that no scoring would be made in this game.
By the time the game ended, half of Old Trafford was vacated. Mourinho congratulated a Marcelino that was uncertain with that just happened in those 90 minutes. Rashford, the club’s No 10, is visibly frustrated with the way things are going at United. The fans didn’t hide their disdain of the game and booed everyone on the pitch.
This is not the Manchester United team that we expected Champions League 2018 highlights out of. Fans and pundits will not stop calling out Mourinho and ask the board to sack him after this farce of a match.
After seeing this match, it’s not hard to see why.
Key statistics
Manchester United were simply wasteful on the attacking side of the game. They had 18 shot attempts over 90 minutes, but only four of those were on target. The fact that they only had 52% possession despite having players like Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez on their payroll is a red flag that must be addressed.
Of course, it’s unfair not to credit Valencia’s defensive efforts as another key in this bore of a draw. They did commit six yellow cards throughout the match, but their hard-nosed defensive scheme ensured that they would avoid another collapse and get an all-important point in the Theatre of Dreams. Neto was also impressive with his four saves.
What’s next?
Valencia will be facing Barcelona and Leganes next before they face Young Boys in the Champions League. They have a good shot at getting a point in the league at a minimum. They can also get three points against Young Boys and push Man United to the limit.
The Champions League 2018 odds for Manchester United, meanwhile, have just gotten steeper. And their conquest for Europe is only going to get harder as Cristiano Ronaldo makes his homecoming to Old Trafford in a Juventus shirt. Goals will definitely be scored, and I don’t think United will have any.
However, I wouldn’t be so sure that Mourinho will still be United boss if they lose to Newcastle and Chelsea.
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