The five key talking points from Manchester United’s 4-0 Champions League victory Club Bruges in Belgium last night.
Rooney retains a predatory instinct
The most important thing, of course, was that Wayne Rooney ended a goal drought that had run to ten games dating back to early April, but as satisfying as his hat-trick against Club Bruges may have been, no less significant was the manner of the goals.
The United captain has looked a yard off the pace for the majority of his team’s opening four matches of the campaign but here he was displaying the instincts, movement, positioning and timing of a natural predator. Memphis Depay deserves special mention for the way in which he fashioned Rooney’s first goal – that disguised, angled pass, oh my – but the turn and dinked finish from the England striker offered a timely reminder of his threat in the penalty area.
Early in the game, Rooney had once again been dropping deep or running the channels which, in itself, would be no bad thing if there had been a team-mate willing to charge into the space he created, but with Adnan Januzaj and others failing to make those runs, there ended up just being a giant hole where one would expect a central attacker to be.
That changed in the second half, with Rooney holding his position and given the attacking support from Depay, Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and, later on, Ashley Young that has not always been evident. As such, the sight of Rooney making runs in behind the defenders and receiving a plentiful supply of through balls was an encouraging sight for supporters.
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Expectations should be tempered
It would be foolhardy to get carried away. Sixth in the Belgian top flight, Bruges were shorn of eight senior players and, pushing on in the pursuit of a goal they almost claimed at the end of the first half, left lots of space to exploit. The mercilessness of United’s assaults deserved praise but it will not always be this easy. United have looked far less comfortable attacking against teams who defend in numbers and the challenge will be too see how they fare against teams who park the bus, let alone those who are superior. Swansea City, against whom United lost twice last season, will provide a different test at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday. Nonetheless, this was a step in the right direction.
Herrera not a holding midfielder
It was no surprise that Ander Herrera looked ring rusty and off the pace during the first half. It was the Spaniard’s first start of the season and, moreover, the midfielder did not look comfortable deployed in a nominal holding position alongside Michael Carrick at the expense of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin, who are more naturally suited to that position.
A poor touch early on saw Herrera concede possession, the first of what was a series of cheap ball losses, and he was also booked for a late challenge, with Van Gaal admitting that he considered withdrawing the player at half-time. It was a good job he didn’t. Januzaj was substituted instead and with Schweinsteiger sent on to play alongside Carrick, Herrera was pushed upfield.
The change was liberating. He set up Rooney for United’s second goal and scored the fourth himself, all the while making the sort of runs on which he thrives. Van Gaal’s decision to play 4-2-3-1 raises questions about where Herrera will fit in. The most logical position is as the most advanced midfielder in a No 10 type role but Van Gaal has favoured Depay and Januzaj there so far and one suspects Marouane Fellaini could even get the nod over Herrera.
It means Herrera once again finds himself on the outside looking in, but he won that battle last season to become an integral figure in United’s midfield and, to many observers, it is baffling that he is not starting regularly. His eight goals last term were commendable and given half a chance in a favoured position last night he scored again. United are better when Herrera plays.
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Januzaj not ready yet to fill No 10 role
It was David Moyes who suggested that, in time, Januzaj’s natural position would be as a central playmaker or even as a striker and Van Gaal seems to share the same sentiments as his predecessor. Januzaj is certainly blessed with bundles of talent, but a well taken goal against Aston Villa and a similarly memorable finish in pre-season against Barcelona aside, the Belgian’s influence has been limited, and while he will need games to develop, the 20-year-old does not yet seem ready to step up to the pressured role of No 10.
There was a moment in the first half when Rooney flicked the ball into the path of Januzaj, who was surging forward. A good touch and he would have been away on the attack but his control was poor and the chance went. It is not an isolated incident. Speak to those around him and they will say he is not short of self-confidence but that conviction has yet to transmit on to the pitch under Van Gaal and at times the player looks in desperate need of the sort of pace that allows Depay to get away from defenders. Out wide under Moyes, Januzaj would glide past opponents but the speed of thought he often demonstrated during that impressive breakthrough season has been in scant evidence over the past year.
Four clean sheets in five does not tell the whole story
One goal conceded in five matches suggests United are doing something right defensively. The arrival of Morgan Schneiderlin – an unused substitute in Belgium – has afforded the back four more protection, Matteo Darmian is a vast improvement on Antonio Valencia or Rafael Da Silva at right back, Luke Shaw looks like he means business and Chris Smalling has picked up where he left off in the final months of last season. Sergio Romero, the Argentina goalkeeper, has also slotted in pretty seamlessly for David De Gea so far and impressed against Bruges. And yet the feeling persists that United’s underbelly is still a lot softer than their defensive record would suggest.
They have yet to play a top class attacking side and the chaotic five minutes at the end of the first half at the Jan Breydel Stadium when Bruges had three opportunities to score was somewhat disconcerting. Twice in quick succession the Belgian side got in behind United’s defence. Daley Blind has done well as a makeshift central defender alongside Smalling but United still require an experienced leader at the back.