On May 27, 2016, Jose Mourinho was announced the new Man Utd manager effectively replacing his old friend Louis Van Gaal.
And as cameras rolled and hashtags trended, there were silent whispers – or rather fears – of the obvious. Despite his rich resume, which included winning league titles and cups in four countries and the Champions League twice; there was that silent fear that his philosophy did not suit Man Utd or anywhere else in modern football.
While Mourinho’s approach at the beginning of the season was quite promising, with fans chanting his name religiously from the stands, the Portuguese tactician went back to his default settings immediately after the excitement died. It turned out that the engine of his infamous ‘bus’ had not been turned off after all and keys thrown away; it was roaring silently outside Old Trafford, waiting for it’s rightful time to reintroduce itself on the pitch.
And by signing Alexis Sanchez this winter, it became clear that what had been said about Mourinho’s victims; the likes of Mohamed Salah, Juan Cuadrado, Iker Casillas, Kaka, and so many others, was apparently true.
The past few games have proven that the former Chelsea boss did not need Alexis Sanchez – he simply signed him to make a supremacy statement to club rivals. And if he really needed him, he just did not know how to utilize the player’s strengths.
The Chilean has become a pale shadow of his former Arsenal self since arriving in Manchester. At Arsenal, Sanchez would weave his way into mean defenses and score some of the most beautiful goals the world of football had ever seen.
But under Mourinho’s Man Utd, the former Barcelona man has been forced to trek back to the central midfield, hustle for the ball, wrestle through a sea of legs, then feed it to the sluggish Lukaku. By sinking deep to hustle for the ball, Sanchez is no longer a natural winger at Old Trafford; he is actually an attacking midfielder minus the attacking bit.
And then there is the urgency factor – Mourinho’s Man Utd team plays like a group of strangers hurriedly assembled together to honour a testimonial fixture. There is no creativity or communication in that squad.
The former Udinese player looked withdrawn and dejected as United played out to a goalless draw with Sevilla in the Champions League last Wednesday
We all know why Sanchez stood out at Arsenal; their high-paced game and crisp passing perfectly matched his play-style. At the current Man Utd, there is no desire, passion or purpose to win. There is, however, the desire to stay on the pitch for 90 minutes and ensure every single fan, both at home and in the stadium, dozes off with boredom.
It is for the same reason that the 20-time PL champions got rid of Louis Van Gaal, but it now appears that Jose Mourinho’s style wasn’t any different. For the likes of Alexis Sanchez, who was used to a high-pressing and energetic game, his stay at Old Trafford could ruin his career.
Many fans would agree that his best performance for his new club so far was on the piano during his unveiling. And if nothing is done to change Mou’s approach, then we shouldn’t be surprised when the star winger follows the footsteps of Henrikh Mkhitaryan after two seasons in Manchester.
Read the original article on EWF.
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