Manchester United must gain "Control" in this area to challenge for silverware

Manchester United have an expensive squad, but their orchestra is disjointed without a midfield conductor.

“Control” is a word you will hear most managers say while discussing football in their press conferences. Ralf Rangnick, the interim manager of Manchester United, is no different. Since his appointment in November last year, he has highlighted the fact that he wants his team to control the game in every press conference and interview. The German doesn’t like his team being in an end-to-end, frenzied game of football. He wants the Red Devils to rather slowly build their attack and dictate play.

Unfortunately for Rangnick, his Manchester United team are lacking control in most games. This is evident in their scorelines and games, where Manchester United are playing in moments or halves. Teams are finding it easy to score against Manchester United following which their attacking play is in the sixes and sevens to get that all-elusive equalizer. The players seem devoid of a calm head, causing their attack to be disjointed which results in precious points being dropped.

Manchester United have multiple issues on the pitch

Multiple reasons have contributed to this factor. Manchester United’s major talking point in their matches against Middlesbrough, Burnley and Southampton was the fact they could not finish their chances and kill the game off. Out of an xG (likelihood of scoring) of 8.8 they scored just three goals, allowing the opposition to always have a chance to come back into the match.

Many of their players across positions are undergoing drastic dips in form, including their captain and world’s costliest central defender Harry Maguire. Off-field issues are constantly hampering the squad. To top it off, the glaring issue is the lack of a midfield leader and a conductor to dictate the passage of play in the midfield. It's a player that is needed so that the team remains in control of the game and does not chase after it.

Central Midfielders: Non-glamorous, yet crucial

Busquets was the unsung hero of the famous Barcelona midfiield of Pep

When we talk about the finest midfield conductors in modern football, the first name that comes to mind is Sergio Busquets of Barcelona. A key member of Pep’s all conquering Barcelona side, he was the lynchpin who still remains one of the first names on the Barcelona teamsheet every week. Real Madrid’s dream team which three-peated Champions League glory, had their midfield metronome Toni Kroos to thank for. Hansi Flick’s Bayern Munich had Thiago Alcantara pulling the strings from the middle of the park which won them the European crown in 2020.

Chelsea's Jorginho had a crucial role to play in their Champions League win

The Premier League also has the best in class when it comes to central midfielders. Manchester City have Rodri and Fernandinho. Chelsea have Jorginho and, to some extent, Kovacic. Liverpool have Fabinho, Thiago and Henderson.

While Chelsea’s Jorginho may divide their fanbase, his ability to control and dictate the flow of the game while making tackles and interceptions for his team makes him invaluable. His short sideways passes continuously allow Chelsea to safely maintain possession in games and force the opposition team to retreat. Pep wanted him as Fernandinho’s successor at City. Jose Mourinho was all praise for him in a Football London report last year and Mancini has him as the lynchpin of his Italian national team.

Rodri and Fernandinho are critical to City’s quick switches of play, recycling possession and are always ready for their share of tactical fouls, snuffing out the danger before it can do any damage.

Fabinho is the unsung hero of Klopp’s Liverpool juggernaut, breaking up counter attacks and covering for their rampaging fullbacks. His partnership with Thiago has reaped dividends this season as Thiago’s press resistance and passing capabilities have been immense in quick passes of the ball for their front players.

Apart from their tactical output, these players are constantly speaking to their teammates. They direct them, making sure they are in the right position to receive a pass or to intercept in case of a turnover, thereby controlling the game.

Manchester United's poor recruitment policy for this position

Paul Scholes

The fact that Manchester United have never tried to sign a proper defensive midfielder since Michael Carrick left is a sign of their subpar recruitment policy for this position. In the glory days, the Red Devils boasted of top central midfielders like Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick amongst others. These players were known for their leadership in the middle of the park, bossing games and controlling play.

Jose Mourinho bought in an aging Nemanja Matic from Chelsea to tackle the issue in the short term, whose ball interception qualities suited Mourinho’s pragmatic tactics.

Pogba and Matic were Mourinho's choice in a double pivot

Mourinho had hoped to combine Matic and Pogba as two holding midfielders in a similar mold to what he achieved at Chelsea by putting Fabregas and Matic together. Matic acted as a destroyer and Fabregas used his passing skills to pick the passes for the forward players. This tactic worked to a certain extent for the Red Devils. Manchester United won the League Cup and the Europa League and finished second in the Premier League during his tenure at the club.

Ole Gunner Solskjaer mostly depended upon the combined partnership of the two hard-working midfielders in Fred and Scott McTominay to support his low block. Their job was to win the ball back and shield the central defenders. However, there was a definite lack of creativity in their play with this setup, which was criticized by most of the fanbase.

Whenever one of them has been asked to play as the lone no.6 at the base of the midfield to accommodate the more attacking players, the result has been a disaster. This highlights the fact that they simply do not have the skillset to play that role. Ralf Rangnick quickly realized this into his short tenure. Most of the games under him have been on the back of a 'McFred' double pivot. Paul Pogba has recently been in contention after returning from injury.

Upcoming transfer window is critical for Manchester United.

Manchester United’s current crop of central midfield players includes Matic, Pogba, Fred and McTominay. Donny van de Beek is scheduled to return in the summer back from his loan at Everton. Both Matic and Pogba have their contracts expiring in the summer. The Red Devils should go all out to acquire a top midfield general who can bring back long-coveted control and dominance to their midfield.

Given the rumors as per MEN, Declan Rice is their topmost priority. However, the move will be tough and expensive to pull off, with interest from multiple Premier League clubs and West Ham unwilling to sell. However, Marseille's Boubacar Kamara's contract will expire in the summer and could be a viable option for the middle of the park.

Amadou Haidara, who played under Ralf Rangnick at RB Leipzig, is understood to have a £33 million release clause. Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco is another exciting youngster who is gathering interest from multiple clubs, including Chelsea. Ruben Neves from Wolves could also be a potential target having impressed under both Nuno and Bruno Lage at Wolves.