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Last week was a nightmare for Manchester United and their supporters. The team was schooled at Camp Nou on Tuesday night, and humiliated by Everton on Sunday afternoon.
The upcoming fixtures look even more bleak, as they face Manchester City and Chelsea respectively in their next two league games.
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The players at United are under-performing, and even look casual at times. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the United manager, has changed his tone while addressing the media in recent times. The Norwegian seems unconvinced by the standards set by his players.
Solskjaer has referred to the phrase 'survival of the fittest' to convey that the players need to raise their standards, or else be left behind. He seems ready to remodel the squad in his mould.
A significant paradigm shift is imminent in United's hierarchy as part of the manager's 'rebuilding'. And Solskjaer would do well to envisage this job based on the three aspects mentioned below.
#3 Taking bold decisions in the summer window
Solskjaer pulled no punches after his crew's deplorable performance against The Toffees. The 46-year old, when asked about his players' attitude, responded by saying: "I don't know, I don't know."
"You've got to ask them, I've asked them. You're not going to get the answer from me. But if you want to play at this club it has to mean more."
The upcoming few months for Man United are very crucial, as the management needs to analyse the current lot and plan meticulously over the probable departures and potential incomings. The United squad has stagnated in the past few transfer windows, while their rivals have evolved their crop of players.
The squad's 'Deadwood', comprising of the members unable to operate at the required standards, should be shipped out of the group. The red side of Manchester cannot afford another season carrying average players and falling behind their competitors even more.
Luring world-class talents will help abolish mediocrity from the squad. The transfer targets should fit into the system Solskjaer wants to deploy. A smart transfer window with optimum sales and arrivals will improve the squad balance considerably.
The management team should ensure that big players get rid of their complacent attitude and start providing results for the team. They should not hesitate in selling any player not committed to the common goal.
Paul Pogba looks distracted amid talks of Real Madrid's interest in him. It won't be a surprise if the French midfielder decides to move on from Old Trafford this season.
The midfielder's move would be beneficial for all the parties, as the high fee could help United in their rebuilding job and Pogba will get his dream transfer.
#2 Resolving the contract issues
Manchester United are struggling to tie their stars to a new contract. The negotiations are stalled because of high wage demands from the players; Ander Herrera and Juan Mata and several others have postponed the agreement talks.
Alexis Sanchez agreed a weekly wage of £400,000 and bonuses worth £75,000 when he arrived at United, making him Premier League's highest paid player. Ed Woodward, chief executive of the club, is regretting the decision to pay such a ridiculous amount for the Chilean, which has botched up the wage system.
Tying down the players to lucrative deals is taking its toll on the financial structure of United. All the players due for renewal are demanding higher wages. Such a distorted wage structure has allowed players to veto the salary offered to them.
Addition of performance-metered clauses in the contracts of players, such as finishing in top-four or having a Cup run, could prove to be a decent step forward. These targets should be completed in order to earn a full salary and lucrative bonuses.
Split fee system will provide an extra incentive to the players and abolish the complacency prevalent within the squad.
The management should also analyse the players they are offering the contracts. Recently, Phil Jones signed a four-year extension. That was not a smart decision, given his inconsistent performances and record of injuries.
Similarly, Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo signed new agreements last season.
Solskjaer and the board members should tighten up their methods of choosing the right players to take this club forward. Some bold decisions should be made in order to build a world-class squad.
#1 A solid pre-season
Fitness is the prime reason for United's struggles this season. The players have looked out of pace, being outrun and outfought by most of their opponents. During the 4-0 loss at Goodison Park, the Everton players ran 8 km more than the United team.
The lack of robustness has deprived the team of intensity and work-rate at times. Since Solskjaer arrived at Old Trafford, he has demanded sound work-ethic and diligence from his team.
The United manager was asked about his side's fitness issues after the loss at Everton, and he responded by saying:
"Of course, we know our fitness is nowhere near good enough. I’ve said it before, I can’t wait to get a pre-season done."
“I want them to be the hardest working team. That’s what we were, under Sir Alex. You ran more than anyone every single week, a shift up and down that pitch for your teammates, and we have to stick together as a team."
During the vacant week in January, the Old Trafford outfit had warm weather training in Dubai to regain some physical fitness. It proved to be a right decision as United covered up lost ground in the league, and some excellent results in FA Cup and Champions League followed.
The preparations before this season were chaotic because the players reported late due to the World Cup. Despite a good fitness regime in Dubai, the players have lost their steam due to the non-existent early season practice.
The lack of fitness in Solskjaer's group has been targeted by the opposition players. They have elicited basic errors from the United side by using their intensity and pressing them in crucial areas.
Manchester United have announced their pre-season schedule, where they are traveling to Singapore, China and Australia; the run commences on 13th July. The manager and his team would need to work hard on fitness and tactics if they want to kick-start their campaign next season on a bright note.
