By: Osabuohien Imuetinyanosa
After Man United had suffered too many defeats last season which was their worst season in 51 years last term, the only way is up for Manchester United. Complete with a new 200 million pound ($269 million) strike force, coach Ruben Amorim has the backing of fans to bring about lasting change. No more excuses but a strong return to the top of the table.
From the start, Amorim has always said, given the choice, he would not have taken on the monumental task of awakening English football’s most successful club from its slumber when he did, mid-season.
The Portuguese coach Amorim who took the job last year is now under pressure with a “now or never” ultimatum to awaken his team . To help him the board has given him three new forwards as a boost to wins.
RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko who will soon be confirmed as one of United players this weekend and hopefully will begin on pitch for next week’s season opener against Arsenal by exciting forwards Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, who both have something United attackers of late have lacked – Premier League goalscoring pedigree. The amount spent is shocking meqnwhile, New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe insisted only in March that the club were so low on cash.
The 15th possession of last season, the concession of 54 goals was man united joint-third worst defensive record in Premier League since history.
“The hardest part of last season was to go to the games and know that we are not going to be competitive,” Amorim told reporters on the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.
“Nowadays I’m better, I’m more excited. I also think I learned a lot. We will be a better team. Not just because I truly believe that we can be better, but I truly believe that I will be better at managing this season.
“Now we are in a better place, but we are just beginning. We have to perform. And I really like the pressure. If I have the feeling that before the game we are going to be competitive, we’ll be OK. I just don’t want to return to that feeling that we are thinking it’s not a 50-50 game.”
For the first time in 11 years. Man United will not be competing in any European competition this season.
Mbeumo and Sesko especially had plenty of other clubs reportedly interested in them, but the pull of United, despite being without a league title since 2013, remains.
“From the start, I wanted to join this massive club,” Mbeumo said after signing. “Now I’m here, I’m just really happy. For me, it’s the biggest club in the world. The fans are crazy, the stadium is amazing. Every player wants to play here.”
More new signings are needed across the team for any major improvement this season, however. Skipper Bruno Fernandes labelled the last U.S. tour performance in a 2-2 draw with Everton as “lazy” and unveiling that the club supposedly will do more signings before the transfer window closes by month end.
Amorim’s greatest challenge last season was converting chances to goals, they performed so poorly in their Europa League final loss to Tottenham Hotspur. But changes seem to be the case as United entertaining 4-1 win over Bournemouth, while also beating West Ham to finish unbeaten in their three-match series.
