FourFourTwo UK – September 2019

FFTVERDICT

FourFourTwo Season Preview 2019-20 27

MARCUSRASHFORD

NowfinallyinthecentreofUnited’sforwardline

asanorthodoxstriker,Rashfordhasthetalent

tobeUnited’smainman.Stillonly21,hemust

bemoreclinicalinfrontofgoaltosignificantly

improveuponlastseason’s 10 leaguegoals.

KEY PLAYER

5

TH

VIEW FROM THE STAn DS

MARK GOLDBRIDGE @MARKGOLDBRIDGE/@UNITEDSTANDMUFC

The big talking point among the

fans is Paul Pogba admitting he

wants a new challenge. It’s a blow

but it’s the right time to part ways.

This season will be different to

because it can’t be as chaotic.

Literally any momentum and

progression would be a positive.

Our most underrated player is

Luke Shaw. Many fans still resent

our player of the year.

Look out for Mason Greenwood.

Finishing, control, confidence,

pace – I like Marcus Rashford but

Greenwood has more potential.

The best away ground is

Goodison Park. Atmosphere,

history, and that feeling that it’s

going to be a good away day.

The player I’d happily drive to

another club is Alexis Sanchez.

Maybe not the biggest culprit,

but he brings nothing to the club.

The opponent I secretly admire

is Jurgen Klopp – rebuilt a club in

the fans’ traditions, bought well

and fused it with British talent.

The pantomime villain will be

Phil Jones and his pink boots.

More of a pantomime horse.

The one change I’d make to the

club would be to hire a specialist

director of football. Replacing the

Glazers wouldn’t matter if we’re

wasting money anyway.

The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is

that he couldn’t be more popular,

but will he be afforded patience?

If he left, he should be replaced

by Mauricio Pochettino. He’d be

ours but for Ole’s fantastic spell.

Save the date for October 19:

Liverpool at Old Trafford.

We’ll finish 4th, and it hurts to be

so negative before a ball is kicked.

FIVE-POIn T PLAn

1

PLUG THE LEAKS

It’s essential the Red Devils recruit
a commanding central defender to
fill the gaping hole that has been
at the heart of the their back four since
the departures of Nemanja Vidic and
Rio Ferdinand in the summer of 2014.
Last season, the underwhelming and
error-prone pair of Chris Smalling and
Phil Jones led to United conceding
a club-record 54 Premier League goals.

2

SECURE DE GEA’S FUTURE

United need to rouse David de
Gea out of the uncharacteristic
slump he endured at the end
of last season, during which he made
a succession of errors. The ongoing
saga of whether he signs a new deal
will not have helped his state of mind,
and United need to quickly come to an
agreement with the Spanish stopper.

3

INSPIRE MARTIAL

One of the clauses in Anthony
Martial’s contract states United
have to make an extra payment
to former club Monaco if he wins the
Ballon d’Or. That might seem faintly
ridiculous now, but the winger has the
ability to reach those levels. Solskjaer
must find a way to transform him from
a player that can stroll through games
into a genuinely world-class talent.

4

REBUILD THE MIDFIELD

United must start the campaign
with more than one new signing
in midfield. Ander Herrera has left
for Paris Saint-Germain, Nemanja Matic
is too slow and Paul Pogba is agitating
for a move away. While Fred and Scott
McTominay showed some potential last
term, they are not solutions alone, and
the club need to make bold and, in all
likelihood, costly changes in this area.

5

TRUST IN YOUTH

As a former United reserve team
manager, Solskjaer is committed
to the club’s tradition of giving
young players a chance, but he has to
do it even more this season. Quite aside
from young recruits Daniel James and
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, the fearlessness
and bravado of emerging academy
talents like Mason Greenwood, Tahith
Chong and Angel Gomes could give
United the surge of confident energy
they so urgently require this season.

SEASOn PREVIEW

TheQuadranton

Great Stone Road

is usually friendly

towards away fans.

Otherwise, visiting

fans often go to

Salford Quays and

walk the mile back.

Establishedin 1989

by Andy Mitten (now

FFT’s Editor at Large),

pioneering fanzine

United We Stand

(@UWSmag) mixes

quality writing with

informed opinion.

SirMattBusby

adopted the Red

Devils nickname,

having ‘borrowed’

it from the nearby

Salford Rugby Club.

TryanEcclesCake, a small flaky

pastry filled with currants, sugar

and spice. Maybe with a glass of

Vimto, created in the city in 1908.

GettoManchesterearlyandhit

the NationalFootballMuseum,

a six-floor smorgasbord of the

beautiful game’s best memorabilia.

MATCHDAY PACK

AWAY PUB

SIGn ATURE DISH WHILE YOU’RE HERE...

DID YOU MUST FOLLOW

K nOW...?

AUGUST

11 Chelsea (h)

19 Wolves (a)

24 Crystal Palace (h)

31 Southampton (a)

SEPTEMBER

14 Leicester (h)

22 West Ham (a)

30 Arsenal (h)

OCTOBER

6 Newcastle (a)

19 Liverpool (h)

26 Norwich (a)

NOVEMBER

2 Bournemouth (a)

10 Brighton (h)

23 Sheffield United (a)

DECEMBER

1 Aston Villa (h)

3 Tottenham (h)

7 Man City (a)

14 Everton (h)

21 Watford (a)

26 Newcastle (h)

28 Burnley (a)

JANUARY

1 Arsenal (a)

11 Norwich (h)

18 Liverpool (a)

21 Burnley (h)

FEBRUARY

1 Wolves (h)

8 Chelsea (a)

22 Watford (h)

29 Everton (a)

MARCH

7 Man City (h)

14 Tottenham (a)

21 Sheffield United (h)

APRIL

4 Brighton (a)

11 Bournemouth (h)

18 Aston Villa (a)

25 Southampton (h)

MAY

2 Crystal Palace (a)

9 West Ham (h)

17 Leicester (a)

FIXTURES

A potential tipping point at

Old Trafford. Will it get any

worse before it gets better?