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Talking Points As Man United Look Much Better Without Rooney, And Have Leicester Found Their Level?

Paul Ring
By Paul Ring
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Jose Mourinho faced the current Champions at the end of a week where he bemoaned football's 'Einsteins' and had to deal once and for all with the problem of Wayne Rooney.

Rooney was banished to the bench, and United were restored to something resembling their best.

The dropping of Wayne Rooney means the rise of Juan Mata?

A picture surfaced before the game of the dropped United captain taking out a bag of balls as the starting eleven buzzed around him. It was a fitting snapshot of the beleaguered England’s captain’s current status.

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United were far from fluid in the opening twenty minutes but after Chris Smalling powered home a header from a corner, a bit of swagger returned. Juan Mata was popping up here and there, Paul Pogba was starting to assert himself and crucially; United looked quicker without Rooney.

A quick corner from Blind found Mata before half-time and the Spaniard whipped a ball across the box for Marcus Rashford to score. It was indicative of the type of quick thinking the Spain international offered United.

Mata has been a curious case at United, literally helicoptered in by David Moyes back in 2013, he’s been searching for a place in the United eleven since. The irony won’t be lost on the part-time blogger if it’s Jose Mourinho who finally restores him to his beloved number 10 role.

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Paul Pogba returns to form

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The common refrain about Paul Pogba from various tactical experts is that he cannot play in a midfield two. Which is nonsense.

Pogba has every attribute needed to flourish in a midfield two. He is not an Andrea Pirlo type controller but his great strength is he can do almost every task needed of a midfielder to a high level.

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Here, after a tentative start, he put on his finest display yet for United. Whether it was popping little passes or making some surging runs, he looked the prototype powerhouse midfielder Jose Mourinho loves.

No Fellaini means a more fluid United

While the dropping of Wayne Rooney was main story before the game, Jose Mourinho’s decision to pair Ander Herrera with Paul Pogba was arguably a bigger factor in the upturn in United’s performance.

Fellaini has as many detractors as fans, he undoubtedly has strengths but he has one glaring weakness and that is his slowness in possession. With him out of the side, United were rapid in possession and their reliance on direct balls was seriously lessened

Leicester find their level

It took an enormous effort and a farcical set of events to crown Leicester champions last season. While Sky Sports were busy selling the fairy-tale, the truth was, it was a damning indictment on the standard of last season’s Premier League that such an ordinary side romped to the title.

Leicester have had their pants pulled down at both Anfield and Old Trafford now and shipped another 4 to Chelsea midweek. Their second half performance was admirable here but a return to the safe confines of mid-table surely awaits.

Untidy second half still leaves cause for concern for Mourinho

It may seem churlish to complain after Jose Mourinho watched his side hit Leicester for four in the first half but the sometime-Special One won’t have enjoyed what he saw in the second half as his side sat off Leicester and veered dangerously close to sloppy at times.

It was a reminder that this first half performance, while full of promise must also be analysed with Leicester’s catastrophic defending in mind.

See Also: Richard Keys' Reaction To Wayne Rooney Being Dropped Shows Gap Between English Media And Fans

 

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