A legendary football manager once said, “Attack wins you games, but defense wins you titles.” However, without reliable goal scorers, a team will never be in a position to put this theory to the test. One team that has consistently struggled to adhere to this maxim for success is Manchester United.
Drilling down into the details of United’s recurring shortcomings, it becomes clear that they simply don’t score enough goals. Five games into the new season, only three teams have scored fewer goals than United. Their lack of cutting edge was evident in their recent 0-0 draw, where they created 15 chances but failed to take any of them.
The problem lies with their strikers, who are mid-table quality at a club that demands the best. The team’s wasteful finishing is why they’re languishing in 11th position, already losing touch with the leading pack. While each manager shoulders some of the blame, the biggest problem has been poor recruitment and scouting failures.
In the past, United prioritized the recruitment of world-class strikers, which is why they won so many titles. Since then, they’ve signed veterans whose best days were behind them or gambled on youngsters with potential. Even when they’ve produced from within, it hasn’t gone to plan.
The club’s failure to sign a centre-forward at the peak of his powers has been a major issue. They’ve had opportunities to sign top-quality strikers but have failed to take them. As a result, opponents know they can be more adventurous against United because they’re toothless as an attacking force. Unless their strikers start to turn draws into victories, United won’t win enough games for their defenders to come close to winning titles.
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