“I want to be champion,” Mourinho’s latest comments in an interview with “?The Sun go a long way to show the intent and ambition of the new Manchester United coach. Seventh, fourth and fifth have been United’s finishing positions in the league the last three years and the Portuguese intends to reclaim the Premier League crown that has eluded Old Trafford since 2013.
To accomplish this, United will have to be more of a dominant force on the pitch. United’s midfield has been experimented with on several occasions over the past three seasons; the opposite to the consistency we saw under Sir Alex. The situation has been dire to the extent that club captain and record goalscorer Wayne Rooney was deployed as a midfielder over the course of the 2015/16 season. United have lacked a rugged enforcer in their ranks for some time now.
A player to sit in front of the back four and protect them as if his life depended on it. A player who can go toe to toe with opposition midfielders and make them dread encounters with him. A player who can push the ball forward from the back with power and aggression. A modern day defensive midfielder who can anticipate and read the intentions of opponents and snuff them out.
At all his previous clubs, Mourinho has had this player in his ranks. Makélélé, Matic, Stankovic and Khedira. Players of this ilk have been important to Mourinho’s course. They provide the solidity and aggression typical of the Portuguese tactician’s sides. These players have thrived under Mourinho and are irreplaceable, they are the backbone upon which Mourinho’s sides are built.
Micheal Carrick has played in that position for some time but at 35, the midfielder is way past his prime. Marouane Fellaini has failed to thrive when played in that position. He will play a role for his new boss but it will not be in defensive midfield. Daley Blind, the versatile Dutchman, can play in that position but he lacks the physicality that Mourinho so craves. Bastian Schweinsteiger is a world class midfielder but he is destined for the exit door after being banished to train with the reserves.
Step forward Morgan Schneiderlin. However the former Southampton midfielder has lost his way. An important part of the Saints’ resurgence, he has endured mixed fortunes since his switch to Manchester. He was used sporadically by Van Gaal and failed to claim a starting spot at United. He fits the bill of a Mourinho enforcer. He is strong, athletic and has a great tackle on him. He can move the ball forward and has a certain flair about him.
Jose Mourinho can revive the Frenchman’s career and Schneiderlin will be crucial in Mourinho’s attempt to obtain the Premier League trophy. He has spoken extensively about how important this season will be in his career and has promised to give his all. Mourinho’s title charge might well depend on how well Schneiderlin shields the United defence.
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