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Maybe it’s just easier to get it out of the way early in the weekend. The Saturday lunchtime Manchester United kick-off against Chelsea is either going to massively increase my footballing gloom with another disaster or give me a rather unexpected boost. Will Michael Carrick’s under-performing bunch suddenly run like maniacs, throw off the shackles and take the Blues to the sword with a clinical display of attacking prowess?
No, I have not been drinking. But maybe I should be! I think the best any United fan can hope for is a battling, dogged display that somehow gets a result. A draw would be achievable but a win is probably a rather foolish dream.
The biggest United problem at the moment, and there are a catalogue of them, is the lack of any firepower up front.
How can the best supported club in the world not have an out-and-out striker available? Benjamin Sesko’s dodgy shins have failed him and he won’t be seen on the pitch before the New Year.
Joshua Zirkzee may be decent on the ball but does not have the pace to trouble any defence. Sorry, Joshua but you are just not good enough for United. That was a real bad buy.
So surely there must be someone in the ranks who can run with pace up front, hold the ball up now and again and bang it in the net? Er no, it seems.
One thing I don’t want to see at Stamford Bridge is Bruno Fernandes playing as a striker.
Yes, he has had a shocker so far this season but he is still our best player and needs to be playing just behind a target man which looks like it may have to be Matheus Cunha or Bryan Mbeumo.
It is good that Bruno and the manager have had clear-the-air talks this week after the former’s criticism of tactics. To have any chance of succeeding, United need him playing and playing well.
Amad Diallo has also had a shocker since his injury return and should be benched so that Shea Lacey can finally get his chance.
United’s midfield is boosted by the return of Kobbie Mainoo, and I expect Carrick to pack that area as he did against Leeds, with Baleba and Santos providing the wall.
The honest truth is that you just don’t know what to expect from this dispirited United side but if Carrick cannot get a performance out of them against Chelsea then the delayed writing will have to be on the wall for him.
The one essential requirement is that the players run their socks off for their club, manager and fans.
They need to be strong and give us supporters something to shout about. We should start by passing the ball to each other and heading towards the opposition goal…
Playing away from home may be a benefit too. United have been shocking at trying to dictate games at home and folded under Bournemouth’s press at Old Trafford.
Maybe not having as much of the ball, sitting in a low block and hitting Chelsea on the break is the way to go.
Of course fans want to see United control and dominate games at home and away like they used to, but for now all that matters is results.
So keep things tight, break quickly when you get the chance and be clinical in front of goal. That is what Bournemouth did to United.
And please play for your manager. He really is doing his best for you in trying financial circumstances.
All true club fans really want him to succeed. There is no one better placed to know the club and what is required to get us back to the top.
So come on United, please cheer me up at lunchtime and, more importantly, give your boss a big break.
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