Casemiro has been brilliant for Man United but there is a problem Erik ten Hag must address.
No summer signing has had as much of a positive impact on their new club this season as Casemiro.
Not even Erling Haaland and his freakish ability to stick the ball in the back of the net has been as transformative for a side’s fortunes as Casemiro. Many turned their noses up when Manchester United spent £60million on a player aged 30 but he has already shown he is worth every penny.
Not only has the Brazilian lynchpin done all of what was expected of him at Old Trafford by adding the long-missed defensive resilience and leadership in the middle of the park, but he has even exceeded the loftiest of expectations of a five-time Champions League winner.
Casemiro has transformed United (Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Perhaps he never had to do as much on the ball in Madrid thanks to having two generational talents in Luka Modric and Toni Kroos on either side of him so it wasn’t quite appreciated just how good he is, but Casemiro’s contributions at the opposite end of the pitch have been a delightful surprise.
Whether it’s coming in clutch with important goals, galivanting forward to join in attacks or his excellent use of the ball with a remarkable range of passing, the 31-year-old has revolutionised the way United build up play and attack opponents.
Erik ten Hag has developed a lot of players in his few months in charge to the point where several are now crucial to the team. Losing any of Marcus Rashford, Lisandro Martinez, Bruno Fernandes or Raphael Varane would be a significant blow but none more so than Casemiro.
We’ve already seen it in action. There was mass panic when he picked up a silly 10th booking of the season which ruled him out of the crucial match against Arsenal and though United applied themselves well, they were outplayed and deservedly beaten at the Emirates.
Then Casemiro was unfortunate to pick up a further three-game ban after his peculiar red card against Crystal Palace and United were far from their best in those matches. The winning mentality Ten Hag has instilled helped them to still claim an impressive seven points, but in every one they started poorly and had to fight their way back into the games.
With him back in the side, United defeated La Liga leaders Barcelona in a thrilling Europa League encounter and then comfortably bested Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final, with Casemiro grabbing the opening goal.
He was handed a well-deserved rest for Wednesday’s FA Cup tie against West Ham but United were again well off their high standards without their talisman. Even in a match presumably earmarked as a day off, Ten Hag felt he needed to introduce Casemiro at half-time and United eventually wrestled back control and managed to come from behind to win.
It was yet another galvanising victory that increases the feeling of United becoming a juggernaut once more. Unstoppable. But that’s increasingly only the case when Casemiro is on the pitch.
He’s become so important to the team. Almost too important. Though Scott McTominay has his uses, the drop-off in quality is so stark that United can’t play the same way with him on the pitch. Fred has picked up his game but remains inconsistent as well.
It’s becoming a problem as Ten Hag can’t rest Casemiro as much as he’d like in fear of a slip-up which will only increase the possibility of injury and fatigue as he gets older. It’s a problem that will have to be solved in the summer transfer window.
Whether it be a return to the Frenkie de Jong pursuit, an attempt to convince Jude Bellingham to join or someone not yet on the radar, United need another world-class midfielder to help the one they already have.
This unbelievable United stat proves Ten Hag’s plan is working
Manchester United left it late in their bid to secure a passage to the quarterfinals of the FA Cup on Wednesday, but quickfire goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Fred in injury time helped set up a 3-1 victory for the Red Devils against a sturdy West Ham side at Old Trafford.
The 20-time English Champions have been on a goal-scoring rampage in recent months under new manager Erik ten Hag.
United have a whopping 53 goals in their tally since the disappointing 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa on November 6, outscoring their closest rivals in English football by some distance.
By comparison, their noisy neighbours Manchester City have managed 39 goals, while Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool have scored 30, 24, and 25 respectively in the same time period.
Chelsea, under new manager Graham Potter, have been the worst of the supposed ‘big six’, scoring a paltry six goals.
This impressive feat is a testament to the tactical acumen and attacking prowess of Erik ten Hag, who has managed to transform United into an unstoppable force in the final third.
The Dutchman, who previously managed Ajax, is renowned for his attacking philosophy and seems to have found it a perfect fit with United’s youthful front line.
Ten Hag’s impact on the team has been nothing short of remarkable.
He has managed to get the best out of the likes of Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, and Fred, players who were much maligned for their performances last season.
Rashford in particular has been in scintillating form in recent months, and the fleetfooted Englishman already has 25 goals to his name this term, with a large chunk of the season to go, a massive improvement on the 5 goals he scored in the whole of last season.
The team’s attacking fluency and cohesion has been a joy to watch, with goals coming from all areas of the pitch.
United’s impressive run of form has put them in a strong position in the Premier League, with the team currently sitting in third place, six points behind second placed City, with a game in hand.
Having emerged victorious in their hard fought two-legged affair against Barcelona, the Red Devils are also through to the latter stages of the UEFA Europa League, where they will now face Real Betis in the round of 16.
The future looks bright for United under the guidance of Erik ten Hag, who has already made an incredibly significant impact in an unthinkably short span of time.
If they can maintain their impressive attacking form and continue to keep tight at the back, United could be a force to be reckoned with both domestically and in Europe, sooner rather than later.
£48million playmaker prepared to agree Manchester United move
Manchester United need more firepower up front and once again, the name of Muhammad Kudus is in the lime light.
In the January transfer window, the Red Devils were linked with the Ghanaian international, who netted two goals at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
As per the latest reports going on in the media, Muhammad Kudus is prepared to agree a move to Man United.
According to Football Insider, the 22-year-old playmaker has told his friends that he wants to re-unite with Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
The news source have mentioned that Ten Hag is a huge admirer of the African attacker and Man Utd have even made contact to hire his services. It is stated that the deal could cost £48million.
Kudus is a versatile star, who can effectively play as a right winger, central attacking midfielder and even as an out and out center forward.
This season, so far, the youngster has netted 16 goals in all competitions for the Dutch champions.
The pacy attacker started 5 games in the Champions League group stages this term and directly contributed in 6 goals. He found the net against Rangers, Serie A leaders, Napoli, and six-time European champions, Liverpool.
Manchester United must improve their attack in the summer transfer window. Should they splash £48million to sign Muhammad Kudus?
Source: thepeoplesperson.com;manchestereveningnews.co.uk
