The goal from Kingsley Coman consigned United to their worst Champions League exit since that game in Lisbon in 2005. A group that was shattered by utterly pathetic crumbles has completely obliterated all the work that was done to finish in the top four last season.
Thrown out the group
When the departure of De Gea was confirmed, the arrival of a new keeper was supposed to bring in a new era. By the end of the Spaniard’s era, as much as he could be able to save us points with some incredible saves, he was losing us as much as he was winning. It even got to the point where he was probably losing us more. This was supposed to be an anchor off our neck yet.
With the purchase of Andre Onana, the invention with the ball at his feet was supposed to take us to the next level. Yet without the players to receive the ball, it has rendered that useless. With his academy roots in La Masia, he has always shown that ability but people simply forget that someone has to receive the ball. United do not have the ball reception in order to get the best ability of what he can do.
Therefore, once that goes, we have been left with a goalkeeper with an unorthodox nature that hinders him so much that it makes an average keeper who has the penchant to have unbelievable gaffes that will cost the team. On the absolute base level of technical goalkeeping, he is of an okay level. His wing span is remarkably small for someone on his size. When he reaches for long strikes, he sometimes does so with two hands that limits his length. You can see that for the Joao Pedro strike in September. His footwork is poor where he is unable to set himself quickly so shots that are gotten off quickly, he is not ready for. You can see that for the Sane goal against us in September. He is able to get done by small movements that strikers do where they can sit him down to put it over him. Awoniyi and Icardi’s goal are testatment to that. He constantly parries the ball into dangerous positions, he hardly ever catches the ball.
In most of the marginal games, Onana has been the difference between us getting. Bayern away and Galatasaray home & away, he was essentially playing for the other team. Sane’s goal, as aforementioned, Ziyech’s two goals, the Casemiro red card, Icardi’s lob, as aforementioned. There is probably not as significant of an anchor as there could possible be. We managed to get rid of De Gea yet we have a new one. One that has just cost us £45m. It might take us just as long to be rid of him and it would take a lot for him to make up for the criminally poor group stage the Cameroonian.
Other Thoughts
It’s unbelievable that a team is able to average 2 goals a game over the group stage and finish bottom of the group. A win and a draw is not enough for the goals we have scored. 36% of our goals have come in the Champions League. Not only that says more about how many goals we let in on the other end (look back up for what was said on Onana), it says a lot for our lack of efficacy in the league in front of goal. We had two injuries in the back line and eventually, Bayern were able to wear us down but it should not have even come to this game. Our attackers today were actually poor. Hojlund struggled as if it were a Premier League game. Garnacho is still finding it difficult to find consistency in his game and Antony, outside of the dribble past Kim Min Jae, he still was not able to do nothing.
It was quite baffling to see the way United would either concede goals back to back, within a few minutes of scoring or just after a half. It is a level of sabotage that is not tantamount to shooting yourself in the foot. It was essentially throwing a grenade at your foot. Back to back and within minutes of scoring at Bayern. Same with Copenhagen. Same with Galatasaray. It has not just been in Europe.
