Michael Owen: Ten Hag’s Man United Lack An Identity

on December 7, 2023 at 1:50 pm

Here at BoyleSports, we caught up with Michael Owen who gave us his thoughts on Marcus Rashford and the overall situation at Man United.

It has been a chaotic start to the Premier League season for Man United with the club not helped by the form of Marcus Rashford. The England winger has only scored two goals and provided just one assist from his first fourteen league appearances this season.

The former Liverpool, Newcastle and Man United star Owen suggested that the club’s problems were far deeper than just poor recruitment. The former Ballon d’Or winner went as far as to say that the club is struggling with a “lack of identity”.

Owen also gives us his thoughts on Timo Werner, why it didn’t work out for him at Chelsea and whether he would be suited to Man United or Arsenal as he is being linked with a return to the Premier League.

Marcus Rashford’s Recent Struggles

Marcus has had a funny few years. He’s been outstanding at times, yet he’s also had quiet seasons. We thought he’d bounced back last season and got back to his best, but this season isn’t going so well.

I find it hard to pick out individuals. I know we all love doing it but look at the recent history of Manchester United. In the time since Sir Alex left, I’d struggle to name one player who has got to a certain level and improved since then.

We saw Paul Pogba and Angel Di Maria arrive for huge money in the past, and we’re currently seeing similar things happen with Rashford and Mason Mount. I’m struggling to think of one player who has gotten better and better.

I’m not sure if this is trickling down from the ownership, management, or recruitment, but I fail to agree that all of these signings and homegrown players are bad ones.

Manchester United have spent well over £1 billion in the last decade! There’s got to be something deeper than the players just being bad and the club’s solution is to rip it all up and start again.

These are great players, who, if they went to another team, would show their worth. Some United players were great before, and some are great when they leave!

I know the players have better things in them. The problem is that they haven’t been able to showcase it. The club has had some of the best managers over the years, but they can’t seem to get a tune out of the team. It’s weird.

*Ten Hag’s Man United are 4/1 to finish in the top four this season according to the latest Premier League betting odds at BoyleSports.

A Timo Werner To Return To The Premier League?

Timo Werner has a good record, and he scored a lot of goals before he came to the Premier League.

Chelsea’s number nine shirt has been a difficult one to fill for many years now. Didier Drogba was incredible, but the club has tried and failed with some unbelievably big names. Think about how much money they’ve spent and the names they’ve had.

It’s been a hard position to fill, and I wouldn’t just point at Werner, as there were another dozen players who struggled over the last decade.

We’re quite good at tarnishing someone with one brush. Werner has clearly scored a lot of goals, but the big question I’d have is thinking about one player who’d come to Man United and perform really well.

I said the same thing whilst standing on the touchline at Old Trafford a few years ago. I don’t think it’s about the players at the moment. They’ve got to find some way of playing!

If you dressed every Premier League team in different colours, I’d be able to spot the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Brighton, and Brentford from their playing styles, but I couldn’t guess Manchester United’s! I still don’t know what they are. I don’t know if they’re a counter-attacking team or a front-foot one.

I still don’t think they have an identity! Until they get one, I don’t think they can challenge.

Most teams go through changes. Arsenal had 15 years of it and Liverpool went through one just before my time. Man United’s dip has lasted a really long time, and I don’t see them coming out of it unless they find a real identity on the pitch, even if it means getting beat.

I said this before, and Twitter went blue in the face – the worst thing that can happen to Manchester United is going to Man City and winning 1-0 on the counter. Results like that paper over the cracks, but you’re never going to win a league playing exclusively counterattack football.

You need to have some form of control and be brave enough to nail down that style. If it means you get beat 5-0 at the Etihad, then so be it. You can at least make progress from there.

I just don’t see what the future holds for Manchester United in terms of their style of play. That’s been the question for years now. It’s very strange.

Would Timo Werner Be Better Off At Arsenal?

With all due respect, I think that Arsenal need to look at some of the best strikers in the world if they’re serious about truly competing for the Premier League and Champions League.

You need the best three of four strikers in the world to win those games, and I wouldn’t put Timo in that category.