Having taken only five points from their first four games, Manchester United are off to a lackluster start this season. United, having won just three of their last 16 going back to last season, now find themselves badly in need of a win on the other side of the international break.
They will next host Leicester City, a strong side that surprisingly enters the internationals in third place. United midfielder Juan Mata assessed the state of the season, and rued opportunities lost and points dropped. He also called for more consistency overall.
“We started the season really well against Chelsea at home, winning 4-0 (with a) great second half, I would say and after that, at Wolves we felt we dropped two points,” the Spaniard said to MUTV.
“We lost against Crystal Palace at home which we shouldn’t accept and it shouldn’t happen again, and today another two points dropped.
“We need to find this consistency and try to win and add three points after three points and that’s our main objective.
“I think we are deserving more in almost every game but deserving is not enough: you have to get it.”
He does have a point about the team being more deserving; at least to a point. They have missed two penalty kicks that could have resulted in three more points right there. Their problems are multiple, but converting chances into points is the most pressing issue.
They just can’t seem to finish, and that wastes the possession they have been able to accumulate. United is seriously a better team than how they appear in the results thus far. Juan Mata seems to be saying that as well.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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