Gestalt is a psychology term defining a situation as “more than the sum of its parts.”
It’s the perfect terminology to describe a team that over achieves; who play well above the value of their collective talent. Whatever Manchester United are right now, they’re definitely the polar opposite of Gestalt.
Jose Mourinho got off to the best start in club history for a new manager, winning the Community Shield and then his first three Premier League fixtures.
Since then, the wheels have totally come off with United losing their last three across all competitions. The Red Devils looked genuinely disinterested in their Europa League tie; reflecting the comments Mourinho had made pregame.
Yes, United is “too big” a name for the Europa League, and yes, Mourinho, as well as many of his individual players, are quite used to playing in much bigger matches than Europe’s consolation bracket. However, you are always truly whatever your record actually is, and United finished fifth last season.
Hence they’re in the Europa competition whether they believe that they are truly above this or not.
Clearly, they felt they were better than a team than having to fully participate in the midweek clash, and that sense of disinterest seems to have carried over to the weekend, where they suffered a historical loss to the Hornets. What’s wrong with United is obviously not talent; they have as much of that as anybody.
The Red Devils have big brand name players with astronomically high wages. However, they just don’t have clearly defined roles for these galacticos. They don’t play together as a side in cohesion with one another; and hence they are massively underachieving.
They’re like a fantasy football team. It’s a side you would put together if you just wanted as many big names as you could possibly get, without concern as to where you would have to put everybody. It’s basically the Premier League equivalent of the NBA’s New York Knicks.
Looks great on paper, doesn’t work in real life.
–Wayne Rooney appears to have no clearly defined role anymore, and at this point should be dropped altogether. He’s not a striker anymore, and United have better, more fitting options at that position anyway. Wherever he is on the pitch, Rooney never seems to be around the area where he’s actually had most of his success that he’s achieved during his United career.
A lot of the criticism he takes is unwarranted, however a significant part of that criticism is very justified. It’s looking more and more like a move to China or MLS will be in his future, before the team captain hangs ’em up. Rooney is looking closer and closer to being washed up by the week.
–Paul Pogba is still settling in and it shows. He’s not play-making, and he certainly isn’t getting involved enough in the attack either. His first three games at United have been a bust, as he’s earned poor individual match ratings for all of them. That will change; he will get it going.
The most expensive player in history will produce, but he, along with Mourinho, need to figure out where he fits, and soon.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is looking out of sorts too. He’s been scoring the goals, but he’s not getting proper quality service, and often finds himself having to drop back. Anthony Martial was probably United’s best outfield player last season, where has he been? Why isn’t he making much of an impact?
We could go on and on and on and on. United boast a roster filled with big money signings and brand name players, but they’re not working together as a unit. There is nothing “united” about this side, and that won’t change until Mourinho finds a well defined role for everybody on the pitch.
Finger pointing doesn’t help; especially when it’s directed at Luke Shaw who is far from the problem right now. Now is the time for leadership. Someone needs to step up and lead; immediately,
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.