Early on, the Jose Mourinho era at Manchester United has been one of polarities. Mourinho won his first three league games, then achieved just six points from the next seven Premier League matches. Through the first 11 league games, the Portugese had accumulated the lowest number of points in club history.
Even less than the disastrous David Moyes. However, Mourinho and the team have certainly righted the ship since then. On October 23rd, United lost 4-0 to Chelsea; since then now undefeated (nine wins, eight draws) in their last 17 Premier League games. In their last 33, across all competitions, they have suffered just three losses.
The legendary Sir Alex Ferguson was the last United Manager to have such long undefeated stretches.
Despite such long periods with so few defeats and so much winning. United are only in the fifth place, and a long ways off from ever being in league title contention. Why? Just way too many draws for the Red Devils.
Ferguson gave an interview to SiriusXM FC today, and his quotes as reported by the Daily Telegraph read: “I get on well with Jose and think he’s doing a really good job. He’s been a bit unlucky actually because there are home games this season they’ve been absolutely brilliant in but have drawn them.
“If they’d got those wins they deserved they’d be challenging for the league, there’s no doubt about that.”
While top four will indeed be a struggle, and a title won’t be happening, at least Mourinho has silverware already- having beaten Southampton for the EFL Cup.
Sir Alex Ferguson added: “Winning a trophy at United is the most important thing,” he said. “That’s what the club’s history is about — winning trophies.
“I looked upon the League Cup as the manager [Mourinho] does: this is an important trophy. I was fortunate to win it four times. It doesn’t matter what the trophy is, if you get to a final you want to win it.”
Fergie’s comments are quite similar to what he had to say about the club in January. Back then he also spotlighted the club’s misfortune.
“I think he has done a great job,” Sir Alex said of Mourinho in a widely quoted and excerpted interview with the BBC.
“The team is playing really well and he has been very unlucky. He has had six 1-1 draws and in every game he has battered the opposition.”
“If they hadn’t had all these draws, they would be there challenging Chelsea. That is the unfortunate part but he is going to have to live with that.”
I would have to respectfully disagree with Sir Alex Ferguson in his assessment of the club. At this point, United are right where they deserve to be. They’ve had some bad breaks yes, but they’ve had a ton of good fortune shine down upon them too. At this point, it’s been pretty much a wash. Mourinho himself said the team needs to be more clinical. They need to finish better and the manager knows that.
Mourinho and United need to start getting three points in all those matches where they’re getting the single.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and NBC Chicago.com, contributes to Chicago Tribune.com, Bold, WGN CLTV and KOZN.
Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Sound Cloud, LinkedIn and YouTube