2. Midfield Resurgence
One thing that really dogged David Moyes’ disastrous tenure at the helm (and even hindered Sir Alex to a degree in his final few seasons) was the mediocrity of Manchester United’s midfield. United’s midfield was often torn to shreds by teams last season, failing to provide adequate cover in front of an aging back four and rarely providing enough creativity to unlock opposing defenses.
Here’s the biggest reason why this year will be different: Juan Mata. Juan Mata was worth every penny when United shelled out £37.1 million for him last January, but Moyes couldn’t really figure out how to incorporate him into the first team. This season, Van Gaal will deploy him in his favored attacking midfielder role in the space behind Van Persie and Rooney. Mata should be a huge difference maker in the final third just, as he was in his first two seasons at Chelsea, where he was twice named the club’s player of the season while tallying 18 goals and 27 assists over that span.
Ander Herrera will also play a pivotal role in United’s midfield renaissance as a deep-lying playmaker. His vision and ability to create a pass were on full display when he had a hand in 5 of United’s 7 goals against the Galaxy. While his overall performance on tour shows that he needs to develop a greater consistency to his game, he brings energy and steel to a midfield that was completely devoid of it last term.
Darren Fletcher looks like the most likely candidate to hold down the defensive midfielder spot next to Herrera this season. Fletcher looks truly fit for the first time since being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2011. He might never return to the form that saw him named to the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for the 2009-2010 season, but he provides a steadying influence and should provide sufficient cover in front of United’s back three.
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