Jose Mourinho has claimed that Manchester United need to be more clinical if they are to start winning Premier League games. The manager was speaking after the 1-1 draw with Stoke City, a result that severely hampered their hopes of moving into the top four. The result once again exposed to the mediocre attack for the club especially when it comes to certain games. The result was the eighth draw for United in the league this season. After Manchester City and Liverpool dropped points during the weekend, three points against Stoke City would have been a great outcome for United.
As quoted by M.E.N, Mourinho said:
“A top team has to be much more clinical.
“You have to get the first chance of the match and ‘bang’ 1-0, when you are winning by a goal then the next chance ‘boom’, kill the opponent and we are not doing that enough.
“We did that in a couple of matches but even in the matches that we won, if I remember for example Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace, it is always hard to score goals.”
As it is, the manager is expected to shift his focus towards improving the club’s attack in the hope of bringing clinical finishing to the club. It is thought to be one of the primary reasons behind the club calling off the pursuit of Benfica defender Victor Lindelof. The 22-year-old would have cost the club a massive £38 million, but it now looks like the club are prepared to strengthen the team in an attacking area. It is especially important after the departure of Memphis Depay to Lyon. Even though the Dutch winger featured very rarely in the first team, having an option will certainly help Mourinho in times when the opposition are difficult to break down.
He added: “You create chances and sometimes we are playing so well and creating chances it is not easy to make changes.
“It is easy to make changes when you see players not playing well, when you see a team not playing well.
“I change trying to give a different direction to the game. I do not change because this player is not playing well, or I need to change because he is giving us nothing – not at all.
“Sometimes I prefer to go home with defeat after a bad performance and we got what we deserve. Let’s go home and tomorrow is another day.
“It is more difficult when you feel that things are alright and results are not related to the performances.”
Even though it looks likely that United may wait until the summer in order to strengthen the team, there is a high possibility of some big-money moves being made in order to strengthen the attack. Atletico Madrid superstar Antoine Griezmann is one of the players heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford. Even though the entry of clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City could change the outcome, United are thought to be the favourites right now for the signature of the 25-year-old.
United are the worst team in terms of attack among the top six teams. They have scored 10 goals fewer than Manchester City and a whopping 18 goals less than Liverpool.
After having gone six matches with consecutive wins in the Premier league, United now find themselves with two back-to-back 1-1 results. As a result, they were unable to take advantage of Manchester City and Tottenham drawing each other 2-2 while Liverpool lost against Swansea at home during the weekend.
United will be hoping to recover from this poor form when they take on Hull City in the League Cup semi-final on January 26. The club’s next league match, however, is not until February when they take on Hull City at Old Trafford.
