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One area where Manchester United have struggled in this season is the midfield with the team unable to control proceedings due to the manager’s tactical instruction of trying to nick the ball higher up the pitch.
This has left acres of space for the opposition to exploit and they have done so with aplomb this season. Casemiro, who was arguably the player of the season last term, has struggled to replicate the same form this campaign.
The new system does not suit the Brazilian as it asks too much from him with the former Real Madrid superstar having lost a yard of pace and hence has found it difficult to track runners.
When he was playing before his long-term injury, the five-time Champions League winner was focussing too much on the attacking aspect of his game and hence, was unable to shield the defence to the best of his abilities.
Casemiro’s poor second season
The Brazil international’s signing last season was one made after United suffered a terrible start and it almost seemed like a panic buy considering the price paid and the wages offered and the duration of his contract.
New minority stakeholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe has expressed his dismay at the money thrown at the 31-year-old and there have been constant rumours linking Casemiro with an exit either this January or next summer, which is more likely.
United are almost guaranteed to receive less than the £70 million they paid to Real Madrid for the defensive midfielder and considering the enormous wages he is on, this is yet another major gaffe from the Glazers establishment.
INEOS are trying to trim the exorbitant wage bill in order to comply with FFP rules and moving on the Brazil ace will serve as a major step in the right direction.
Former United skipper Gary Neville, while speaking on the Overlap channel, said that the signing was short-term and would never have gone through at a competent club with a well-defined recruitment structure in place.
“I am coming at it from an owner’s perspective. You employ a head of recruitment who you think is the best guy out there at spotting players and talent who will bring value to the club.
“You have a sporting director who will be thinking the same way. Their loyalty is to the club. But also a loyalty to win games, so we are aligned.
“A manager’s job is to purely think about the immediate short-term and getting results for themselves, i.e. Casemiro as an example. Perfect example of a short-term signing that’s going to cost in the long-term.
Strange signing from a United perspective
“That signing should never have gone through a good sporting director, owner or head of recruitment. That should never have gone through that signing, in my opinion.
“That should be vetoed. Bang! He doesn’t fit the long-term. The wages are crazy and the length of the contract is crazy.”
Casemiro is not the player he was in Madrid and his form has also taken a major nosedive as compared to last season.
But considering United’s struggles in his absence, it is clear to see that he still has a major role to play in the remaining games.
Fans will hope he can re-find the same level of consistency he displayed last term before INEOS take a final call on his future.
The British billionaire will hope to put in a proper system in place once his deal gets ratified to ensure such costly gaffes are minimised in the years to come.
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