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24 games, 13 losses, 11 wins. Four games without a goal scored. Rasmus Hojlund is yet to score a Premier League goal. Antony is as bad as ever. Alejandro Garnacho can score bicycle kicks but not simple finishes.
And those facts are not all-encompassing.
Manchester United’s attacking struggles reached anaemic levels against West Ham United as they fell to a limp 2-0 defeat.
After their performances against Bayern and Liverpool were termed “heroic” defensively, sweeping their attack under the rug, it got exposed against the Hammers.
The one stat that summed up the shameful state of their attack is that Jarrod Bowen had more goals than the entire United starting XI combined.
It’s fair to say that it is beyond a crisis now.
Unlike in defence, which is holding the fort appreciably despite a barrage of injuries forcing Willy Kambwala into action, the attack is not missing much.
Except for Jadon Sancho’s self-imposed exile, every attacker is available.
Therefore, when the result is this lethargic performance devoid of creativity, the excuse of injury no longer flies.
Erik ten Hag is stuck in a vicious cycle where his solutions create problems he meant to solve, perhaps personified by the continued presence of Scott McTominay.
In the absence of any chance creation or ball retention from midfield, the forwards are starved, and have already forgotten how to manufacture chances for themselves.
The mentality is clearly a problem too. The likes of Garnacho and Rashford have fallen off a cliff since signing their respective new contracts.
It is hard to judge a forward’s talent in this team devoid of ideas and in the absence of injuries, this is an attacking crisis for which Ten Hag will have to answer soon.
Maybe with his job, if things don’t improve immediately.
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