LONDON - Manchester United are a shocking team to watch. Despite the tumultuous and unsatisfying play on Wednesday, United put on some impressive individual performances, which led to three quality goals against the well-drilled Brentford side.
United's 3–1 win had positive results that could have a wider significance going forward: a well-taken Anthony Elanga goal, Marcus Rashford breaking his goal drought, Fred's growing influence in Ralph Rangnick's midfield. , and proof they can win a game without Cristiano Ronaldo scoring. But still, many questions are hovering over this team.
It was a crucial three points for Rangnik, after a stop-start start at Man United in his time in charge. They deployed a 4-3-3 after dropping their favorite 4-2-2-2, but it ended with their squad stopping the fight late at Brentford. The fact that Ivan Tony's goal came from a corner would not escape Rangnik's attention. He will probably attest to the fact that United again failed to trouble Brentford remotely with set pieces of their own.
Next is Ronaldo, who did more to attract attention on the sidelines than on the field. After missing out on their 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday, Ronaldo was replaced after 71 minutes here at Brentford and looked disappointed to say the least. After losing a wrestling match with his coat on, he was spotted by TV cameras on the stairs near the Man United bench, which was immediately thrown to the ground. United celebrated their third goal via Rashford, while Rangnik was seen in intense discussion with Ronaldo about the decision to replace him.
"The only response I got from him was, was he asking me? I had to make a decision in the interest of the team," Rangnik said after the match. "We were in the same position over the weekend - 2-0 up and we didn't want to make the same mistake again. I decided to switch to back five and it was the right decision. Cristiano wasn't happy -- he scored a goal. He is a player and he himself wanted to score, but we needed legs.
"I didn't expect him to hug me after I changed," Ranknick said. "I know how the goalscorers think. I don't have a problem with Cristiano."
It's a bit of a pantomime that Rangnik would love. He would be pleased to see some bite and anger in this United side from his star player, but for their second-half dominance and last three points, it was far from a perfect performance from United.
Pre-match Rangnik asked his team to convert an impressive 70-minute performance against Aston Villa over the weekend into a 90-minute all-court performance at a high level of physical, mental and tactical. Those hopes were a distant memory in the early stages of the match, in which Brentford dominated.
As bad as the first half was for Manchester United, the second half was just as good. Brentford comprehensively outlasted United in the first 45 minutes - creating at least two chances for Mathias Jensen, who was only put out by David de Gea's talent. United scrambled and, when they chased the ball with enthusiasm, they left themselves positionless and Brentford took advantage of it through Brian Mbumo's counter-attacking ability. United held 0-0 at the break, thanks mainly to De Gea - a familiar legend, to be sure.
"I am incredibly proud of the team and the players," said Brentford manager Thomas Frank. "The way we completely destroyed them in the first half was impressive - we had 6 chances, they had zero. It's a miracle they weren't down 2-0 at half-time." De Gea Was the best Man United player ever. Today."
Rangnik apparently agreed with De Gea's assessment, later telling reporters: "We have to be honest, without David and his brilliant defence, it would have been difficult to have a clean sheet at half-time. We all finished second. There were aspects of the game in the first half, sloppy passing, losing in 50/50 situations and we didn't win the second ball in the first half."
But then the second half saw a different, angry beast and a change of style. Man United worked out how to play a transitional game with greater efficiency and it scored three well-rounded goals. He attacked from the middle and targeted the halfway point instead of the bottom. Piercing runs from Fred and Scott McTominay caused Brentford's difficulties, with diagonal balls finding their target, and from that came the opportunity.
"We did a lot better in the second half, we could have scored four or five goals in the end," Rangnik said.
Brentford saw Man United's ominous signs shortly after the break as Ronaldo floated a header into the bar. Then success came after 55 minutes as a clean delivery from Fred was found to Elanga, who drove the ball home in front of Jonas Losal himself. The second goal, seven minutes later, was a wonderful wide move as Ronaldo chested the ball in the direction of Bruno Fernandes, who countered and found Mason Greenwood unmarked to tap home for 2–0.
This made Rangnik's switch to an effective 4-3-3 run in the last five, and that allowed United to hold on to the match and Rashford scored a crucial third goal - after a post effort by Fernandes in the 77th minute. A well taken one. it on a plate. It was Rashford's first in 11 matches and he will hope it will trigger the start of a run-off for England.
There are cracks in United's foundation and unanswered questions. Anthony Martial's immediate future remains uncertain as he cut an isolated man on his bench, an untapped option. Then the set piece causes their trouble: United looked weak from behind, while a run of 113 corners without a goal remains a real issue.
Eric Ramsey, the set piece coach, was seen frantically peering through his iPad in the early stages of the match, analyzing the threat from Brentford's long throws, and analyzing corners. Man United still look extremely vulnerable to counter attacks, and their melee defenses can be easily taken apart.
It was a matter of work done for United, winning a match that could have been out of reach at the break if it hadn't been for De Gea. Rangnik would be pleased with his well-taken, three second-half goals, but it was far from reassuring as we wait for United to emerge capable of putting together a 90-minute performance.