Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and Manchester United are now in a position where they can’t afford to.
Ironically in the summer that Paul Pogba departs from the club, United are finding themselves in an eerily similar position to the one they were in when he re-joined the club in 2016 for a record £89 million fee, with the signing of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong looking closer and closer to materialising.
United made mistakes with Pogba, that is not in doubt, and there are three key lessons from the last six years that United must learn from in order for the Dutch midfielder to succeed at Manchester United, should he sign for the club
1 – Build a defensive structure that covers his weaknesses
One of people’s biggest complaints about Paul Pogba was the defensive side of his game.
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Never naturally being a pivot player, Pogba was often instructed to play in certain styles that he wasn’t adept at defensively both due to poor coaching and structure within the side and weaknesses he had in his own game.
Contrary to popular opinion, Frenkie de Jong is fairly similar to Paul Pogba defensively - if anything, he is an even less active defender than the Frenchman due to the nature of his talent.
Erik ten Hag knows De Jong well, having gotten the best out of him at Ajax, and it is imperative that he builds a defensive system that can cover for the player’s shortcomings in that regard.
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He of course needs to also coax more effort out of the Dutchman, but he is that much of a positive in possession that it is worth accommodating him defensively. For now, playing him with Fred could be an option due to the Brazilian's tenacious defensive style.
2 – He isn’t going to do it all by himself
Within team sports, individual players can often be categorised into either being ‘floor raisers’ or ‘ceiling raisers’. Whilst more of a basketball term, the concept often applies to football too.
The former, ‘floor raisers’, are players that thrive when they’re the main man in a system that is designed around them, where everything can go through them offensively, and take that side up a level in terms of performance ability.
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The latter, ‘ceiling raisers’, are players who slot into a good, well-functioning team and raise the side’s levels even further with their quality. Whilst players can be both, and that is what makes the true greatest players, De Jong is much more a ceiling raiser than a floor raiser, and the same for Paul Pogba.
United’s floor is not yet high enough that De Jong’s true impact will be seen right away - he will be good but it will likely take a little time for Ten Hag to build a team in which he truly thrives.
It is important that fans temper their expectations.
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Frenkie de Jong, despite being a phenomenal talent, is not the type of player who waltzes into a starting XI and dominates every minute of every game - he will be the type of player that is the difference in making a good team a great team.
3 – Support him through the tough times as well as the good ones
Pogba had a complicated relationship with United fans at times. Many scapegoated him for the club’s larger external issues, often because of his price tag and how often his name was used for marketing purposes. However, on multiple occasions, this blame turned into targeting campaigns, with the player famously being labelled as a “virus” at the club. At Manchester United, Pogba is not the only footballer to face this form of criticism from fans, with Harry Maguire also being a player where blame is often attributed.
If a club wants a footballer to thrive, they have to create an environment in which said player’s best comes out. This is not just an on-the-pitch thing – fans are part of this too.
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Footballers want to feel loved and appreciated by their fanbase, and De Jong isn’t any different.
At Ajax, where we saw his best football, the connection between the club and fans is one of the world’s strongest. United fans need to get behind the Dutchman if he joins the club.
This isn’t to say that he shouldn’t be criticised – it’s about making sure that criticism doesn’t transform into blind hated. Frenkie de Jong is a top football player, and should he join the club, how United fans treat him will make a difference. Get behind him; but don’t get on his back.
Topics: Manchester United, Frenkie De Jong, Erik Ten Hag, Paul Pogba
Yusuf Haq