Ralf Rangnick has possibly the toughest job in world football right now — rejuvenating a destroyed Manchester United club. The famed English giant has been struggling mightily since Sir Alex Ferguson left the post in 2013. A parade of coaches came through Manchester since the Scotsman's stint ended. Altogether six managers got the boot, and now the German coach takes over at a pivotal time. To help him do a better job, here are three ways in which Ralf Rangnick can get this Manchester United team going.
Ralf Rangnick adjustments at Manchester United
1. Stop playing Fred
Starting with a fairly simple one, Rangnick should really stop starting Fred in that holding midfield position. It is completely understandable why the Brazillian is playing, due to the lack of quality at that position on the current squad. However, he has been absolutely abysmal and he completely earned most of the dislike coming from the Manchester United fans. He did score an absolute screamer against Crystal Palace to win a game, along with earning the game-winning penalty against Arsenal in the last two games, but that does not overshadow his poor play.
What Rangnick should do is start playing either only Scott McTominay in the holding midfield role, or stick with two defensive midfielders and put Paul Pogba next to the Scottish midfielder. Simply stated, Fred is not good enough to be a stalwart in the lineup for the Red Devils if they want to put up a valiant effort in the Champions League and the EPL. Manchester United really needs stability and consistency in the middle, and Fred does not bring that.
Of course, neither does McTominay, who is also of questionable quality. However, out of the two, it is really Fred who is the issue Manchester United needs to solve. Playing an additional offensive midfielder, like a Donny van der Beek, would do wonders for the attacking talent of the squad, something Rangnick can utilize to the fullest extent.
2. Make better use of offensive talent on the squad
Continuing on, Rangnick could better utilize the plethora of offensive ammunition he has at his disposal. Of course, everyone starts with Cristiano Ronaldo, but there are others on the squad that can be utilized much better. Manchester United can play some incredible offensive football, and that is what the fans pay to see. No two players need better utilization than Jadon Sancho and Donny van der Beek.
It is easy to pin the struggles Sancho has had on him personally. However, former Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer only started him six times in the league. He is a young player with first minutes in a tough league as the EPL is, and he needs playing time. While it is understandable that a player is criticized, a part of the blame is also on Solskjaer for not being more flexible with the youngster. Sancho will be a star, so Rangnick needs to get that quality out of him.
It can definitely be discussed whether Sancho was given enough chance under Solskjaer, but in the case of van der Beek, there is no discussion. The Dutch midfielder was glued to the bench under the Norwegian and got incredibly limited playing time. Under Rangnick, van der Beek could have a new life with Manchester United. He can take the role of Fred, go further up the pitch and show why he was so revered on the Ajax squad that almost reached the final of the Champions League in 2019.
3. Return the team to stability
Manchester United has had some serious embarrassment this season. The game that ultimately cost Solskjaer the job was a 4-1 loss to Watford, a team fighting relegation. They also let in five against Liverpool without a response and lost in the first match of the Champions League to Young Boys, a lowly Swiss team. Overall, the team has had flashes of brilliance, but they were overshadowed by overall play that simply does not suit a European giant such as Man U.
The way that Rangnick can impact this is stability, and this team seriously lacks this. With respect to Solskjaer, it is doubtful whether he had real control over the locker room. That sort of thing comes with experience, and Manchester United was only his third coaching gig after spending time with the Norwegian side Molde and a very brief stint with Cardiff City. Rangnick comes with experience, and lots of it.
Additionally, stability comes from the coach and his interactions with the players. It must have been difficult for some players watching van der Beek, as talented as he is, stuck to the bench. Solskjaer could have handled the situation much better, which comes with experience, so Rangnick should be able to hold the locker room down. That will be key, as it can build a culture inside the club. It is a bit of an abstract term, but culture can be something that the squad leans on when there are rough times. If Rangnick can bring that, the team will naturally play and perform a lot better.
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