Arjen Robben is the Cure for What Ails Manchester United
If reports are to be believed, Louis Van Gaal and Manchester United are closing in on signing Arjen Robben in the January transfer window. If this move comes off, he will be the cure for what ails Manchester United at the moment.
The largest problem Manchester United has at the moment is that it is boring. Die hard United fans will point to their standing in the league as proof that their quality of play is fine, but the more objective among us know that’s ridiculous. United is expected to play a certain way. The Red Devils should be playing with a certain panache. Right now the side that’s supposed to be the Rolls Royce of the Premier League is playing more like a Pinto.
Breaking it down further, it’s pretty clear to see that the breakdown in attack comes with the squad’s weak play on the wing. Memphis Depay was brought in to be the answer and he’s been borderline unplayable (and not in a good way) as of late. Anthony Martial should be deployed as a striker to replace the aging Wayne Rooney so he’s not the answer either. This leads to playing Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata together in the attacking midfield which necessitates the third player have outstanding pace.
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Previously, I’ve argued that Jesse Lingard is the right answer to play in that third attacking spot. I still think he can do the job and is the best home-grown option. The potential acquisition of Arjen Robben trumps Lingard by a wide margin. His addition could make the previously awkward pieces of the United attack fit together perfectly.
Robben isn’t a perfect player, but he might be close to perfection for Louis Van Gaal. His chief attribute is being able to stretch the field horizontally for his team. This is just what United lacks. Imagine the difficult choice defenders will have with both Robben and Martial in the same attack. United suddenly would become balanced with two terrific play makers in Mata and Rooney playing alongside two threatening speedsters in Robben and Martial.
Such a combination would be a nightmare for opposing defenses. Robben could contribute by whipping crosses into the box and with his textbook (sometimes unethical) ability to draw fouls in dangerous positions. More importantly, his presence on the wing will allow Rooney and Mata the space they need to create centrally. Neither has been all that effective for Van Gaal this year and this is partly due to the narrow nature of the United attack. Robben’s presence would fix that immediately.
Arjen Robben won’t be a long-term solution for United, but neither is manager Louis Van Gaal. He can, however be an excellent bridge to pass the positional torch to Lingard. You don’t buy a 31-year old player who relies on pace for longevity. You purchase them to help you win immediately. Arjen Robben can do just that for a Manchester United side that’s starving for pace.