Playing for 90
Fansided

Five reasons James Rodriguez should snub Manchester United

By Jocelyn Taub

MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 23: James Rodriguez of Real Madrid celebrates as he scores their second goal during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Bernabeu on April 23, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 23: James Rodriguez of Real Madrid celebrates as he scores their second goal during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Bernabeu on April 23, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
Liverpool’s German midfielder Emre Can (C) vies with Manchester United’s English midfielder Michael Carrick, (L) Manchester United’s Italian defender Matteo Darmian (2L) and Manchester United’s Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on January 15, 2017. / AFP / Oli SCARFF / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images)
Liverpool’s German midfielder Emre Can (C) vies with Manchester United’s English midfielder Michael Carrick, (L) Manchester United’s Italian defender Matteo Darmian (2L) and Manchester United’s Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on January 15, 2017. / AFP / Oli SCARFF / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images) /

Park the bus

Under Alex Ferguson Manchester United played exciting attacking football. That is no longer the case.

The Red Devils lead the league in draws with 14. The team’s 52 goals scored is the lowest of any of the top seven teams in the table.

If United do go on to win the Europa League final they will have the lowest goal scoring average of any tournament winner over the past 11 years. In 14 matches Mourinho’s side has scored 31 total goals. That comes out to an average of 2.21 per game.

Mourinho has often been accused of parking the bus. At times it appears that his team has forgotten that the goal of football is to get the ball in the back of the opponent’s net. To be fair, this defensive tactic has taken the Red Devils to the Europa League final. It is, however, boring and uninspiring.

Rodriguez is an attack minded player and United’s current style of play does not fit his own.

Home/Real Madrid