‘Missing piece of jigsaw needed’ – Three things learnt from Manchester United’s 2016/17 campaign

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Missing piece of the United jigsaw needed

Part of Manchester United’s underwhelming Premier League season can all be attributed to their failure in front of goal and their tendency to draw too many games to challenge at the top.

Across all 38 games United only managed to score 54 league goals, a final total that ended 31 less than Premier League champions Chelsea, 32 less than Tottenham, the worst record out of teams in the top six by a margin and only four more than Crystal Palace who narrowly avoided relegation.

For an attack that includes the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Wayne Rooney and Marcus Rashford this is a poor return – and it ultimately cost them a place in the top four.

Despite going on a 25-match unbeaten run there was a distinct lack of finishing touch in the final third of the field – particularly against lower opposition – and they simply drew too many matches.

15 of Manchester United’s games this season ended in a stalemate, with ten of these coming at Old Trafford, and despite huge dominance of these matches they just couldn’t force the ball home.

The fact that five of these draws came against bottom half of the table opposition also outlines the big task facing Mourinho ahead of the summer, and there’s an undeniable need for a proven striker.

Step forward Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, who could become the world-class forward that Manchester United are crying out for ahead of next season.

The French international, according to BBC Sport, has outlined that there is a ‘six out of ten’ chance of making the switch to Old Trafford ahead of next season and he could be the man that makes the difference between sixth-place and challenging with Chelsea for the Premier League title next year.

With Ibrahimovic’s future not certain to be extended next year, and with young Rashford unable to carry the goal-scoring burden by himself, Griezmann’s natural instincts would be the perfect match.

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