Well, that was certainly a night of football from Manchester United Football Club.
The Reds made their way to the eastern coast of England for their EFL Cup 2nd Round matchup at Grimsby Town, and did very little, if anything, to sway doubts about the current project.
Grimsby Town dominated United in the first half. It wasn’t close, the patterns of play were not developing, and it was frankly embarrassing to watch a Premier League side play so rigidly and out of sync against a League Two side. If ever there was a sign that the system was not succeeding, this match was it, and fans can only hope that Ruben Amorim abandons this hopeless approach that leaves the midfield stranded and the team reliant on booting the ball forward to have any hope of getting the forwards involved.
Charles Vernam opened the scoring for United in the 21st minute, capitalizing on weak defending between Tyler Fredricson and Diogo Dalot at the back post as United scrambled to take shape in defense. Tyrell Warren followed him onto the scoresheet 10 minutes later, converting on a set-piece routine which saw Onana fail to claim a cross.
Like Altay Bayindir in the past two games, Onana and United simply have not defended set pieces at an acceptable level, and it cost them again.
If not for a goal chalked off for offside, Grimsby would have been 3-0 up about an hour into the match, but United seemed to find some sort of gear change to actually sustain possession. More likely it was Grimsby getting tired against a team that was at least conditioned better than them, but certainly United were not playing an inspiring brand of football.
The Reds got one back from Bryan Mbeumo, who hit a weak shot through the crowd and saw it find the far corner as the keeper reacted too late. Then in the dying minutes, Harry Maguire put United level with yet another late goal in cup play.
With that, the sides went to penalties, and United fans got to re-live the terror of the 2021 UEFA Europa League Final. Onana palmed at least three penalties that went in through his hand anyway, but he at least converted his own spot kick. Matheus Cunha missed the fifth spot kick to go to sudden death, and Mbeumo missed his second attempt as the Reds lost 12-11.
I won’t mince words here: this is the most embarrassing defeat in my lifetime following this club. This wasn’t a team that phoned it in; this was a team of Premier League players trying and failing to apply their manager’s system against a League Two side while fans chant, “Sacked in the morning.” It’s unacceptable and the sort of performance that requires action in the wake of the last two matches.
Amorim has to change, or the end is nigh for him and his project.
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