Manchester United were unable to find a winner against Southampton on Saturday evening drawing the match 2-2 and manager Jose Mourinho seemed to portion the blame on one player in particular.
Both sides were scrapping for points, both managers desperate for a win. However, neither side started the match as if they needed it. There was a distinct lack of urgency in both teams opening 10 minutes.
However, Southampton moved up into second gear quickest as Nathan Redmond wriggled his way through United’s low block. He passed to Michael Obafemi, who shifted the ball further on to Stuart Armstrong. The former Celtic man needed no invitation to shoot lashing the ball across David De Gea.
Cedric Soares stood over the ball with Nathan Redmond, but it was the Portuguese right-back who hit it, dipping and curling away from De Gea and into the top corner of the net.
Jose Mourinho’s men could not get out. They struggled to play any passes forward, through the lines and into the final third. This was partly due to the lack of movement from Romelu Lukaku up top, but also the turgid tempo the midfielders were knocking the ball about, not brave enough to feed the runs of Rashford.
United got back into the game through their liveliest player though, Rashford battled hard to regain possession before poking the ball through to Lukaku who scored his first goal since the 15th of September.
Rashford was involved once again to draw Mourinho’s men level six minutes later, turning and twisting, getting to the byline and pulling it back for Ander Herrera who flicked past Alex McCarthy in the Saints net.
Pundits and fans alike were expecting United to come roaring back at Southampton after the break but it wasn’t to be. Another dull half dwindled by without any concrete threat posed to the home side. The match finished 2-2.
What Jose Mourinho said after the game?
Mourinho was keen to stress after the game why he felt his side couldn’t impose themselves more in the match, suggesting his midfield were not listening to him and playing the simple pass.
Responding to Des Kelley’s questions, Mourinho seemed to hone in on one player in particular during the post-match interview. Paul Pogba.
Pogba had the ball in the final third and instead of choosing to play the simple pass of Anthony Martial or Luke Shaw, Pogba held onto the ball too long and was dispossessed. Mourinho reacting by stomping his feet and flinging himself back into his seat, gestating that Pogba should be moving the ball around a lot quicker.
This frustration seemed to be confirmed in his post-match interview with BT Sport.
"“We lost so many balls in midfield, we lost so many balls in our transition to the last third it was difficult to have that continuity.“We did so well in the last 15, 20 minutes of the first half, which was to connect to the attacking players by transporting the ball, leaving the ball in the right moment, the right choice of pass, playing simple, accelerate the game. (But) In the second half, we went back again to that dynamic where we lose too many balls.“And when the players don’t understand that simplicity is genius especially in some areas of the pitch, they keep and keep and keep going to complicated football it’s difficult to have that continuity.” [BT Sport]"
Whether Mourinho will keep Pogba in the team ahead of the next match is yet to be seen. Can the Frenchman be trusted to be disciplined enough with and without the ball in a big game such as Arsenal?
Mourinho also seemed to question a number of players passion and commitment claiming he doesn’t have any “mad dogs” in his side snapping at the opponent’s heels.
One thing for sure is Mourinho is not short of midfield options in the centre of the park though. Nemanja Matic, Scott McTominay, Marouane Fellaini, Ander Herrera and Pogba himself all played against Southampton. Perhaps if a couple centre halves regain fitness ahead of the visit of the Gunners, Mourinho may be tempted to drop United’s number six.