PITIFUL, WEAK AND WRETCHED
United go down with a whimper as Bowen and Kudus pile on the pain
IT is wholly unfair to hone in on Manchester United’s bursting box of deficiencies on a day West Ham executed their game plan to perfection.
That said, it is what it is. You cannot avoid the unavoidable.
How long can this go on for? How long can United carry on in this shambolic manner? Abysmal. Again.
If you are going to lose — go down fighting. Go down swinging your arms and clenching your fists.
Not like this. Pitiful, weak and wretched.
Whatever the Manchester United way is or what it represents, then this is not it.
A club rich in tradition, iconic across the world, is on its knees.
From tales of George Best, Denis Law, Ryan Giggs and Eric Cantona to this story of utter woe and inadequacy.
Three hundred and eighty one minutes without a goal — more than six hours of football.
It is a painful watch, out of kilter with United’s attacking legacies.
West Ham deserved their victory here. They were well-drilled, wellcoached and had a clear plan.
United were anything but. That is on Erik ten Hag.
Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus did the damage but that only tells half the story.
Because this defeat, United’s 13th of a shambolic season, was largely self-inflicted by a lack of spirit and invention.
With Aston Villa up next, United should be fearing the worst.
Ten Hag may point to mitigating circumstances.
Academy product Willy Kambwala became the 248th graduate of United’s youth set-up, the 19 year-old thrust into the heat of battle amid a central defensive selection crisis that left Ten Hag unable to pick Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof due to varying ailments.
But that would be a feeble excuse. Indeed the teenager looked more than comfortable on his Premier League bow.
That was true for both defences during a first half that will not live long in the memory.
Scrappy, cagey — just downright mundane at times.
There was plenty to admire about the intensity of West Ham’s play during the opening exchanges — but all without an attacking threat.
That was more than could be said for United, who were void of both traits for the opening half hour. Their tempo was slow, their patterns easy to read. It took 33 minutes for United to conjure their first effort on goal, Antony’s tame curling shot from distance easily held by Alphonse Areola.
In fairness to Ten Hag’s team, they improved during the closing stages of the first half.
Alejandro Garnacho squandered their best chance of the game with just Areola to beat before the Hammers goalkeeper nearly gifted Kobbie Mainoo his first senior goal just before the break.
The half’s end raised at least a degree of positivity for Ten Hag — but no more than that.
On a brighter note, Kambwala eased himself nicely into senior football while fellow teenager Mainoo continued to defy logic in the heart of United’s midfield.
West Ham produced the first genuine opportunity after the restart, Andre Onana tipping Bowen’s header over the bar after James Ward-Prowse’s pinpoint corner in the 56th minute.
Ten Hag introduced Marcus Rashford off the bench a minute later, replacing Rasmus Hojland, who is yet to score a Premier League goal since arriving from Atalanta for £72million. There is a player in Hojlund. But being a centre-forward in this team has become a thankless task.
Kurt Zouma denied Garnacho a certain goal with a last-ditch block from Luke Shaw’s menacing cross
to the back post in the 70th minute. Inevitably, Lucas Paqueta was at the heart of West Ham’s dynamite finish, his delicately executed scooped ball into Bowen’s path had United’s defence flummoxed.
Bowen’s initial effort was saved by Onana only for the rebound to cannon back off the West Ham forward and into the back of the net for the England international’s 13th of the season.
Not that anyone in claret and blue cared about the manner of the goal. Moyes was frenzied in euphoria.
Ten Hag, hands in pockets, stood there stunned. It’s an image that has defined United’s season. No answers. Again.
The Hammers’ second arrived 12 minutes from time. It was unjust Mainoo suffered the embarrassment of being the fall guy.
His mistake that led to Kudus’ goal was sloppy, but United’s problems run far deeper than a error from an 18-year-old who had once more acquitted himself excellently. But as soon as Mainoo let Evans’ pass roll under his foot, United were done for.
Of course, it was Paqueta that played the killer pass. Kudus’ finish was unerringly convincing, leaving Evans for dead before firing back across Onana.
The cameras panned to Mainoo, who cut a disconsolate figure. But this latest aberration is not on him. He is United’s future.
United are not lurching from crisis to crisis because of a kid.
That’s on the senior players. That is on Ten Hag.