Ole has been proved right with his loan move for Iggy
THEY were replaying the famous Germany versus Brazil World Cup semi-final from 2014 online on Sunday afternoon, and some of the notes on the live blog accompanying the footage had more than a hint of irony to them.
“Brazil have started well,” the scribe smirked. “Germany haven’t had a kick so far,” they added after 10 minutes. All very knowing, of course, given Brazili’s subsequent capitulation and the 7-1 scoreline that would later send shockwaves throughout the football world.
Plenty had predicted a Brazil win beforehand of course, but watching with the benefit of hindsight is a very different thing.
The message from all of this? That making predictions in football can leave you looking very foolish.
It was apt that this game was being shown on Sunday afternoon, as the situation with Odion Ighalo’s future at United took another twist.
Having initially been due to expire on Sunday, Ighalo’s agent broke his silence, revealing an agreement was ‘close’ for the Reds to keep the on-loan Shanghai Shenhua striker until January. Another surprise from the camp of a striker who quickly raised eyebrows in the space of eight appearances for United.
Ighalo didn’t quite produce Germany levels of shock with his performances for the Reds after signing four months ago, but he made a few predictors look a bit silly.
United were widely derided by rival supporters for the acquisition of a player who’d fallen out of favour at Watford three years earlier. Even some of their own fans were disappointed by the loan signing. Words like ‘panic’ and ‘desperation’ were thrown around.
Never judge a book by its cover. It’s hard to think of a United player in recent years who has proven that mantra true as much as Ighalo. He went from zero to hero with four goals in just three starts, the most recent of them (in March) a sublime volley in United’s Europa League last 16 first leg 5-0 thrashing of LASK. Looking back, you could see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s thinking in wanting a striker who’d be content with a back-up role, but who’d be razor-sharp when called upon.
Ighalo went from zero to hero with four goals in just three starts Dominic Booth
Ighalo, a boyhood United fan and an extremely hard worker in training, was the perfect fit. The 30-year-old was willing to come to Old Trafford without ego and play a supporting role to Anthony Martial, filling in for the injured Marcus Rashford.
It’s for these reasons why renewing Ighalo’s loan again makes so much sense. He might actually be guaranteed fewer minutes on the pitch, given Rashford is fit again after a back injury and Solskjaer’s desire to further develop Mason Greenwood. But he won’t complain.
He also comes at a more cost-effective price than a bigmoney striker signing like Timo Werner or Moussa Dembele, with whom United have been linked.
The financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic mean United need to spend their money wisely. Spending the biggest fee on their top target Jadon Sancho appears to be a wise move.
Too often in the era since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement have United made signings based on names rather than personalities. Not many fans complained when Angel di Maria signed, but it soon become apparent he wouldn’t be a true ‘Red.’ Ditto for Henrikh Mkitaryan. Alexis Sanchez. And a few others.
Ighalo perhaps benefitted from the muted reaction to his arrival. He wasn’t burdened by expectation. He has been proof that with a decent skillset and a great work ethic you can be a success at United.
You sense Martial, Greenwood and Rashford will all benefit for Ighalo sticking around for a little longer. Solskjaer and his recruitment team, meanwhile, will reflect on a successful tweak to the club’s transfer policy.