Ten Hag should look to Matic’s template
NEMANJA Matic is pure class. Whether it be threading passes through midfield, or giving dignified interviews after games, it’s a real shame United will lose someone of his calibre this summer.
Even the way he confirmed his impending departure was classy. He refused to leave things ambiguous like others have – Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard, for example – and instead with an honest announcement, simply said what was going to happen. It was refreshing, albeit disappointing for United to be losing another midfielder, and a two-time Premier League winner at that.
You can’t imagine the Stretford End, in the current climate, being keen to chant the name of a player who is leaving, but in the Serbian’s case they did as he defied Chelsea on
Thursday night. A repurpose of Nemanja Vidic’s old song has always worked well for his namesake and fellow countryman and it reflected the respect the Reds supporters have for Matic.
There’s no way Ralf Rangnick can take Matic out of the side for the remaining few games of the season, even if the temptation may be to pick players who are committed for next season and beyond.
The German’s decisions on Pogba and Edinson Cavani have been made easier by the fact neither player is fit, while Lingard and Juan Mata have been peripheral squad members for years now. The other certain departee is fourth choice keeper Lee Grant.
In Matic, United have a player like no other in their squad and one who ought to show the club what they must sign this summer. In a sense, the 33-year-old is something of a throwback – a genuine screening defensive midfielder who isn’t worried too much about bombing forward. Even United’s would-be transfer replacements for Matic, Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips, enjoy regular forays forward.
Certainly, Fred and Scott McTominay are both more like No.8s, than in Matic’s No.6 mould. The pair were Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first choice duo at the base of midfield in a 4-23-1 and had plenty of merit when playing together.
But Matic’s recent performances have reaffirmed to United that they need a true holding player alongside one of Fred or McTominay in the middle, with Bruno Fernandes – or Donny van de Beek, if Erik ten Hag rekindles his relationship with the current Everton loanee – as the No.10.
Fred is expected to return from injury to play against Brentford tonight, but perhaps it ought to be McTominay rather than Matic who makes way for the energetic Brazilian.
Rangnick is a big fan of Fred, who has arguably been United’s most effective outfielder under the German as an active presser and workaholic in midfield.
It may seem counter-intuitive to pick a player who is 33 and leaving the club in a mater of weeks, ahead of a hard-working 25-year-old like McTominay, but United must start getting to grips with a midfield template that enables them to control games.
They didn’t have that against Chelsea, although Matic did his best.
He continues to serve United well and should assist with the transition to a more functioning midfield.
DEPARTING SERBIAN WILL BE A BIG MISS FOR NEW REDS BOSS