Manchester United’s midfield left in a mess by Wayne Rooney’s deeper role | Paul Doyle


The United manager picked Wayne Rooney in a deep-lying midfield role ahead of Morgan Schneiderlin, Michael Carrick and Daley Blind and after a deserved defeat at Watford, it was very hard to understand why

José Mourinho had to wait a long time to fulfil his ambition of becoming manager of Manchester United and now that he is at Old Trafford he needs still more patience. From himself, firstly, as his fall at Chelsea last season suggests there is a risk of him unravelling if he allows himself to become too frustrated by the inadequacies he has inherited at United. This he knows, which is why he was a picture of practiced calm as he explained after the defeat at Vicarage Road that when he took the job, “I was completely aware that we were not perfect, with lots of players who are not end products and can make their own mistakes”.

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