Wednesday November 24th 2021
“We are Manchester”
Now Sancho is no longer ridiculed
By Till Erdenberger
Jadon Sancho is moving to Manchester United for an unbelievable amount of money in the summer – the highly talented winger does unbelievably little there. A real breakthrough could have come about in a very weak Champions League game, of all places.
No, Manchester United certainly did not set off fireworks on Tuesday evening in Villarreal. The English won 2-0 (0-0), but the first half in particular was really weak. Too weak at least for the fact that this team had been upgraded with many, many millions and refined with the returned superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. But a few days after coach OIe Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal, which had become increasingly inevitable over the agonizing long months, the noble ensemble discovered its resilience. Instead of going under as in the creepy 4-1 at relegation candidate Watford, Manchester United worked out another break.
“We are Manchester United and we will never stop fighting for this club! Let’s go, Red Devils!” Ronaldo declaimed afterwards via Instagram. In the pathetic style of bloody gladiator films. “Congratulations to the boys on a great win that will put us where we belong!” The 36-year-old himself had almost single-handedly ensured that the round of 16 is now booked, at least in the Champions League, during the last paralyzing months, in which the proud club slipped to eighth place due to partly desolate performances in the Premier League. Ronaldo also scored against Europa League winner Villarreal, twelfth in the Spanish league. His sixth goal in the fifth game. It’s routine for the superstar to deliver.
The 2-0 win in the last minute was more remarkable: Jadon Sancho was achieved by someone for whom they paid at least 85 million euros. The one who had to take the most malice among all the underperformers in the red dress. As 007, they mocked the 21-year-old in October, who had to wait until Tuesday evening for his first goal, his first ever goal in an important competition, for his new club. 0 hits, 0 templates, 7 games, a clip of the joke that Sancho staged as James Bond of the sad figure went viral.
“Play football properly!”
United club legend Paul Ince scolded: “I understand that Sancho is still learning. He’s still young. But this is not a FIFA game here! It’s not just about dribbling and dancing two, three or four players or doing little tricks and so on, “Ince told The United Stand, the club’s largest fan channel, in a video interview. “Honestly, that makes me angry,” Ince continued. “Yes, it’s nice when they work, but with players like Sancho and Lingard, I just keep thinking, all those tricks – just play decent football!”
So far, Sancho has only fired a single shot on goal in the Premier League. After Gareth Southgate announced in September that Sancho was lucky with this form that he made it into the squad for England’s World Cup qualifiers, the national coach recently renounced Sancho entirely. Sometimes he didn’t even sit on the bench in the league. A high flyer on the ground. In Dortmund, where they gave in to Man United’s desperate bid for a transfer after 18 months in the summer and paid dearly for it, they suffered with their ex-player. “Of course, I follow what he’s doing,” said BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke in a “double pass” at the end of September. “He’s such a great footballer. It hurts my soul that he’s not given so much attention.”
“Tor will give it a boost”
Now the wind could turn, at least that’s what they hope in Manchester. For four impressive years at Borussia Dortmund, he showed that Sancho is a special player. He got 50 hits in 137 games. Now the massive investment and the conviction in the qualities of the winger should also pay off on the island. The 2-0 is always good as a chest loosener: With all determination and apparently a lot of anger, the scolded gifted thundered the ball under the crossbar of the Spanish goal. “I’m proud to score my first goal for Manchester United in the best competition in world football,” wrote Sancho afterwards dutifully on Twitter. Nothing more, nothing less.
United’s interim coach Michael Carrick classified the surprising incident as more euphoric: “Jadon was brilliant. You are rewarded and I am happy for him,” said the ex-United player, who is temporarily responsible for the sporting business. “It was a great evening for him, he also did an excellent defensive job and the goal will give him a big boost.” Now it is up to Sancho himself, “what happens next and how he continues – he has all the talent in the world,” added Carrick. Former United midfielder Paul Scholes, who is now an expert at BT Sport, found Sancho to have shown his best performance since joining. “He looked fitter and was United’s best player – he’s such a clever footballer,” said Scholes, thinker and leader of the legendary United generation around David Beckham and the recently shot Solskjaer.
“It was difficult again”
Owen Hargreaves, the former Bayern professional who later played for Manchester United, recalled past exploits thanks to the strong performance: “Jadon looks good, Jadon looks focused, as if something every time he gets the ball Jadon was the best player on the pitch, the player we’ve seen at times in Dortmund who can win a game. ” It wasn’t just the gate that caught Sancho’s attention. Another shot was kept strong by goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli. A pass rate of 92.5 percent (with 24 passes in the opposing half) is an impressive figure.
It was really not a particularly good game that Manchester United showed at Villarreal. One is still miles away from glamor and class. “I thought we’d play better in the second half, but it was difficult again. OK, no problem: we had the players to change that. And I’m glad it worked out, especially because of the solidarity and the support that the players have given each other, “said Carrick, half resigned.
And yet a complicated evening could have started something bigger than just making it to the last 16 clubs. At least with Jadon Sancho, this clever footballer. On Sunday, the wobbly structure is right before the big stability test: Then Manchester United will have to compete at Chelsea. Thomas Tuchel’s team flies from victory to victory, in the Champions League hours after the Manchester United cramp there was an easy 4-0 win against Juventus Turin. Timo Werner also met in stoppage time, and this season he is fighting his own battle for good statistics and high efficiency. But that is no longer Sancho’s story since yesterday. For now, at least.