Manchester United won the friendly tournament held between a number of English Premier League clubs in the United States despite drawing last Sunday with Everton with two goals for each team. West Ham fans felt some relief after defeating Bournemouth and finishing second in the competition, despite all the team's bleak expectations for next season. In the Korean capital, Seoul, there was a special moment for Tottenham, as the joy of a 1-0 victory over Arsenal was followed last week by a 1-1 draw with Newcastle, a match that witnessed James Madison leaving on a stretcher after suffering a knee injury that his coach, Thomas Frank, described as «bad».
Everything feels like a real competition in an official tournament, although of course that is not the case. Although we are in the age of accurate data and analysis, the element of randomness still exists, and it is one of the elements that adds a sense of fun to the sport of football. But this sense of randomness increases even more in the preseason.Last Premier League season ended about ten weeks ago now. For fans of this competition, they are eagerly awaiting the start of the new season. Although the Club World Cup was held in its expanded form this summer, the first England national team played a number of matches in June (June), the England U-21 national team shined in the European Nations Cup, and the England women's national team shined in the Euro Championship, All of this did not give the audience the same feeling they had when watching English Premier League matches. It's true that the obsession with player transfers continues for some time, but eventually the public needs to see these players play...
Therefore, clubs play friendly matches in preparation for the new season, and there is an analysis of these matches, but it is certainly completely illogical for any player to be judged by what he offers within 45 minutes. But the worst part is the insistence on trying to answer some questions from now on, such as: Will Brian Mbiumo and Matheus Cunha, who were signed by Manchester United this summer, be able to play together in the same squad, as happened against Everton? What does it mean for Rasmus Hoylund to sit on the bench? Does this mean that Manchester United is close to signing Benjamin Cisco? The attacking trio, with Mboimo stepping back and Cunha and Bruno Fernandes sometimes behind him, seemed understanding and moving smoothly. Fernandez and Mboimo created the first goal for Amad Diallo, who moved from the edge deep into the field to score. This is how the team is supposed to play according to a 3-4-3 plan under the leadership of Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim.
In fact, there is a sense of something tangible, at least, about this, as Manchester United are finally able to implement their manager's attacking plan. But Aiden Haven's own own goal was a reminder that Manchester United are always destroying themselves. Perhaps the most important point was the equaliser the team conceded after Manuel Ugarte lost the ball and did not want to return. Did this happen because it was just a friendly match, and because Manchester United players did not reach the required physical level? Or because this group of players is not fit for repair?
Will any of this really matter when the new season starts? Manchester United fans will remember with sadness how great their team was in the pre-season under Dutch coach Louis van Gaal in 2014, before the team performed at disappointing levels during the season. In the past, before Premier League teams conducted overseas tours in which everyone enthusiastically promoted themselves to a global audience, the preparation period for the new season focused more on strengthening the bonds between team members than anything else; A team whose players eat and drink together wins together, as they say. There are many famous stories in this regard. It is assumed that many technical directors wish to return to what used to happen during the preparation period for the new season, as at least preparing for the new season was largely a private matter rather than a show for the club in front of the world.
In such friendly matches, things with serious consequences rarely happen, such as Chelsea conceding four goals in the second half against Jesse Marsh's New York Red Bulls in the summer of 2015, which is the first sign that something is going badly for Chelsea under Jose Mourinho since winning the Premier League two months ago; Within just five months of that, Mourinho was dismissed from his position. (This was also the first appearance of Bournemouth and US midfielder Tyler Adams, who was 16 years old at the time, with the first team.) In fact, the new preseason is a mock war, maneuvers, and an attempt at exploration. It is of technical importance to clubs, but it means absolutely nothing until it is implemented on the ground!
