Yay United won. Was it an amazing display? Absolutely not. But three points is three points and right now that is all that matters.
Brentford were genuinely good in this game and deserve credit. They kept knocking on the door in the first half, kept attacking, kept coming back and they played really well. The Brentford manager has done an incredible job this season. People were saying Brentford might get relegated and here they are chasing European football. Amazing achievement. Igor Thiago missed two sitters and Brentford scored a wondergoal but on the night it was not enough. United took their chances and Brentford paid the price for their wastefulness.
Now United. Can we talk about Senne Lammens because nobody is giving this man his flowers. What a signing he has been and he has gone completely under the radar. Immense in goal, calm under pressure, no drama on or off the pitch. The way he carries himself is everything you want from a goalkeeper. No theatrics, no excuses, just saves. He deserves way more recognition than he is getting.
Bruno got another assist and people are saying he should be Player of the Year. Look I think he has been absolutely brilliant for United, he is carrying this team and has been an amazing player since the day we signed him. But the debate is fair. United are playing once a week and it helps him tremendously. Your Olises, your Kanes, your Rices are competing on multiple fronts playing twice a week sometimes three times and still performing at the highest level. So yes Bruno has been great but Player of the Year is debatable and I think it is important to be honest about that rather than just backing him because he plays for United.
Casemiro scored again. The man is like Thanos right now — inevitable. And people are already saying keep him for one more season. I understand the emotion I really do but this is exactly what is wrong with our club sometimes. Recency bias. We are playing once a week and it is helping him tremendously. If Casemiro stays we might not buy the two midfielders INEOS are promising to bring in. He is on huge wages. Playing twice a week in the Champions League next season he will not be as effective, he will be tired and we will have wasted another transfer window being emotional. Please let him go on a high. It is the right thing for him and for the club.
Mainoo was absolutely magnificent. He ran the midfield. The dribble, the vision, the chance he created for Amad that Amad really should have converted. And the way he held his own physically against Igor Thiago who is bigger and stronger tells you everything about this kid. You cannot judge a book by its cover. Mainoo is a special player.
Amad though has been very poor this season and I say that as someone who loves watching him. The tenacity is gone. The never give up attitude is gone. The speed, the workrate, all of it missing right now. I know he is an amazing player and I know he will bounce back because that quality does not just disappear. But he needs to find himself again and find it quickly.
Now Carrick. The people who were saying he does not make substitutions early enough — what are your arguments now? He made a quick sub in the second half and it changed the game completely. United went quiet, controlled it, saw it out professionally. What exactly is the case against giving him the job at this point? He has almost sealed it in my opinion. If not Enrique then Carrick has to be the man. He has done enough and he deserves it.
But regardless of who the manager is we have to recruit properly this summer. Four signings is the number being thrown around by journalists and I do not agree with that at all. We need more. The defensive loopholes are there for everyone to see. We are missing physicality and height at the back and if we do not fix that with Champions League football next season we will get found out the same way Spurs and Newcastle got found out.
Champions League is all but sealed. Now Carrick needs to hit the nail in the coffin by beating Liverpool.
Let me know your thoughts.