What have Manchester United become?
A club of Sit Matt Busby, Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Alex Ferguson. A club of 20 league titles, 3 European Cups and countless other honours. A club of rich history and glory – now meekly rotting in eighth place, with yet another manager staring down the barrel of the sack.
Hope of a brighter future has emerged in the form of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and those at INEOS, yet there is no guarantee of when or even if the Red Devils will be able to truly challenge among the domestic and European elite again, with the glittering days of Ferguson now fading into distant memory.
Trying to live up to the spectre of the past is certainly no mean feat for the current crop, the greats of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Eric Cantona, et al, lingering in the background, ever emphasising the dearth in true quality at Erik ten Hag's disposal.
While the Dutchman has the likes of the hapless Antony – who boasts just a solitary Premier League goal this season – to call upon, it was not too long ago that Ferguson and co first dominated the division, spearheaded by the majestic Cantona.
The bargain £1.1m signing from rivals Leeds United steered the club to four league titles in just five seasons at Old Trafford, cementing his status as the true 'King' in Manchester.
Unsurprisingly, ever since his abrupt exit in 1997, United have longed for a figure to emulate the Frenchman's impact in the side, with many hastily seeking comparisons with the enigmatic genius.
One star among Ten Hag's ranks had perhaps shown glimmers of being a new leader-like presence for the club, in the mould of Cantona, although any such likeness has swiftly been curtailed amid a dismal collective and individual campaign.
Casemiro's impact in 2022/23
The man in question is former Real Madrid titan and five-time Champions League winner, Casemiro, with the Brazilian having been snapped by Ten Hag on a £70m deal back in the summer of 2022.
The suggestion at the time of his arrival – something which has since born true – was that United had simply fallen into yet another desperate, costly trap, with pundit Jamie Carragher writing for The Telegraph that the move 'smacks of short-termism'.
Whispers of Bastian Schweinsteiger 2.0 unsurprisingly did the rounds, with the Red Devils turning to an ageing midfield talent of undoubted experience, but whose commitment and hunger could perhaps be called into question.
Seeking a solution following the dismal drubbing at Brentford – and with a protracted pursuit of Frenkie de Jong falling flat – Casemiro was seemingly Ten Hag's answer, with the player himself reportedly telling the club "I'll fix it" while watching the chaos unfold at the Gtech.
And for much of last season, fix it he did, with the midfield monster acting as the "cement" in the side, as dubbed by his manager, averaging a solid 3.2 tackles per game in the league, as well as creating seven 'big chances' to indicate his perhaps unsung quality on the ball.
A return of seven goals and six assists in all competitions included the opener in the Carabao Cup final triumph over Newcastle United in February, with journalist Daniel Storey writing on Twitter at the time that "there are elements of Eric Cantona in the way Casemiro has helped to change the culture at Manchester United."
For all the highs of last term, potential problems did arise in Casemiro's ill-discipline as he missed seven league games through suspension, having also been dribbled past 1.6 times per game after typically diving in recklessly.
As club legend Gary Neville suggested at the time, the former Porto man had proven "devastating for the club in unbelievable ways", yet he remained "not a smart or shrewd signing" – a point that has only been emphasised this season.
Casemiro's decline in 2023/24
Ever since the first whistle back in August at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers, the £350k-per-week asset hasn't looked like his former self, with all the concerns over his 'short-term' signing bearing fruit.
Notably "torn to shreds" against the Old Gold, as Neville stated at the time, Casemiro has never got going in what has been an injury-disrupted campaign, with the incoming Ratcliffe reportedly questioning the club's decision to make the signing in the first place.
Not only hampered by injury, when the 75-cap international has featured he has looked distinctly off the pace, with Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp quipping that he "looks like he's in Soccer Aid" following a particularly abject display against Bournemouth.
All the potential issues of last term have been brutally exposed, with Casemiro having remarkably been dribbled past 2.4 times per game – an average not helped by being beaten on eight occasions during Monday's woeful 4-0 loss away to Crystal Palace.
Stats
2022/23
2023/24
Games
28
22
Goals
4
1
Assists
3
2
Big chances created
7
2
Key passes per game
1
0.6
Pass accuracy
79%
83%
Possession lost per game
13x
12.1x
Tackles per game
3.2
3.2
Dribbled past per game
1.6
2.4
Total duels won per game
55%
51%
Fouls per game
1.7
1.1
While the ageing talent was once again playing in an unorthodox centre-back berth against the Eagles, that doesn't fully excuse what was an undoubted horror show, with former title winner Ashley Young describing him as a "joke" on Monday Night Football.
Such a showing has not helped Casemiro's cause at a time when rumours are rife that Ratcliffe and co are looking to move him on this summer, with inevitable interest emerging from clubs in Saudi Arabia.
Quite why the ex-Madrid man's form has tailed off so spectacularly remains to be seen, although what it has done is certainly put to bed any premature comparisons to figures like Cantona, with the midfielder now looking like just another costly mistake of the post-Ferguson era.
It may have taken a season to come to pass, but those doubting the suitability of Casemiro's capture have been proven right. Hopefully, with a new regime at the helm, this will be the last of United's desperate dealings in the transfer market…
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