Cunha You Believe It?

FANS reacted with disbelief as Andre Onana became the focal point of criticism after Manchester United conceded directly from a corner for the second time in just over a week. The Red Devils faced Wolverhampton Wanderers, and the start of the second half went from bad to worse when Bruno Fernandes was sent off after receiving his second booking.

Is this the end of Onana’s time in goal?

Meanwhile, Matheus Cunha had other plans as he swung in a corner that somehow found its way into the net, leaving Onana looking completely bewildered. The Wolves took the lead on 58 minutes, much to the dismay of United fans who were already in turmoil following their captain’s departure from the pitch. It didn’t take long for the visitors to capitalize on United’s shaky start to the second period.

Following the game, social media erupted with angry fans voicing their displeasure at Onana’s performance. Comments ranged from “I’ve no more words for Onana” to simply “abysmal.” Disturbingly, this wasn’t an isolated incident; United had also seen their stand-in goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir, suffer similar humiliation in their previous outing during a League Cup quarter-final defeat against Tottenham, where they conceded directly from a corner as well.

Set-Piece Chaos

The statistics surrounding Manchester United’s defensive set-pieces are alarming. This season they have now let in a staggering ten goals from set-piece situations, with eight occurring since the arrival of their new manager, Ruben Amorim. That’s nearly a goal per game from dead-ball situations, a stat that is beginning to raise eyebrows among pundits and supporters alike.

In an entirely predictable turn of events, former captain Harry Maguire chimed in with his observations on the matter, reflecting on how crucial set plays are to the outcomes of matches. He stated, “Set plays are so important in football matches and they decide games. A lot of the games when they are tight and they’re 50-50 are decided by the first goal and the first goal has been a set play far too many times against us and it’s disappointing.”

Set-piece conversions: a thorn in United’s side.

After the Wolves took the lead, Hee Chan Hwang capped off the dismal night for the Red Devils with a goal that solidified a 2-0 victory in stoppage time. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the United faithful, who couldn’t have anticipated just how scenario of conceding to a corner would repeat itself so soon.

The Tactical Angle

Wolves’ manager, Vitor Pereira, left fans and analysts alike in astonishment after the match. He openly admitted that the team’s tactics for the corner had been specifically designed to exploit United’s vulnerabilities, saying that they had planned to score directly from it. Amidst the ridicule and angst, former United defender Rio Ferdinand was left stunned, echoing sentiments of disbelief from the highlights of the game and opining on how little progress the team seemed to have made on set-piece situations.

As one fan pointedly replied to Ferdinand’s observations, “Seriously, we haven’t learnt anything in these past weeks on set pieces. This is becoming annoying.”

Frustration palpable in the stands.

As Manchester United navigates this troubled patch, fans are left wondering where the answers lie. Will the club take immediate action to address this problematic aspect of their game? Will they look for external solutions, or will there be a focus on improving the current team? Whatever the answer, the clock is ticking, and fans are keen for some urgent improvements on the pitch.

As we turn the page in this season’s saga, one thing is for certain: the Red Devils have some serious soul-searching to do if they hope to get back on track.

Conclusion

The future of Manchester United under the guidance of Ruben Amorim now hangs in the balance as they confront the distinct possibility of being exposed by their weaknesses in set-pieces. With fans growing increasingly frustrated, a steep climb back to the top will require not only tactical adjustments, but some serious rethinking of how they approach defensive situations.

Their next matches may very well determine if the legacy of conceding from corners will be a mere footnote or an ongoing story of struggle through the season.

Where to next for Manchester United?