Manchester United can’t seem to get rid of the cloud of pessimism around the club. Even when the results are going reasonably well, there still feels to be a downer on the place.
It’s not simply a working of the media, as many fans would like to kid themselves, and there’s a general unhappiness manifesting itself in different ways.
Jose Mourinho isn’t happy, in fact he hasn’t looked consistently happy for about three years, but he doesn’t seem to believe it’s that which is transmitting to his players.
Clearly annoyed with certain performances at the weekend, Mourinho thought nothing of once again heavily criticising his players in public. For those fans who insist Mourinho makes an off pitch drama to protect his players, and draw attention away, the straws left to grasp are becoming fewer.
Over in France they jump between being concerned about Anthony Martial to being concerned about Paul Pogba, and it’s the latter which gets coverage in Wednesday’s L’Equipe.
The French newspaper say it could be a ‘very, very long’ end to the season for Pogba, and add: ‘Already targeted by Jose Mourinho in the heart of winter, the French Manchester United midfielder was again targeted by criticism from his coach earlier this week.’
Mourinho’s comments about pretty faces and big fees not guaranteeing a place in the team has clearly been taken as a direct Pogba attack by L’Equipe: ‘Mourinho could have added “of their haircut”, it would not have been clearer. It targets in particular Pogba, whose performance is insufficient in his eyes.’
L’Equipe say ‘the climate has never been so tense’ between the Manchester United manager and the player he bought to be his star midfielder.
A summer exit once seemed unthinkable, the stuff of Don Balon, but now it wouldn’t be quite as surprising.
