Game Of Numbers – Three Key Stats That Manchester United Need To Improve This Season
Manchester United managed to step into the Champions League late last season and that has given Jose Mourinho some ammunition in the transfer market this year. The manager has made a few stellar signings to make sure that his side does not repeat the mistakes from the previous season.
The Red Devils only managed to finish 6th in the points table, after a rather disappointing campaign in the league. They accumulated some decent numbers in certain areas but have been less than impressive in others. So they will have to work on a few key areas, to make sure that they can compete with the best next season.
Here are three such stats that Manchester United should improve immediately if they are to compete for the title this season:
Goals (52)
For all the firepower they had last season, Manchester United failed to create chances consistently nor did they convert their chances on a consistent basis. This came back to haunt them last season and though the signature of Romelu Lukaku could solve this issue, United will have to make sure that they improve their productivity in front of goal if they are to compete for the title against some of the best sides in England.
Yellow Cards (78)
The Portuguese manager loves his side to stay compact but not always was his side well organised in what was his first season at Old Trafford. Jose Mourinho will have worked on his squad in the off-season but he will need them to be in sync this season as they will have to avoid giving away needless fouls. With two red cards and 78 yellow cards all season, United were more disciplined than just West Brom and Watford in the league last season and Mourinho will surely have an eye on it.
Offsides (99)
Though the departures of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney will reduce this number, Manchester United have to make sure that their attacks are not wasted on such a regular basis. They were caught offside 99 times last season, more than 18 other clubs in the league, and if this does not change this season, they could be in for a similar fate as last season, come the end of this campaign. Romelu Lukaku is not too great with his positioning either and if the manager does not alter something tactically, this number is not going down anytime soon.
Stat Credit: Premierleague.com