Manchester United’s season so far has been a disaster, filled with setbacks and uninspiring performances.
After 16 games, the Red Devils are sixth in the Premier League with 27 points, having lost seven matches already.
Pressure is ever-increasing on Erik ten Hag, and if he doesn’t come up with a quick solution, his job may well be on the line, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe surprisingly lining up Graham Potter as a potential replacement, according to The Sun.
Graham Potter’s managerial stats
Potter is a 48-year-old English manager who wowed the Premier League with his breathtaking Brighton side. However, to some Premier League fans, their most vivid memory of Potter will be his time at Chelsea, which succumbed to a short, bitter ending.
The ex-Swansea boss has been out of action since his sacking in April, and he has only won one trophy in his entire career, a Swedish Cup with Östersunds in the 2016/17 season.
The English boss has managed 358 matches in his career, boasting a win percentage of 39.39%, but the table below shows how that breaks down at each club.
Chelsea
31
12
Brighton
134
43
Swansea
51
21
Ostersunds
224
109
Graham Potter’s style of play
During his time at Chelsea, Potter struggled to implement the fluid 3-4-2-1 tactics that worked so well for the Seagulls, often fluctuating between a three-back variant or a 4-2-3-1. The lack of a clear identity, roles, and understanding cost the side severely, especially in attack, as they failed to score in 12 of his 31 matches.
Potter's philosophy relies on technical players who are comfortable in possession, work extremely hard, and are able to take risks when playing out from the back. Andre Onana is the perfect keeper for the boss, but the backline would need some re-shuffling, with Luke Shaw featuring as a wide centre-back.
The midfield is where Potter would have issues, with United’s current set of players lacking ball retention, dribbling, press resistance, and out-of-possession reliability. The forwards would also have to increase their defensive output and learn to be more direct in 1v1 scenarios.
As you can see, the current Manchester United squad does not already match the 3-4-2-1 system that Potter should return to, as the boss would rely on versatile players that can cover multiple roles with ease, such as Leandro Trossard, who featured as a centre forward, an attacking midfielder, and almost a left-wing back at Brighton. Unless Ratcliffe backs him in the transfer market, it is difficult to see the move working out, and his appointment certainly wouldn’t be a quick fix.
Despite Potter guaranteeing attractive football, Manchester United need a manager with experience, a clear system, the ability to deal with pressure, and the ability to manage some of the biggest personalities in football. Unfortunately, Potter’s time at Chelsea showed the above to be his downfall.
A British coach who performed well at a smaller club and struggled at a big side sounds awfully familiar, and Ratcliffe must ensure that a David Moyes-type scenario doesn’t occur again.
The Scot was backed as the man to succeed the remarkable Sir Alex Ferguson but it ended in disaster, Moyes being sacked just ten months into the role. It's a decision that arguably the Red Devils are still reeling from.