Jose Mourinho's Manchester United send you to sleep, Pogba should save emoji until he's real deal
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Updated 30/05/2017 at 11:47 GMT
Former Old Trafford defender Paul Parker feels Jose Mourinho's Manchester United side are still well short of what is expected of them despite their Europa League triumph against Ajax in Stockholm.
Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho (L) and Manchester United's French midfielder Paul Pogba celebrate after their team won the UEFA Europa League final football match Ajax Amsterdam v Manchester United on May 24, 2017 at the Friends Aren
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If there is one English side who are capable of doing okay in the Champions League next season, you would probably say it is Manchester United.
Simply because Jose Mourinho sets up not to lose. Even though over two legs, you would have to bring a pillow with you to watch it.
United would be the most difficult team to beat from the Premier League, but that doesn't mean it is enjoyable. Is it in the best traditions of United's history? Certainly not.
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Manchester United celebrate
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Winning the Europa League has taken the pressure off the manager.
When Rafael Benitez won the same tournament with Chelsea in 2013, Mourinho wasn’t too nice about it. He was very critical of it.
He also said Ajax shouldn’t be in the Europa League because they played in the Champions League this season.
Well, in theory he should not go into the Champions League because he’s won the Europa League.
His gamble on one match to make or break the season has paid off. In gambling, a lot of people live that way, but they normally die that way too.
United are in the Champions League. Mourinho should be happy because Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City and Liverpool are in there. He now can’t accuse other teams of getting advantages in rest periods during the season.
It’s all worked out because other teams will be playing a similar amount of games. But at United, you can’t keep looking for excuses.
For many, many years before Jose Mourinho arrived, United coped with the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup. They coped because that is what United are built for.
As a club, they build their season to compete on all fronts. They should be equipped to do that, and that’s what Mourinho must do.
There can be no excuses about being tired because the top five teams are in the same boat, and every club wants to amongst them.
They all want to play 60 plus games because that tends to mean success in your season. The more games you play, the more opportunity you have to win things.
Everyone will be looking to Mourinho to win the Premier League. Manchester United need a league title five years after Sir Alex Ferguson won the last one.
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Jose Mourinho cuts a thrilled figure.
Image credit: Eurosport
The last two seasons have been very poor. You are judged on where you finish in the league. Are Mourinho's side any better than Louis van Gaal's? No.
Finishing sixth isn’t good enough for United, certainly not 24 points behind the champions. They must be able to make up that points difference. Trying to win the league by winning games is always going to be better than going out not to lose.
That is the tradition of the club set by men like Fergie. When United are playing cagey, you are relying on individuals. That’s when it becomes worrying.
We have to remember football is a team game. It is easy to destroy, but the hardest thing in football is to create.
You can’t keep being dependent on players to keep doing things when they are being asked to be secondary defenders and make up 60 yards to join an attack
United need to go out and realise that they are respected because they are United. Everybody is ready for that attacking wave to come forward when you are playing United.
Not sitting back watching, and thinking the tide has gone out.
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Manchester United's French midfielder Paul Pogba (R) embraces Manchester United's English striker Wayne Rooney (L) after scoring their second goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Cyrstal Palace at Old Traffo
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Paul Pogba sums up United's problems. He is not a holding midfielder. So much has been taken away from his game. I think he’s tried too hard to impress this season after that world record £89m price tag.
He’s been having too many touches of the ball which isn’t really in his nature. He’s also been giving away silly fouls because people are working harder against him.
He hasn’t had the greatest of seasons. Expectations are high. United have got to kick on, Mourinho has to kick on and Pogba's got to kick on. He can do what he wants with his Twitter emoji, dancing and his hair when he is part of a United side that are the real deal.
There is no point marketing yourself if you are not delivering on what you are good at.
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Paul Parker Alex Ferguson Peter Schmeichel and Andrei Kanchelskis (Getty)
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It is time for Mourinho to deliver a Premier League challenge.
He escaped a lot of flak by winning one game in Stockholm. He won't get away with it again.
Paul Parker
@realpaulparker2
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