They help Manchester United, however they’re something however united. The vocal and fractured fan base of one of many world’s finest supported soccer golf equipment didn’t maintain again after the membership introduced that its storied No. 7 shirt—worn by membership legends like George Greatest, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo—was being handed to new signing Mason Mount.
Throughout social media platforms, the announcement yielded greater than 85,000 feedback within the first 20 hours. Even whereas scrolling by them quickly, a few of the feedback have been arduous to overlook. “Will not be shopping for a united shirt this season, absolute joke of a crew,” mentioned one fan. One other mentioned that even the United social media supervisor who posted this ought to be fired. Whereas one fan mentioned this was the worst resolution in trendy soccer, one other mentioned that United have been simply the worst-run membership on this planet.
It was not all unhealthy. There was the occasional welcome message. “Robbo’s (Robson) vibes aye. Convey that power to the pitch Mason,” wrote one fan. Nevertheless, even in lots of of those extra constructive messages, there was a touch of apprehension. For example: “Quantity 7! Wow!! The strain!! Welcome Mason!”
For the uninitiated, no, it not only a shirt quantity. It’s a very important a part of Manchester United lore and “NO. 7 AT OLD TRAFFORD” is an official trademark registered with the UK’s mental property workplace. Furthermore, it means lots to the one group of people that have stored United related lately—the followers. In consequence, “the strain!!” is big. A concrete instance is former United captain Antonio Valencia. The Ecuadorian was United’s participant of the season in 2011-2012. In consequence, Sir Alex Ferguson supplied the vacant No. 7 to the 26-year-old. However, the load of expectation proved an excessive amount of for Valencia and his kind fell off a cliff. He determined to revert to his outdated shirt quantity forward of the 2013-2014 season. Later, in the identical season, big-money signing Juan Mata, who arrived from Chelsea within the winter switch window, opted for the No. 8, as a substitute of the vacant No. 7.
In reality, since Ronaldo left United in 2009, just one participant has carried out effectively whereas sporting the No 7—Ronaldo himself in 2021-2022 (Edinson Cavani was respectable, however not elite). However, Ronaldo’s second spell ended with an acrimonious exit in late 2022. So, the priority is warranted.
Mount himself is coming off the again of a poor season. The switch to United in itself is a troublesome transfer to deal with, so, taking up the extra burden of the No. 7 just isn’t the neatest resolution. However, the 24-year-old, who was Chelsea’s participant of the 12 months for each 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 and was key within the London membership’s Champions League triumph in 2021, appears assured.
“I’m massively bold; I understand how wonderful it feels to win main trophies and what it takes to do it,” he informed the membership web site. “I shall be giving all the things to expertise that once more at Manchester United.” However, the largest impediment for Mount and supervisor Erik ten Hag’s is the membership itself. The higher administration reeks of incompetence and the membership has been left with out ample funds to strengthen the squad after a model that generates over $600 million {dollars} in income a 12 months was run into the bottom over the past 18 years.
Round £55 million kilos have been spent on Mount from a reported finances of round £120 million. United wants so as to add a minimum of one first-team high quality striker and a top-class goalkeeper after membership legend David de Gea was pushed out disgracefully—the suitable name, however dealt with horribly. There may be additionally no back-up defensive midfielder to deputise for Brazil captain Casemiro.
Although there may be nonetheless hope that the membership hierarchy will ship earlier than the top of the switch window to get ten Hag the gamers he wants, for now, they’ve resorted to what they often do after getting mediocre offers performed—pat themselves on the again. John Murtough, United’s underperforming soccer director, for instance, mentioned that Mount was world-class. Mount is certainly not a nasty signing and nonetheless has time on his facet. However whereas it could possibly be argued that he has the potential to be among the many finest on this planet, he isn’t world-class. There may be nonetheless loads of work to be performed by ten Hag to mould Mount into one of the best model of himself.
The constructive is that ten Hag, over the previous decade, has confirmed himself able to doing simply that. And Mount has the technical capability and the soccer intelligence to make an enormous distinction to this United crew. Of the membership legends to don the No. 7, Robson, United’s longest serving captain, was a central midfielder. However, he was additionally an absolute machine and a way more full participant than Mount, who has at all times been extra of an attack-minded participant. By the way, Robson additionally joined United aged 24, in 1981, for a then British switch document of £1.5 million. Whereas it’s thrilling to think about that may imply one thing, it most likely wouldn’t. Firstly, it stays to be seen what function Mount would play.
Logic dictates that it will be a box-to-box function in a 3, with Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes. However, Mount must be taught to play that function. He’s already able to doing it sometimes, however enjoying towards one of the best groups would require him to enhance his defensive actions significantly. The excellent news for United followers is that he’s an extremely hardworking participant and an clever presser. Additionally, you can’t put it previous ten Hag to make use of Mount in a special function.
Regardless of the backlash towards giving Mount the No. 7, there may be additionally cautious optimism in regards to the signing. Primarily as a result of ten Hag pushed for it. After a primary season that exceeded expectations, the fan base is basically able to belief the Dutch coach.
So, does Mason Mount need to be United’s No. 7? Among the arguments towards the choice embody the suggestion that ten Hag doesn’t perceive the significance of the No. 7 shirt, having been in Manchester just for a 12 months, and that this will likely have led to him providing the shirt to Mount; the truth that Mount is a “Chelsea boy” and that it ought to have gone to Argentine teenage sensation Alejandro Garnacho.
The final two arguments might be dismissed fairly simply. If Mount is a Chelsea academy product, then among the many legends talked about above, solely Greatest and Beckham got here by the United academy. Even Garnacho was signed by United’s youth setup from Atletico Madrid. Furthermore, giving the No. 7 to Garnacho this season wouldn’t have been the suitable resolution as a result of he’s at an earlier stage of his improvement than Ronaldo was when he acquired the well-known shirt. Additionally, the scenario at United is now a lot harder for a younger participant to return in and carry out underneath than it was when Ronaldo got here in. So, not receiving the No. 7 this season was in one of the best curiosity of Garnacho. It could allow him to proceed his improvement with out the extra strain.
It’s doable, although not going, that ten Hag doesn’t absolutely perceive the load of the No. 7 shirt. Nevertheless, he, reportedly, used the shirt as a negotiating tactic. If he knew Mount could be tempted by being supplied the No. 7, he additionally has to concentrate on the shirt’s iconic standing. That additionally implies that Mount is aware of what he’s strolling into. And he nonetheless had the braveness to take that on. Subsequently, he has the character that the present United squad lacks.
So, even when he doesn’t carry out anyplace close to the extent of Robson, he can nonetheless be an important participant for the present United squad. Whether or not he goes on to turn out to be worthy of the shirt shall be decided by how effectively he handles the strain. However, it’s encouraging to see that he had the arrogance and the braveness to take the No. 7 even within the lower than fascinating scenario that United are in. Only for that, he deserves an opportunity within the No. 7 shirt.
