Hazzetta dello Sport 2024 – Issue 11: Manchester United v Leicester City

Another unsuccessful attempt was made to put a cross into the Ipswich eighteen-yard box as the clock entered the 94th minute. The home team’s captain, Sam Morsy, retrieves the ball from the debris after it is easily cleared.

He winds up in a blind alley. He is deposed by Bouba Soumare, who then consumes the turf like a monster truck. Wes Burns attempts to shove him away. Not good. Wes is back on deck.

Jordan Ayew takes the ball from Soumare, who steadies himself before passing it to Jamie Vardy. Ayew’s path is so measured by the latter’s return, that he glides by the Ipswich custodian and into the net.. A gut-wrenching roar from the distant end. A little relief mixed with pure joy. Even though the last ninety-four minutes were terrifying.

While the final four minutes play out to the hint of a Leicester winner, the support is loud and fervent. This continues on the streets outside Portman Road and onwards to Ipswich railway station. Once composed, two thoughts are considered.

For extended periods, City was incredibly disorganised and ragged throughout the entire game, but that last-minute equaliser was fantastic and an incredible rush of adrenaline.

that as we get older and life events catch up with us, moments like the one I had with my dad for the equaliser are becoming more and more rare.

As the week has gone on, we have noticed a minor easing of the fan base’s opinions towards Steve Cooper. The calibre of our team and where we stand as a whole are becoming clearer as the data mounts. We thrive when things are chaotic and we have to deviate from any preconceived plans. Whether this is excellent managerial motivation or players taking advantage of a bad plan is up for debate. As the third quarter of the season draws near, we still don’t know.

During Enzo Maresca’s season at Leicester City, a fan base that preferred fast-paced games and seamless transitions learnt to value a gradual, meticulous build-up. However, Maresca and the supporters’ connection deteriorated towards the end.

Yet this softening on Cooper feels like a combination of two ingredients. The acceptance that the current Leicester City board won’t sack their manager whilst out of the relegation zone and secondarily, that there is a developing fondness for the non-planned, chaos approach the Foxes seem to keep taking.

The moments of glory have been so excellent; the equaliser against Spurs, the winner at Southampton and the latest edition last Saturday. The lack or concession of control can also lead to conceding late goals (Palace and Arsenal away). It also means that you have long spells of competing well without really testing the opposition (Aston Villa at home) and invertedly, long spells where we are utterly bad (Ipswich away and Forest at home). There is little consistency in result or balance in emotion towards it.

From Sunday, beginning with the visit to Old Trafford, the opposition from now to the new year is stronger. While ten points is a good return so far, it should be highlighted that we have played four of the five teams below us (equally avoiding defeat against any other is good news and something which proved a problem in our last Premier League relegation).

Can the chaos theory be suitable for the next few games?

Like Manchester United, there are parallels. There was never a recognisable style to Erik Ten Hag. When you combine that with dubious acquisitions, you have a formula that frequently results in fleeting wins but struggles with consistency. Ten Hag never had a strong centre-back tandem or a healthy left-back on the field. Even though United has excellent attacking talent, there isn’t the unifying factor.

On Sunday, we play a squad that does similarly well in the open, action-packed portions of games. This was made quite clear during our EFL Cup match, as United was pleased to exploit our extremely careless defence and weak defensive system. Apart from that, they didn’t do anything to create their own opportunities.

There are still issues with Steve Cooper’s selection because of his inconsistent performance. Even though Ipswich’s 18-yard box defence looked fine up close, they still gave up a lot of shots on goal. A similar defensive line-up might have problems if Man United looked strong during the transition, but Ipswich isn’t exactly known for their speed, so Jannik Vestergaard’s return offered some security.

After a handful of passable outings, Wilf Ndidi’s form has declined, and the most recent redemption arc is already underway. Winks and Buonanotte should continue to be the other members of the midfield unit, but Bouba Soumare might play that position.

Stephy Mavididi’s performances have declined since his goals against Crystal Palace and Everton, much like Ndidi’s. The challenge here is that there aren’t many solutions that offer the same dynamic. Attempts to use Bobby Reid or Jordan Ayew as wingers have failed.

Additionally, playing on a Sunday might put additional strain on you. Southampton vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers is a major match on Saturday at Molineux. If the Saints win, they go into the City region. West Ham and Everton, who are both at the bottom of the table but may easily be hauled back in, play each other at the same time. On Saturday afternoon, Ipswich will go to Tottenham in an attempt.

The international break may be more welcome than it’s ever been before.

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