Is Mauricio Pochettino right for Man United?

1. IMPRESSIVE PLAYING STYLE

Man United have long lacked a clear style and that is one of the reasons why they have sunk into disappointment under many managers from Louis Van Gaal, Jose Mourinho to Solskjaer. Therefore, the primary goal will be to establish a clear style in both attack and defence to allow Man United to compete for major trophies again.

Pochettino certainly has an attractive style of football that has attracted the likes of Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid and PSG. He places a lot of emphasis on possession and tries to build his team around quick passing with a direct approach to transition from defence to attack quickly.

The full-backs play a key role in moving quickly in transition, with the support of the two central midfielders, a feature that allows Pochettino to switch between a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-4-2-1 formation.

That has now morphed into a 4-3-3 at PSG as Pochettino tries to get the best out of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. Despite the change in formation, the philosophy remains the same.

Pochettino always directs his teams towards a beautiful attacking and controlling style of play.

High pressing is perhaps the most distinctive feature of Pochettino’s style. Attacking players constantly switch positions and force the opposition deep into their own half, thereby preventing attacks and counter-attacks.

Sir Alex Ferguson is said to be a great admirer of Pochettino and few would dispute claims that United's attacking football has declined since the Scot retired.

It would be presumptuous to claim that Pochettino can restore United's attacking dominance to the level that saw Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney lead them to the Premier League title under Ferguson.

However, the prospect of a similar style of play that United supporters would enjoy is looming and would represent a significant step up in appeal from the approach of Louis van Gaal and Mourinho that Gary Neville labelled "boring".

2. GOOD ABILITY TO TRAIN CHILDREN

Pochettino's system could allow the likes of Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka to flourish and help develop the all-round game of Mason Greenwood (20) and Jadon Sancho (21).

England internationals would probably be the most excited members of the Man United squad if Pochettino arrived given his impressive youth development record.

The 49-year-old gave Harry Kane a chance in the Spurs first team in his first campaign, while Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Harry Winks are other names who have thrived under Pochettino's guidance.

Pochettino has a great role in helping Kane and Alli develop into talents.

Their careers both improved significantly under Pochettino but since his departure, Winks and Alli have declined under Jose Mourinho and Nuno Espirito Santo.

Greenwood and Sancho’s potential is even more impressive than Winks and Alli’s but the pressure on them is also much greater. Both have struggled to develop. Pochettino’s arrival could help them get back on track and reach the top level.

3. GET A LOT OF LOVE

Pochettino will face a lot of pressure when he takes over at Man United. He will be compared to Solskjaer because he is not a club legend and was not very famous when he was playing.

Patience eventually ran out with Solskjaer but many believe his playing reputation and early success in charge helped the Norwegian retain the job for longer.

Pochettino is loved by the clubs he has worked for.

But the reality is that Pochettino is also loved wherever he goes and was also a mainstay at PSG from 2001 to 2003.

"He's a very likeable guy," former Tottenham defender Danny Rose said in 2019. "He was always calm even when we were losing. There were only one or two times when he lost his cool in the first half."

Pochettino remains a popular figure at Spurs and has often spoken kindly of his former club, meaning he would not face the wrath of Tottenham fans if he were to move to Man United.

Hard

1. LACK OF TITLE

One of Pochettino's biggest weaknesses is that he has not won any significant titles in his coaching career. The Argentine strategist has only won 2 titles, both with PSG. Those are the 2020/21 French League Cup and the 2020 French Super Cup. However, he could not help PSG defend the Ligue 1 title or repeat the feat of reaching the Champions League final for the second consecutive season.

Pochettino has not won a significant title in his coaching career and still leaves regrets for Tottenham fans when they once reached the final of the League Cup or Champions League.

Pochettino's collection of titles in his coaching career is quite small.

United's need for silverware is greater than ever, having endured a trophy drought stretching back to the 2016/17 Europa League triumph. Pochettino's teams have impressed but failed to win silverware.

PSG demand the same level of success as Man United but it seems they are still putting their faith in Pochettino having just extended his contract until 2023.

2. DIFFICULT TO MANAGE BIG STARS

In the 2021 summer transfer window, PSG brought in two big stars, Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos. Before that, they also had Mbappe, Neymar and Angel di Maria. According to many sources, Pochettino cannot really manage the dressing room with such big egos.

He has succeeded in removing some egos at Spurs but PSG's stars are world class and difficult to manage. Pochettino has yet to find a consistent balance at PSG with these players.

If he moves to Man United, Pochettino will have to face similar personalities, especially Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar was angry when he was substituted in the match against Everton. After Solskjaer was fired, he criticized his teammates for not having fighting spirit and suggested Luis Enrique to replace him.

Pochettino has had a difficult time in the dressing room with many big stars like Messi or Neymar.

It remains to be seen whether Pochettino can keep Ronaldo in check and deal with a player as charismatic as Paul Pogba. The French midfielder is still uncertain about his future and could leave in January.

Another problem for Pochettino is finding the right arrangement to get the best out of his star players. Solskjaer has failed to find a solution that allows Ronaldo, Sancho, Greenwood, Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Pogba to play effectively together.

Pogba's departure may ease tensions but central midfield remains a major issue for the new United manager, with Scott McTominay and Fred unlikely to be used as much as they were under Solskjaer.

Ronaldo, while still effective in front of goal, is now 36 and United will need a new global superstar to lead the club back to their glory days.

Man United are a team with a lot of problems to solve, while Pochettino has shown that he is better at building and developing teams. There will be doubts about the Argentine's ability to win trophies and manage stars if he accepts the offer at Old Trafford.

According to Bongdaplus