This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Having sold Romelu Lukaku to Inter and Alexis Sanchez to the Nerazzurri on a season-long loan, it was painfully obvious Manchester United landed themselves in a bit of a pickle.
The Red Devils – who have historically boasted some of the greatest strike-forces in Premier League history – headed into the current campaign with just Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood as their sole options up front.
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A 4-0 demolition job over Chelsea in the opening game of the season delivered a rosier tint on the club’s outlook. However, a series of stuttering results and injuries have since painted a rather bleaker picture. The only real silver lining for United so far? The incredible success story of summer signing Daniel James. And he could well turn out to be the answer to United’s big question too.
On the chalkboard
The Welsh wizard has been utilised from the left-hand side, and to good effect too. The former Swansea ace has cut on to his stronger right-foot and terrorised opposition defenders with his directness – on average this season, James has been fouled 2.3 times per game.
Against West Ham on Saturday, Rashford was forced off with a suspected groin injury mid-way through the second-half, and that prompted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to bring on Jesse Lingard. Whilst the England international came on to play the centre-forward role, there was one highlight that should give the United boss some food for thought.
James found himself in the number nine position, and Lingard slipped a ball in behind the Hammers defence. The former showed an incredible turn of pace to try and latch on to it, but was denied by a sprawling Lukasz Fabianski. That phase of play hinted the winger could well be reinvented as a central striker over the coming weeks and months.
Added to his three goals already for the club, the 21-year-old averages 2.3 shots per game, and has shown that he has the willingness to always make runs in behind – look at his goal against Chelsea for instance. Make no mistake, United’s injury problems have highlighted the kind of crisis they have up front. A tactical switch for James could well be the answer for the short-term.
