Neil Humphreys: Man United need a reality check
Recent defeats show why Solskjaer needs to make a huge clearout
One managerial appointment was enough to reveal the rusting apparatus behind Manchester United's facade.
And it wasn't Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
When Zinedine Zidane returned to Real Madrid, he caught the eye of a couple of superstars at Old Trafford.
Unfortunately, Paul Pogba and David de Gea are the only bona fide superstars at United. They are two jewels in a broken crown. When they fail to shine, the illusion is shattered.
United's defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers showed that Solskjaer is not the Messiah, but the emperor in new clothes, capable of convincing the public that United are dressed to thrill.
Of course, the fault doesn't lie with Solskjaer. Adrenaline and momentum were handy Band-Aids, stretching across a honeymoon that lasted several months.
But Pogba and de Dea were dreadful at Wolves. One went AWOL and the other took leave of his senses for both goals. Without them, the Red Devils are maddeningly mediocre, proving that Solskjaer can't just tweak. He's got to tear up the playing roster and start again.
Since Zidane returned to Real, the rumours have miraculously reappeared. While de Gea is suddenly the Darwinist saviour of Los Blancos in the Spanish media, the missing link in the club's stalled evolution.
The speculation is worrying as United cannot win without them. United's third defeat in four matches coincides with Pogba's latest regression and de Gea's sudden loss of form.
With those two distracted, United's limitations are exposed. Solskjaer's defensive options are less appealing than a vegetarian's at a steakhouse.
Having paid Wolves little respect in United's recent FA Cup defeat, the Norwegian played a back three this time, a move that succeeded only in demonstrating that Ashley Young's loss of pace makes him vulnerable to late tackles.
And yet, the 33-year-old was considered a safer bet than experienced centre-back Phil Jones, who only confirmed his manager's misgivings when he came on after Young's red card and delivered one of those horrific displays that was a hair's breadth away from being hysterical.
Both Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof also reminded their manager of how far United's defensive stocks have fallen.
INFLATED EXPECTATIONS
Solskjaer has been an unwitting victim of his own short-term success, relying on the sudden injection of euphoria to artificially inflate expectations.
Before the international break, Champions League qualification seemed a formality. Now the task requires a consistency that has vanished.
Solskjaer wants another 15 points, leaving room for just one defeat in the final six games, two of which are against Manchester City and Chelsea.
But with Pogba and de Gea making eyes at Zidane, where are these victories going to come from?
Against Paris Saint-Germain, Fred teased with flashes of inspiration to suggest he might be worth £52 million (S$92.6m). Against Wolves, he offered further proof that he really wasn't. He's failed more auditions than Joey in Friends.
That's one for the older readers, who'll remember when United had two reliable centre-forwards, rather than one enthralling speedster and one baffling enigma.
When Marcus Rashford is away, Romelu Lukaku doesn't really play. He taunts. He torments his supporters more than his markers. After two years, he's still threatening to be the finished article, if only he could, well, finish a bit more.
A missed header against Wolves joined those wasted opportunities in key games - the one against Arsenal leaps to mind - that leave Lukaku struggling to live up to his £75m tag.
Lukaku, Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Fred, Jones, most of the bench against Wolves and perhaps even Nemanja Matic and Luke Shaw do not boast the collective capabilities to challenge Manchester City and Liverpool, particularly when Pogba and de Gea's heads are turned.
So the latest defeat should be viewed as a welcome reality check.
Solskjaer finds himself in the invidious position of being that HR manager who tells half the office to clear their desks by the end of the day. He knows that six or seven of his current best XI aren't title-winning material.
And yet those who are indispensable could be among the first to go.
In this context, Solskjaer may eventually value the humbling at Wolves. The defeat was a crystal ball, a sneak peek of what United might look like without Pogba or de Gea, and it was grim viewing.
He knows what needs to be done now. When the cull comes, no one will be safe.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
