The new season hasn't got off to a good start for Manchester United's goalkeeper department.
Sunday’s goalkeeper decision making on the Manchester United side is yet again the talk of the town.
Andre Onana has been the centre of much buzz this summer, and Manchester United Head Coach Ruben Amorim's executive decision to put Altay Bayindir in between the posts in Sunday’s match against Arsenal - choosing him over the fit-again Onana - said a lot. But come the end of the ninety, it was the Turkish goalkeeper’s early error that had made the difference between the sides as Arsenal took the three points back to North London.
In the 13th minute, Bayindir struggled to get a strong hand on Declan Rice's corner, barely palming the ball, allowing Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori to nod it right into the goal. This error reignited the spotlight criticism of United's goalkeeper department within just over 10 minutes of the new season's start.
‘Manchester United have a problem,’ former Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison told BBC Radio 5 Live. 'Andre Onana made some big mistakes last season. Goalkeepers are the last line of defence and they can't afford to make mistakes like that.'
Manager Amorim leapt to Bayindir's defence in the post-match press conference.
‘In that moment, you either choose to push a player or to get the ball,’ he said. '[Bayindir] chooses to get the ball, but he's getting pushed.”
Amorim later clarified that Onana had not been dropped for this game and also was not about to leave the club either, despite earlier tentative discussions about signing Emi Martinez from Aston Villa and more recently, Donnarumma of PSG. Facing the choice between Bayindir and 37-year-old Tom Heaton, Amorim chose to defend Bayindir against Arsenal and was displeased at later being questioned about his choice in his post-loss assessment. He defended his three goalkeepers robustly, saying,
'We proved today we can win any game in the Premier League, especially against a great team like Arsenal,' he said. 'We were the better team. I'm happy with the three goalkeepers.'
However much Amorim decides to back his shot-stoppers to the press, however, it is clear that United's goalkeeper department is struggling.
The sensational rumour that David De Gea could be on his way back to Old Trafford popped up in recent days, and has been covered by several major outlets, giving some credibility to the reports. Another name that has been mentioned several times is that of Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens. There is belief that United will more strongly consider a bid to sign Lammens from Royal Antwerp in the final fortnight of the window, TEAMtalk revealed, but the BBC denies that United will make any moves in the remaining part of the window in the goalkeeper department.
When it became apparent Gianluigi Donnarumma was likely to be available after his time at PSG seemingly came to an end in surprising fashion, the word coming out of Old Trafford was the Italian giant would not be heading to Manchester. That stance is not thought to have changed.
A loan approach for Emiliano Martinez was reportedly made earlier this summer and the Argentine signalled he’d be willing to join but Aston Villa informed United it was permanent move or bust and the Red Devils baulked at the £40m asking price.
But what is it that United actually need right now between the sticks?
Stability is an easy word to throw about, but it's exactly what United need. It's not a world beater or even the perfect fit that Amorim's side need in the immediate future, nor is it a youngster without experience relative to performing in that shirt. Of course, the journalist who put forward that Tom Heaton could have started was just trying to make a point and neglected the fact that Heaton hasn't played a Premier League game in five years. But his suggestion implied some sensible ideas.
When a club is in transition, it's sometimes more about minimising damage and mitigating risk, than it is about trying to get everything perfectly right. At this stage, United need to look for areas where they can slowly turn off the spotlights. The club's goalkeeper saga is well known, long-running, and polarising. Is it not the case that they just need to end the talk by taking some sensible looking action, rather than sign the perfect long term number one? One by one, the watertight compartments of the ship, so to speak, need to be sealed, pressure needs to be relieved, and it gives Amorim one less thing to worry about at a time.
Emi Martinez would have been the perfect man to step in; quality, undeniably, but also a signing that made sense for the pressure, level, and experience that holding the United number one shirt demands. De Gea's potential return…well, we'll wait to see what happens there.
Amorim and the club's tactics right now seem to be to properly back what they have. The Portuguese manager's press approach after the Arsenal defeat was reminiscent of Sir Alex Ferguson's manner in response to questions he disliked. Then again, the legendary Scot was a master at protecting his players. Dressing downs happened in the dressing room, not the press suite.
But the question will surely be weighing on their minds. Amorim wants to create a stronger squad bond and part of that is cutting out the noise. The goalkeeper department currently generates a lot of it. A ‘safe pair of hands’ is likely needed at Old Trafford, and it doesn't have to be a ‘sexy’ transfer - just one that goes about business quietly and solidly. Whether that comes from the market remains to be seen.
