Manchester United Is In Shambles

Manchester United Is In Shambles

Have the glory days of England's most celebrated football club ended?

Matthew McGrath
Matthew McGrath Dec 7, 2018
339
views

I have to get something off my chest: José Mourinho is washed up.

Sure, the Portuguese gaffer has enjoyed a successful managerial career. He's secured two Primeira Liga titles, two Serie A titles, one La Liga title, and three Premier League titles, and was even named FIFA World Coach of the Year in 2010 during his stint at Inter Milan.

Mou's achievements are ancient relics. The current Manchester United boss has been on the hot seat for months as his squad continues to underperform week in and week out. Last Saturday, United drew 0-0 at home against a mediocre Crystal Palace side. Everton gained three points in a 1-0 victory over bottom feeders Cardiff, catapulting the Toffees into 6th in the Premier League Table while Mourinho's team slid into 7th.

For most clubs, 7th place in England's top division is considered to be a solid position. For the Red Devils, 7th place indicates something is wrong.

United has been inconsistent on both sides of the pitch this season. The 20-time English Champions are the only team in the top half of the table that maintains a negative goal difference. Only six clubs, all of which sit 14th or lower in the table, have conceded more goals thus far.

Mourinho prides himself on defensive stability as his best teams were renowned for frustrating opponents with their tight-knit structure and ability to halt even the most pertinent attacks. United's current backline, however, lacks discipline and has been easily exploited by opposing teams this season.

The Red Devils have also encountered difficulty on the offensive end. While 20 team goals in 13 fixtures certainly aren't dismal numbers, Mourinho's men have failed to exceed expectations. Heralded summer-signing Fred has tallied only one goal in 485 minutes of game time, and English prodigy Marcus Rashford can't hit water if he fell out of a boat.

Explosive Chilean winger Alexis Sanchez, who was scooped up from Arsenal in January, finds himself in Mourinho's doghouse, hardly seeing the pitch in recent weeks after a spell of unproductiveness.

There have been very few bright spots at Old Trafford this season. Former outcast Anthony Martial is in excellent form after bagging six goals in eight games, and cultural icon Paul Pogba has rediscovered himself following a poor showing in the previous campaign.


Anthony Martial scores splendid, curling strike www.youtube.com


Obviously, this has been a disappointing season for Manchester United players and fans alike. José Mourinho refuses to adapt to the new style of English football and his team has suffered as a result. It looks likely, though not definite, that the Red Devils will finish outside the Top Four for the 4th time in six seasons since legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement.

Somehow, United has clinched a spot in the Champions League Knockout Stage. An impressive victory at Juventus and a last-second winner from Marouane Fellaini against Young Boys propelled Mou's squad into the next round. It will be interesting to see how United fair in the knockout stage of the world's most illustrious football competition despite the team's poor Premier League record.

Manchester United needs a fresh start. Mourinho has proven himself right out of a job and will inevitably be fired after his team loses at home to Fulham or Huddersfield. Could former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane be brought in as Mourinho's replacement? After all, Zizou has had a massively successful managerial career, winning the Champions League title three times during his 3-year stint at the Bernabéu.

This is something I can definitely envision in the near future.

While the glory days of the 1990s and early 2000s have ended, Manchester United must reestablish itself as an intimidating club not only within England but also on an international level. The Red Devils find themselves in real flames, but the question is: who will be the one to put out the fire?

Not José Mourinho and his outdated strategies, that's for sure.


Matthew McGrath
Matthew McGrath Dec 7, 2018
At Rowan University

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The Truth About Young Marriage

Different doesn't mean wrong.
Sarah Bashlor
Sarah Bashlor Apr 26, 2016
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When I was a kid, I had an exact picture in my mind of what my life was going to look like. I was definitely not the kind of girl who would get married young, before the age of 25, at least.

And let me tell you, I was just as judgmental as that sentence sounds.

I could not wrap my head around people making life-long commitments before they even had an established life. It’s not my fault that I thought this way, because the majority opinion about young marriage in today’s society is not a supportive one. Over the years, it has become the norm to put off marriage until you have an education and an established career. Basically, this means you put off marriage until you learn how to be an adult, instead of using marriage as a foundation to launch into adulthood.

When young couples get married, people will assume that you are having a baby, and they will say that you’re throwing your life away — it’s inevitable.

It’s safe to say that my perspective changed once I signed my marriage certificate at the age of 18. Although marriage is not always easy and getting married at such a young age definitely sets you up for some extra challenges, there is something to be said about entering into marriage and adulthood at the same time.

SEE ALSO: Finding A Husband In College

Getting married young does not mean giving up your dreams. It means having someone dream your dreams with you. When you get lost along the way, and your dreams and goals seem out of reach, it’s having someone there to point you in the right direction and show you the way back. Despite what people are going to tell you, it definitely doesn’t mean that you are going to miss out on all the experiences life has to offer. It simply means that you get to share all of these great adventures with the person you love most in the world.

And trust me, there is nothing better than that. It doesn’t mean that you are already grown up, it means that you have someone to grow with.

You have someone to stick with you through anything from college classes and changing bodies to negative bank account balances.

You have someone to sit on your used furniture with and talk about what you want to do and who you want to be someday.

Then, when someday comes, you get to look back on all of that and realize what a blessing it is to watch someone grow. Even after just one year of marriage, I look back and I am incredibly proud of my husband. I’m proud of the person he has become, and I’m proud of what we have accomplished together. I can’t wait to see what the rest of our lives have in store for us.

“You can drive at 16, go to war at 18, drink at 21, and retire at 65. So who can say what age you have to be to find your one true love?" — One Tree Hill
Cover Image Credit: Sara Donnelli Photography
Sarah Bashlor
Sarah Bashlor Apr 26, 2016
At Southern New Hampshire University

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How To Stay Mentally Healthy In College

Our mental health is just as important as our physical health.

Emily Janssen
Emily Janssen Jun 10, 2019
446
views

Staying healthy in college seems really, really hard to do. Classes, friends, clubs, and the whole fact of living by yourself can create a lot of stress and anxiety. Most students, and people in general, don't really know how to deal with stress or how to take care of themselves mentally, leading to unhealthy behaviors physically and mentally. If you don't take care of your mental health, your physical health will suffer eventually. Here are a few tips and tricks to help take care of your mental health:

1. Eat a well-balanced diet

Eating fruits, vegetables, grains, and other healthy foods will help you feel more energized and motivated. Most people associate eating a balanced diet as beneficial for your physical health, but it is just as important for your mental health.

2. Keep a journal and write in it daily

Writing can be one of the most relaxing and stress-relieving things you can do for yourself. Writing down the issues you are struggling with or the problems you are encountering in your life on a piece of paper can help you relax and take a step back from that stress.

3. Do something that brings you joy

Take some time to do something that brings you joy and happiness! It can be really easy to forget about this when you are running around with your busy schedule but make some time to do something you enjoy. Whether it be dancing, writing, coloring, or even running, make some time for yourself.

4. Give thanks

Keeping a gratitude log — writing what brings you joy and happiness — helps to keep you positively minded, which leads to you becoming mentally healthy. Try to write down three things that brought you joy or made you smile from your day.

5. Smile and laugh

Experts say that smiling and laughing help improve your mental health. Not only is it fun to laugh, but laughing also helps you burn calories! There's a reason why smiling and laughing are often associated with happiness and joyful thoughts.

6. Exercise

Staying active and doing exercises that energize your body will help release endorphins and serotonin, which both act as a natural antidepressant. Keeping an active lifestyle will help you stay happy!

7. Talk out your problems

All of us deal with stress and have problems from time to time. The easiest and probably most beneficial way to deal with this stress and anxiety is to talk it out with a close friend, family member, or even a counselor.

8. See a counselor, peer mentor, or psychologist

Just like it was stated in the previous point, it is beneficial to talk out your problems with a counselor. We all have issues, and it is OK to ask for help.

Keeping up your mental health in college can be a struggle, and it may be hard to even admit you are not mentally healthy. This is OK; you are not alone. If you want to see a psychologist or would like to learn more about mental health, there are resources. You can also take a self-assessment of your mental health. If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, please, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Emily Janssen
Emily Janssen Jun 10, 2019
At Miami University

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