Andre Onana’s early struggles at Old Trafford have not been helped by the outfield players’ shortcomings, according to a former Manchester United keeper.
The Cameroonian has made some costly errors since arriving from Inter Milan in the summer, most notably against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Onana’s coolness on the ball and superb distribution were among the factors that led to Erik ten Hag bringing him in at the expense of club legend David de Gea.
But United’s inconsistent form has not allowed the team to get the best out of the 27-year-old, according to Siobhan Chamberlain, who spent the final years of her playing career with United’s women’s team.
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“Andre Onana has made some mistakes, but his style of distribution has helped Manchester United start from the back,” Chamberlain exclusively told Ladbrokes. “I don't think the team as a whole have been playing anywhere near well enough for them to utilise Onana to his full potential.
“I think it'll take time for the outfield players to adjust to his distribution, figure out where they need to be, and learn how to react and position themselves to maximise that part of Onana’s game.
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“It’s difficult when you're brought in, and he's said it himself, David de Gea’s shoes are big ones to fill. There's been so much talk about his brilliant distribution. But ultimately, as a goalkeeper, you need to be good at keeping the ball out of the net first and foremost. Your bread-and-butter saves are the ones you need to focus on perfecting, then everything else comes next.”
Chamberlain also argued that debates about individual performances take a backseat amid the ongoing takeover saga as the Glazer family cling to power at Old Trafford despite stiff opposition from fans.
“I also think that there's a lot that needs to improve within the club before you can necessarily get into the nitty-gritty of worrying about where your goalkeeper is distributing the ball to,” she added.
“The ownership issues are huge. Until you can sort out those problems, it's going to be difficult to get everyone firing on all cylinders. That's just hanging over the club at the moment, and it's a difficult position for the club to be in.
“I'm doing quite a bit of work for MUTV at the moment, so United are definitely one of the first results I look out for on a weekend, for sure. It makes things a lot easier doing club media bits and pieces when the team are playing well.”
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