Manchester United's Defence Needs Quick and Major Investment

When the summer transfer window closed at the start of September, Louis van Gaal would have surveyed the state of his defence and known he was taking a risk. 

Despite spending an unprecedented £150 million on six new signings, Van Gaal had failed to secure what his side needed above all else: An established central defender.

It seems almost negligent now for United to have watched Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic walk out of Old Trafford and not sought to immediately replace their experience.

Instead, the only defenders signed were Luke Shaw, who at only 19 is clearly a long-term project, and Marcos Rojo, another player who at 24 was coming from Portugal and would also need time to settle.

Both were wise investments with significant potential, but neither of them were ever expected to make an immediate and major impact.

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Van Gaal also inherited a stable of underwhelming central defenders in Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Jonny Evans, and an erratic right-back in Rafael, who all share the same frustrating quality of having talent, but not showing it enough.

They are all too injury-prone, too rash in their decision-making, and crucially too likely to make a costly mistake. Smalling’s ridiculous sending off after his two yellow cards against Manchester City at the weekend was yet more evidence of this. 

While these defenders can boast Premier League winners medals, they had up until now always been protected by playing alongside either Vidic or Ferdinand. Without them they have now been exposed. 

United have already conceded 14 goals in just 10 games this season, which has been their worst start to a campaign since 1986-87 when Ron Atkinson would lose his job for it.

Of course, Van Gaal has been unlucky with injuries, but these always happen, and he allowed himself to start the season with a squad that has been unable to deal with them.

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It meant that on Sunday against Manchester City, Van Gaal's side finished with a defence consisting of two midfielders, Antonio Valencia and Michael Carrick, and two 19-year-olds, Luke Shaw and Paddy McNair.

Van Gaal was always taking a risk, and he is now paying for it.

Football people know strikers win games, but defenders win titles, and Van Gaal doesn’t have enough of them to get close to that this season, and even a top-four finish is looking problematic. 

The United defence needs urgent and major investment to become a team capable of challenging for the title again.

Van Gaal can’t afford to invest in more youth and potential at the back, he needs experience; players who will immediately steady and improve his defence.

At least one established central defender is required, possibly two, while more experience and cover is also needed in both full-back positions.

Until these positions are addressed, the United defence will continue to look vulnerable.