What Has Happened to Adnan Januzaj's Promising Career at Manchester United?
With the onus on Manchester United to break down a resolute West Bromwich Albion side on Saturday, just how difficult a season it has been for Adnan Januzaj was highlighted by the fact that the Belgian didn’t even make it off the bench in the 1-0 defeat.
An uninspiring performance against the Baggies called for the introduction of attacking flair in the second half, but manager Louis van Gaal only made two of his three allotted substitutions and forced the 20-year-old to watch on from the sidelines.
Why, then, has one of the most creative players at the club struggled for game time in a season where United have so often looked one-paced and flat in attack?
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The answer is perhaps twofold.
Firstly, it was always going to be tougher for Januzaj following United’s summer spending spree. With the likes of Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao on the bench in recent weeks, it’s hardly surprising that a player in only his second full season of senior football has also spent plenty of time as a substitute.
The second point is more concerning. It is becoming less and less of a coincidence that attackers like Januzaj and Di Maria—instinctive players who unnerve defences with their speed and dribbling—are struggling for form and playing time with Van Gaal in charge.
There is an unshakeable feeling that the Dutchman has curbed some of his players’ natural creativity by asking them to adapt to his prescriptive and possession-based style of football.
That was certainly evident against West Brom, which is why it was puzzling that someone with a creative spark like Januzaj wasn’t called upon to inject some pace into United’s attack.
Last season, David Moyes managed Januzaj extremely well. He rested him when he needed to be rested but played him often enough to fast-track his development.
The then-18-year-old was superb in his full debut vs. Sunderland, scoring two sublime goals. In the very next game, he played a defence-splitting through ball that led to his side’s only goal in a draw against Southampton.
That pattern was repeated throughout the season. Januzaj scored a brilliant goal against West Ham United in December and came off the bench to change the game five days later when United were two goals down against Hull City.
Time and time again in what was a difficult campaign, the Belgian sparkled.
There was a feeling that he was at the start of a journey that the likes of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and David De Gea had made before him: developing from a talented prospect into a world-class player.
That was certainly the view held by former United player Gary Neville when Januzaj broke into United’s first team at the end of 2013, per EASports.com. "I’ve played at United and you’re very conscious of adding too much pressure to young players," he said. "However, I genuinely think this guy could be one of the best in the world. I think he’s that talented."
This season, Januzaj has been both underused and misused. In his first 93 minutes of Premier League football under Van Gaal, he played as a right wing-back, right-winger and central midfielder in games against Swansea City and Sunderland.
Such constant chopping and changing has typified his season. Since those first two games, he has been used as a conventional winger, striker, traditional No. 10 and even a left-wing-back for the final 26 minutes in United’s 1-1 draw away at Stoke City.
The point, as evidenced by the number of roles and positions he has played, is that Januzaj has become a utility man.
He hasn’t started a game since mid-February and didn’t feature at all during United’s run of excellent victories against Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester City.
In a strange way, his best display this season came in a spell at the start of the second half against Swansea on the opening day. He terrorised Neil Taylor on the right wing and drew a yellow card out of the left-back after coasting past him on a number of occasions.
Swansea reacted and doubled up on him, limiting his impact, but it’s been noticeable how that electric form has been absent from his play ever since.
Januzaj faces an unfortunate paradox. In a class of his own when playing at under-21 level but not yet good enough for a regular starting role in United’s first team, he needs game time in order to fulfill his potential.
It’s worrying, therefore, that he has been consigned to a marginal role in a season where United have suffered a seemingly never-ending injury crisis and struggled in attack even when players have been fit. It’s part of the reason why a loan deal seems inevitable.
With the exception of defender Jonny Evans, it’s hard to think of someone who has endured a more difficult time than the Belgian from last season to this one.
The player who succeeded in injecting some life into Moyes’ generally lifeless side has become a benchwarmer under Van Gaal.
He had such a promising future ahead of him in May 2014 but faces uncertain times in May 2015. In 2016, we may well know whether or not Januzaj has a long-term future at United.
All statistics via WhoScored.com.
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