Usain Bolt may be a multiple Olympic champion and the fastest man in history, but when it comes to Manchester United, he talks like any ardent fan. Following the Red Devils’ 1-1 draw on Saturday (11/8) against Tottenham, the Jamaican star sent a disgruntled voice message on Monday (11/10) to former defender Rio Ferdinand, demanding urgent changes to the team’s defensive situation.
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A United player sends a message to a fan who has made a promise to the club
According to Bolt, United are “taking pressure” from their opponents and making basic marking errors. The runner directly cited the game for the first goal conceded in the match.
He complained: “The man turns his back. Instead of being pressed to play backwards, he turns and runs towards the defence. They always run backwards. All we do is press.”
The Jamaican, an avowed fan of Ferdinand, invited his idol to speak to the club’s players.
“Please, I’m begging you, brother. You are one of our greatest Manchester United defenders. Go there and say something! This is putting pressure on me,” Bolt said.
Usain also criticized the slowness of the ball and the inability to compete defensively individually.
“They don’t know how to defend individually. They only know how to play according to the system: they line up and play correctly. They don’t get ahead of the goal line, they don’t press, they don’t push the opponent,” he said.
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Ferdinand shared this outburst on his channel, sparking laughter from broadcasters, but he also admitted that the speech reflected the feelings of fans.
He said, “The only point I agree with Bolt is the issue of passing the ball faster. The coach wants the defenders to recycle the ball more decisively.”
Ferdinand also mentioned which players execute this aggressive pressing best, highlighting defender De Ligt’s attitude: “He has been the best this season. He shows exactly what the coach wants: aggressiveness, going at the right time, being on top.”
Despite the mistakes witnessed in the match against Tottenham, especially in light of the lack of coordination, Rio indicated that the process is still far from complete:
He explained: “We are still in the reconstruction phase. We need to control the expectations of the masses.”
Team status
In the English Premier League, the team achieved 5 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats after 11 rounds. Manchester United is in seventh place. The performance puts the team in mid-table, with particular difficulties against direct rivals and away matches.
In the national cups, the club remains alive. In the FA Cup, United qualified for the next stage after a quiet start. In the League Cup, they took the lead in the early stages and retain the chance to challenge for the title, a competition that has historically provided good moments for the club in recent years.
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