Why Manchester United’s Heavy Tour Loss Should Cause No Panic for Jose Mourinho

Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United had an excellent record in pre-season, but Borussia Dortmund ensured that Jose Mourinho’s Red Devils’ summer tour got off to a bad start.

The Germans’ 4-1 win was comfortable, even if Mourinho suggested 3-2 would have been a more accurate reflection of the balance of the game, per Sky Sports. There is some merit to that—once Henrikh Mkhitaryan had made the score 3-1, United enjoyed a period of creativity unlike any that had come earlier in the game.

However, whether the score slightly flattered them or not, anything other than a Borussia win would have been a travesty. Thomas Tuchel’s side looked much fitter than United, much closer to their stride.

Jose Mourinho gives his thought’s on today’s game. See more reaction on #MUTVHD: https://t.co/HybUUzh26b #MUTOUR https://t.co/fawhCbD7wI

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 22, 2016

As Mourinho said in his post-match press conference, per Sky Sports again:

I know that in pre-season the team that is in the advanced stage of preparation looks far better than the other team. This happens year after year, some good teams lose to a big result, but I think it was too obvious, it was too obvious.

If we do not know, I think after 10 minutes we know that one team started training 10 days ago and played one match and the other team started one month ago and already played four matches. It is too easy to see the difference in intensity and sharpness, so for us it was very difficult and I think the second half was better, we adapted better to the game.

The first half was a tough watch for United fans, with precious little done with what little possession their team managed.

Although the golden rule of not reading too much into pre-season applies, it still seems unlikely Mourinho will opt for Memphis Depay in a lone-striker role too often this season. The former PSV Eindhoven player still looks bereft of the certainty of touch that comes with confidence.

Mourinho has a lot of rebuilding work to do if he intends to make Memphis a regular feature in his side in any position.

Castro, Dembele, Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan in the goals as #BVB thump #MUFCHighlights ?: https://t.co/bYvl7xkL6k pic.twitter.com/7U4edFwToa

— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) July 22, 2016

Equally, the new manager is unlikely to consider Jesse Lingard a reliable source of goals or assists. The United academy product is a willing worker, is clearly committed to the cause and has the kind of goal he scored in the FA Cup final in his locker, but his output has never been consistent.

Lingard averaged a goal or assist every 327 minutes of league football last season, per WhoScored.com—not a particularly impressive haul given he always played in an attacking role. He had one of United’s few first-half chances against Dortmund. One on one with Roman …

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