Manchester United enjoyed a promising last season under Michael Carrick before all h—ll broke loose and the head coach lost his job.
United, who finished third in the Premier League last season, have regressed dramatically this term, currently finding themselves in the relegation zone.
Players who looked excellent at the start of Carrick’s tenure seemed out of their depth towards the end of the Englishman’s reign, and one such name is Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
Senne Lammens struggling at Manchester United
Senne Lammens‘ move from Belgian outfit Royal Antwerp to Manchester United did not create much noise, given the youngster had very limited experience under his belt.
He even had to wait a few weeks for his debut for the Red Devils, but once he got his opportunity, Lammens made the position his own. Now, he is an undisputed starter at Old Trafford, but his recent performances for club and country have raised some alarm bells.
No team in Europe’s top five leagues has conceded more goals than United across all competitions, with the 24-year-old still waiting for his first clean sheet in the Premier League.
One of Mauricio Pochettino’s tasks would be to help his young goalkeeper regain his confidence.
| Stat | Premier League | UEFA Champions League | All competitions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| Minutes | 900 | 360 | 1260 |
| Avg rating | 6.83 | 6.61 | 6.76 |
| Saves | 33 | 9 | 42 |
| Goals conceded | 12 | 4 | 16 |
| Save % | 73.3% | 69.2% | 72.4% |
| Clean sheets | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Penalties saved | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| xG conceded (PL) | 17.87 | – | 17.87 |
| Goals prevented (PL) | 5.87 | – | 5.87 |
Rudi Garcia hails Senne Lammens
While Pochettino is yet to work with Lammens, Rudi Garcia, who has seen the Belgian closely, is confident United have an incredible talent on their books.
Garcia was Belgium’s head coach at the World Cup and knocked Pochettino’s USA out of the round of 16 before suffering a defeat at the hands of Spain. Lammens was at the centre of that loss, having spilled the ball for Mikel Merino to score the winner late in the game.
Regardless, Garcia remains full of praise of the United number one.
Speaking to The Athletic, the experienced French manager revealed: “With Lammens, I went to Manchester before the World Cup to see him and Jeremy Doku. I saw Senne in a restaurant and spoke about his adaptation because the Manchester United shirt is very heavy when you are a young player. Yet he wears it lightly. His big quality is that he’s not under pressure.
“He’s a young goalkeeper and he needs to improve, but he has some big qualities. It can happen that he makes a big mistake against Spain, but my opinion is always the same about Senne. Good guy, very good goalkeeper.”
“He will be one of the best goalkeepers in the future. And playing for Manchester United is really proof of his huge qualities. He’s very calm, never panics,” Garcia continued. “He reads situations well in the air and one-on-one. Good feet, too.”
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
