Manchester United v Brighton: a seven year old boy's view from the Stretford End and one Ralf Rangnick tactic that exposes all of his failings

We go, not because I'm a fan, but because at seven years old he was hooked on the Reds over the Pennines from the moment *he* signed. You know who I mean. It cost me £67 in the club shop after the Atalanta game.

Like any little boy or girl who walks the Munich Tunnel, he buzzes and fizzes as the songs reverberate around the enclosed space as you navigate your way through the VIP entrances, press boxes and head towards the fatty waft of the burger vans.

But on Tuesday night v Brighton, the penny dropped for him.

"We're not even as good as Brighton, dad." He said. A veteran fan whose seat has been his since he earned a tanner however he could heard Harry complaining to me. He leaned in and with that distinct Mancunian accent said: "Why is it, young man, that you can see what we can see yet they don't see it at all?"

The boy smiled. Bewildered. He didn't really know what the man meant. I did.

"ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK."

The rallying cry that used to come from THAT corner of Old Trafford. The corner that Ole Gunnar Solskjær described as the best support in the world. But it was once reserved for European royalty. A secret weapon when nights under the lights got tricky against the heavyweights of the Champions League and European Cup. But, this was Brighton ... and it was 0-0.

The frustration was palpable. Even from a seven year old whose experience of the beautiful game amounts to five a side with his buddies on a Sunday. But even he was hurting. His late grandad told him United were the best. Before he died he made sure his grandson was wearing a red shirt. I wonder what he would have made of Manchester United v Brighton on Tuesday 15th February, 2022.

I am not Henry Winter. I won't try to be. But when a seven year old asks why those in red don't care, something is wrong. That first half v Brighton at Old Trafford was as poor a Manchester United performance as you'll see. Ever.

Of course, everything changed in the second half, but not by design. Ralf Rangnick didn't effect the change. VAR did when it tempted the referee into revising his initial decision of a yellow card to turn it into a red. Dunk walked. Slam Dunk. RR sent Fred back out after a performance befitting a seven year old. He was awful.

Next time you're watching, watch how Rangnick makes both centre halves stand in front of David de Gea and both full backs stand in and around the 18-yard box for goal kicks, putting United in a corner that neither Dalot nor Shaw have the talent to escape.

You'll also see how nobody else comes close or adjusts. It simply makes De Gea look hesitant. Watch that. Because if even a seven year old in the Stretford End can see it, Ralf Rangnick should be able to see it.