Premier League: Why is Mkhitaryan getting such short shrift from fans?
Many fans have been quick to judge Manchester United's Armenian signing harshly, but Liam Canning says all the stick he's been getting is unfair.
In the new Premier League era we have stumbled into, managers and players alike have to hit the ground running to avoid criticism or the sack. If a manager goes on a dry spell of just three games - see the criticism of Jose Mourinho - fans and the club’s internal judicators become angsty and demand more.
It’s the same for players. Just look at how Paul Pogba was received for his second coming at Old Trafford. His very first touch (that’s no exaggeration) was heavily scrutinised and within 90 minutes he was labelled a ‘fraud’.
[MKHITARYAN IN LINE TO RETURN IN EUROPA LEAGUE]
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, signed from Borussia Dortmund last summer for £25m, has had a difficult start to life at Manchester United. Being eased into the team by José Mourinho, Mkhitaryan has only played 107 competitive minutes of first-team action. His first competitive start for the club was in the Manchester Derby in which he looked tired and off-beat and was hooked at halftime.
On the back of that game against the Citizens, fans were brutally critical of Mkhitaryan’s performance and hounded him for days after. There was not as much scrutiny for the other players - even though some were far worse on the pitch.
Mkhitaryan’s the new boy on the block who hasn’t had the chance to impress in a way that Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Eric Bailly have, so there’s always going to be some criticism for why he hasn’t hit the heights of those.
The Armenian forward was voted as Germany’s best player by many German outlets last season after finding the back of the net 11 times and assisting his teammates a further 15 times.
There’s already been talk of Mkhitaryan suffering the same fate as former Manchester United midfielder, Shinji Kagawa. Also a Dortmund star, the Japanese maestro was one of the best playmakers in the Bundesliga, but he came to Manchester and failed to replicate his masterstroke performances that made his name.
Mkhitaryan had a positive pre-season with the Red Devils and showed genuine sparks of innovative attacking play that broke down defences.
Time isn’t on the Armenian’s side as fans become impatient with every game that goes on. The injury he picked up at half-time in the Manchester Derby kept him out for a week and the last Mourinho said of the matter was that he wasn’t at full fitness.
“I wouldn’t say injured, injured. Not 100%. When you have to win, I go with players who are 100%,” he said.
There’s no doubt that Mkhitaryan is one of the best attacking forwards in the world, and his form with Dortmund over the past few years has shown that.
As far as he’s concerned, it’s about regaining fitness and building the consistency in game time and performance in perfect harmony. Mkhitaryan has moments of magic in him, like any world-class playmaker, but he can’t become sidetracked and become negatively affected if games are a slog to begin with.
The Premier League’s a different beast to the Bundesliga and he hasn’t properly been introduced to it. It’s played at a faster tempo and not as tactical as the German league.
Kevin De Bruyne had virtual like-for-like statistics as the Armenian in the Bundesliga when he was playing for Wolfsburg. The Belgian came to Manchester City and struggled initially to adapt to the difference in styles. City fans gave him time to get used to what was needed and now they’re reaping the rewards massively.
Mkhitaryan may not be the same ilk as De Bruyne, but one thing is for certain: fans and the club have to give him time to excel in a new team, new country and under a new manager. It’s only fair.
