Manchester United kicked off their preseason slate with a 0-1 loss to Championship side Wrexham in Helsinki on Saturday. It wasn’t exactly a thrilling afternoon at the office.
The Red Devils controlled possession for stretches but generated almost nothing in the final third. For a game that was supposed to build momentum, it mostly just raised questions about Michael Carrick’s lineup choices.
Carrick made a few positional experiments that stood out. Leny Yoro got the nod at right-back, which is not his natural spot. Mason Mount kept playing in a deeper midfield role alongside new signing Andrey Santos. And then there was Patrick Dorgu, who started on the left wing instead of his usual left-back spot.
Dorgu, 21, made it pretty clear after the match that he liked what he saw from that vantage point.
Speaking to MUTV, the Denmark international said, I’ve found it good. It’s nice to play a bit higher up because you’ve got cover from your left-back and a bit more freedom on the pitch. Hopefully, I can play many more games there, improve my game in that position, and become even sharper.
Versatility might be the name of the game
The thing is, United still don’t have a proper backup for Luke Shaw. So even if Dorgu prefers the attacking side of things, he might get asked to slide back into that full-back role when needed. He says he’s ready for whatever.
I feel like I can play in a lot of positions, and I trust myself wherever I play. Wherever the coach thinks I can do the best job, I’ll give everything for the team,
Dorgu added.
The next few weeks should give Carrick more data points. United have friendlies coming up against Rosenborg, and then the real tests begin: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, and AC Milan. That’s a serious step up from Wrexham.
Dorgu is clearly looking forward to those matchups. It’s always good to play against big teams, especially teams we could face in the Champions League. It’ll be good to see the level and compete against the best teams in Europe.
On the training side, the former Lecce player said the focus so far has been getting back into shape and building chemistry. The harder work is still ahead. It’s good to get back to playing again, get the rhythm back, and play with my teammates again. It has been good and also been hard. We’ve been working on getting our sharpness and fitness back. Everyone came back happy, and we’re all excited for the season. It’s nice to be back training and competing again.
When asked about the team’s big-picture goals for the season, Dorgu didn’t take the bait. He kept it short: The first game is against Hull, so we’ll take it one game at a time. Obviously, we want to compete for trophies and the league as well, but it’s all about the first game. We need to prepare well for that one, and then we’ll go from there.
One thing is for sure: Dorgu’s flexibility gives Carrick options. Whether he ends up as a winger or a full-back, the kid wants to play. And he wants to play forward.
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