It would be fair to say that Manchester United target Jonathan David did not have the best of matches against Croatia in Canada’s World Cup match today.
Even when his team were in control in the early stages, the Lille striker had little involvement, failing to register a shot and giving away possession as many times as he kept it.
He managed to sting goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic’s hands in the second half with a shot from distance, but ultimately the striker offered little threat.
Naturally, the quality of the opposition was a factor, as the Croats often resorted to magic to leave Canada chasing shadows.
But what Jonathan David couldn’t offer his team was what Manchester United have often lacked this season: an outlet.
The striker has been playing a central role for his club this season and has taken up the mantle of lone striker having played almost exclusively in both forwards last season.
But against Croatia, he lacked the presence or movement of a true center forward, as he struggled to create space for himself or time for his teammates.
A dynamic striker, David seemed to want to move far away from Josko Gvardiol and Dejan Lovren to avoid the physical battle, but often did so without really being available in good positions to his teammates.
It was the sort of move Cristiano Ronaldo frustrated fans with during his final weeks at Old Trafford, only David saw less of the ball.
With United lacking a real central presence up front, Canada’s game against Croatia will cast some doubt on their ability to lead the line in Erik ten Hag’s attack. Reportedly available for €50m this January, today’s performance is unlikely to raise that price.
Of course, there should be no doubt of his talent after a loss against a tough opponent; after all, David has scored nine goals and provided three assists in 15 games for Lille this season, directly contributing to more than 44% of Lille’s goals. in Ligue 1.
But this was a clear ‘bad day’ for the striker and it was no surprise to see him withdrawn in the last 20 minutes.
