'I've seen Man Utd's latest 'Project' and it's laughable

"United are so far behind the top teams in the country that only the most blinkered Stretford Ender would genuinely believe that they will close the gap in the space of four years."

Manchester United have apparently launched Project 150 - a plan to win the Premier League trophy to celebrate the club’s 150th anniversary in style in 2028. Talk about setting yourselves up for a fall.

There’s nothing wrong with aiming for the stars - especially when you are a club with the stature and history of United. But the OId Trafford club are so far behind the top teams in the country that only the most blinkered Stretford Ender would genuinely believe that they will close the gap in the space of four years - just because the ambition comes with a nice little soundbite.

It’s not as if Erik ten Hag’s team have produced any kind of evidence to suggest that they are narrowing the current gulf in class. If anything, it's getting bigger.

The likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool aren’t just standing still. They are improving all of the time - as are Chelsea, Aston Villa, Tottenham and Newcastle. I don’t see United challenging for the top spot anytime soon.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has come in with big ideas - and has brought in a new chief executive, a sporting director and a technical director. It is early days, of course, but United still look like a club without an identity. Thursday night’s Europa League draw at Porto did little to change that.

From 2-0 up, United needed an injury-time Harry Maguire equaliser to rescue a point after having Bruno Fernandes sent off for the second successive game. Will the real Manchester United please stand up?

Image: Manchester United via Getty Imag) Manchester United via Getty Imag)

They will certainly have to do that at Aston Villa because Unai Emery's men are flying high after beating Bayern Munich in the Champions League. A heavy defeat at Villa Park will once again put Ten Hag's future up for debate.

There’s nothing wrong with thinking big. That’s what the United supporters would expect from any new co-owner. But all the talk falls flat when you see United so uninspired on the pitch in what is the manager's third season in charge.

Ratcliffe started by outlining his plan for a new 100,000 capacity stadium - and then suggested the money to pay for it could come from the public purse. Now the latest idea from the boardroom is for United to become champions inside the next four years.

Image: Getty Images) Getty Images)

For that to happen, things have to change at Old Trafford - and fast. United fans have made it clear that they blame the Glazer family for their club’s spectacular fall from grace in the 11 years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.

Yet despite taking enough annual dividends from the club that could have paid for a stadium upgrade, they have still invested around £2billion in the transfer market.

Players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, Radamel Falcao, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Alexis Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku, Casemiro, Juan Mata and Raphael Varane are amongst those who have played for United in that time. Managers like Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal have tried and failed.

Image: AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images)

All because there has been no joined-up thinking at the club. United have lurched from one philosophy to another and another - and squandered a fortune in the process. What proof has there been that things will change now the Glazers have been joined in the boardroom by Britain’s richest man?

Ratcliffe’s INEOS brains trust gave Ten Hag a vote of confidence in the summer after spending weeks trying to find a replacement for the Dutchman after United had won the FA Cup.

Then they remodelled Ten Hag’s backroom staff - before handing him another £200million to spend on new signings. It feels like the same old, same old.

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