BERNARD!

🚨 Roy Keane on Patrick Dorgu’s impact after replacing Diogo Dalot against Aston Villa: “Dorgu is supposed to be the lad trying to find his form. He comes on and suddenly the striker gets a cross he can score from. Then he gets himself on the end of a corner. So what exactly have we been waiting for from the player he replaced? People will say, ‘Dalot is always available.’ Available to do what? Going forward, what are you getting? Defensively, what are you trusting? Because a lad who is still trying to get himself going has come off the bench and given United something they desperately needed. But give Dorgu his credit first. He’s coming into a difficult game. United are two goals behind, the crowd is frustrated, and he’s got his own confidence to think about. He could take the easy option. Get it, give it back, make sure nobody can point to him losing possession. Instead, he takes responsibility. That cross for Zirkzee. Look at what it allows the centre-forward to do. Attack the delivery. He doesn’t have to stop his run and wait for somebody to finish making a decision. You’re a striker. You’ve come on late. You’re looking for one decent opportunity. Dorgu gives him one. If I’m Zirkzee, I’m going straight over to him. ‘Give me that again.’ ‘I’ll put it in.’ ‘Then I’ll be there.’ That’s how you build something between players. One makes the run, the other rewards it. The next time Dorgu gets his head up, Zirkzee has a reason to believe the ball is coming. You can spend all week talking about combinations. That’s a combination. A useful ball and somebody willing to attack it. And Dorgu doesn’t decide his afternoon is finished because he’s got an assist. There’s still another goal needed. Bruno takes the corner, Dorgu gets himself in there, and he scores. That’s what I like. He’s affected the game from out wide, then he’s gone into the box to affect it again. He hasn’t stood outside admiring the cross he put in a few minutes earlier. Someone might ask him afterwards, ‘Did you feel confident coming on?’ He might say, ‘Not completely.’ Fine. You don’t have to feel brilliant to do your job. Sometimes you have to go and do something that gives you confidence. Make the run. Deliver the ball. Compete in the box. He’s given himself actual reasons to feel better walking off that pitch. He’s helped a teammate score and he’s scored himself. That will do more for him than another week of people saying he needs confidence. And it should mean something when the next team is being picked. I’d be asking him, ‘Can we have that attitude from the start?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Good. Then make it difficult to leave you out.’ He’s earned that conversation. Which brings you back to Dalot. We keep being asked to be patient with the experienced player while finding reasons the younger one isn’t ready. Dorgu needs form. He needs games. He needs confidence. What does Dalot need? How long are we giving him to recognise when to cross a ball or when to make a tackle? At some point, somebody at the club has to answer a simple question. ‘Why is he playing?’ And the answer has to involve football. What he contributes. What he makes better. ‘He’s fit.’ So is the referee. You wouldn’t put him at full-back. Dorgu has come on and made a case for himself. There’s effort in it, certainly, but there’s also an end product. United needed goals and he was involved in both of the ones that brought them back to four-four. That’s the part he should take home with him. He didn’t wait until everything felt comfortable to have an impact. He came into a mess and gave his teammates something to work with. Now let him build on it. If he’s trying to get back into form, give him the opportunity to carry this into the next game. He’s done enough waiting behind someone who keeps being available without making himself useful.”