Last season Erik ten Hag marked his debut campaign in English football with a top-four place and a trophy; Manchester United sealed the Carabao Cup after beating Newcastle United.
There was much to savour, therefore, about United's new era but it's rather petered out during the Dutchman's second term at Old Trafford.
United have had some great results, notably in the FA Cup where they defeated Liverpool 4-3. With a patched-up backline, their 26th different combination of the season, they then took a point away from their rivals in the league on Sunday afternoon.
Yet, they sit sixth in the Premier League, 11 points behind Villa in fifth and Spurs in fourth. Any hopes of achieving Champions League football for next term would now take a miracle. It's incredibly unlikely.
United could still win the FA Cup but even then that might not be enough to save Ten Hag's job. It's why the club's new hierarchy, consisting of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, could look elsewhere in the summer.
Managers in the frame to replace Ten Hag
One name linked with the job in recent weeks has been former Chelsea boss Graham Potter with Ratcliffe reportedly a big fan of what the English coach could bring to the table.
However, a more attractive name is Thiago Motta who is on the verge of securing Champions League qualification with Bologna for the first time in their history.
That comes courtesy of reports in Italy, via Sport Witness, who suggest that not only is he on Juventus' radar this summer, but that United also 'want' him to come to English football.
Links to such established clubs are unsurprising. The 41-year-old has lost only six games all season with the Serie A side.
Thiago Motta's 2-7-2 formation
What immediately stands out with Motta is the clear identity with which he prefers his teams to play.
This has been a notable critique of Ten Hag's time in Manchester with Gary Neville one vocal pundit on the matter.
Talking on his podcast, he recently said: "Manchester United's style of play is mad. Some of the things you see out there, you wouldn't see at schoolboy level. Their structure defensively goes from being in shape and being okay to all of a sudden emptying the whole midfield. Players press on their own without the rest of their teammates going with them."
Well, that likely wouldn't be a problem any longer if Motta came to United, with his famous 2-7-2 system gaining plaudits.
Of course, that isn't the official term but it does help to depict the structure Bologna and indeed PSG U19s have played with when the Italian has been at the helm.
Speaking to Gazetta Dello Sport about his system, the former midfielder once stated: "My idea is to play offensively. Short team that controls the game. High pressure and a lot of movement without the ball.
"The goalkeeper counts as one of the midfield seven. For me, the attacker is the first defender and the goalkeeper is the first attacker. The goalkeeper starts the play with his feet and the attackers are the first to put pressure on the ball."
The goalkeeper – who in this case would be Andre Onana, typically adept with his feet – would push into the midfield and defensive lines when in possession. It's important to note that a formation would traditionally be read out with the horizontal system in mind. On this occasion, it's vertically, like below (credit to Tifo Football).
This might sound rather confusing but it's a clear style of play and one that's helped Bologna to fourth spot in Serie A currently, four points behind Juventus.
For this, he has been lauded as "one of the most interesting young coaches in Europe" by scout Jacek Kulig, and a "special" figure by Italian football expert James Horncastle.
Additionally, he'd surely find a way to cure United's diabolical defensive record.
In the first half against Liverpool, while the Red Devils registered 0 xG, their opponents managed 1.59 xG and this has been a common theme throughout the season.
In their miraculous 1-1 draw with Brentford, the Bees had 31 shots, their most ever in a top-flight game and were remarkably only two touches in the United box away from equalling Man City's Premier League record of 87.
They have also have the third worst expected goals against (xGA) tally in the entire division, with 61.23. To put that into context, Arsenal's total stands at just 24.80, the best in the league.
#1 Arsenal
24.80
#2 Liverpool
37.13
#3 Manchester City
31.15
#4 Spurs
53.57
#5 Aston Villa
52.80
#6 Manchester United
61.23
So, how could Motta solve this? Well, the figures tell you everything. His Bologna side sits fourth in Serie A for expected goals against (31.72) and have the third-best record in the division when it comes to conceding goals (25). That's not bad at all.
This may well be a left-field appointment should it take place but it would be a clever and pragmatic answer to their problems.
The young tactician is achieving things with Bologna that they never thought was possible
