“In that position I just have to smash it”. And smash it Patrick Dorgu did at the Emirates for one of the goals of the season. And the latest standout moment of a month where the Dane has come to the fore from nowhere.
The last seven league games have seen Dorgu double his total assist tally for Manchester United and grab his first three goals for the club. All were brilliant in their own regard but his strike on Sunday was something else.
In this article we’ll cover
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Dorgu’s unlikely transformation
It wasn’t just about the Tony Yeboah-like half volley finish that so satisfyingly cracked off the bar before going in. The link-up and one-twos with Bruno Fernandes to create the shot was further proof of a player brimming with confidence and reborn as a left-winger.
The 21-year-old had played on both the left and right of attack while at Lecce but was near-exclusively used as a wing-back in Ruben Amorim’s much-derided 3-4-3 system.
It was not working with the Portuguese head coach claiming he could “feel the anxiety” whenever Dorgu got on the ball. There was likely something lost in translation and it was relatively accurate but it wasn’t exactly the right way to build up a somewhat shy young player.
Amorim can be credited though with moving the Dane further forward in the dying days of his reign albeit it was not out of choice. The Africa Cup of Nations and a flurry of injuries forced the decision but it did lead to an assist at Aston Villa and a strike against Newcastle.
It was both the first goal of his United career and the final winner in a strange 14 months under the now-departed Amorim.
Carrick proving to have the Midas touch
Dorgu stayed on the wing for Darren Fletcher’s first game in charge, teeing up Benjamin Sesko with a fine cross from the left but has taken his game to a different level under Michael Carrick.
He has been one of several star performers in a stunning pair of wins against Manchester City and the Gunners. There’s now technical quality and elite ball-striking to go with his undoubted athleticism and work-rate, and the stats back up the eye test.
| Patrick Dorgu | Last five Premier League games |
|---|---|
| Duels won | 45 |
| Possessions won | 33 |
| Fouls won | 13 |
| Shots | 11 |
| Chances created | 11 |
It’s been mentioned on social media and it’s a very flattering comparison but there is shades of Gareth Bale’s 2010 arc right now, a player Dorgu’s former Lecce boss Luca Gotti used as a reference point for his potential development in 2024.
For those who don’t recall, the Welsh legend was once a struggling left-back who infamously had to wait until his 25th Premier League game to record a win with Spurs.
Harry Redknapp made the decision to move him forward and the rest as they say is history. While Dorgu is almost certain to never come near the heights Bale reached, his transformation does give United a new attacking weapon.
Coincidentally Redknapp gave Carrick his debut as a player and it appears the ex-United midfielder has picked up a few traits off the his one-time West Ham boss, chiefly putting round pegs in round holes.
The future looks bright for the Dane
That looks to be what has happened with Dorgu and it speaks volumes that the only worry after a fantastic for United was the Dane’s fitness. He hobbled off in the final 10 minutes clutching his hamstring but Carrick said afterwards it was likely just cramp.
That is hopefully the case as winger is one of the first names on the team sheet right now when little over a month ago, it looked like he didn’t have a long-term future at the club.
Next Monday marks Dorgu’s one-year anniversary at Old Trafford. With the way things are going, what might we be saying by the time his second comes around?