Like we really can't overstate how not 'Premier League champions' quality Fred, Matic, and McTominay are. And Pogba/VDB aren't midfielders either. United have the defenders/attackers to play the style OGS wants, but the midfielders are simply incapable #MUFC
I always laugh at the notion that someone else 'gets more out of this team' because that someone else would still have to deal with McTominay & Fred who can't pass, and Matic who can't move #MUFC
Tuchel walked into CHE who already had Kante, Kovacic, and Jorginho - all fit his style of play. Klopp inherited guys that fit his style and brought in some more. Same with Pep. OGS STILL has McFred. You think bringing in Tuchel will suddenly make McFred control possession? #MUFC
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Tactical Analysis thread: Besides the midfield, the one thing that was glaringly obvious in Sunday's match was the need for the forward line to do their part and help the midfield out.
That goes for both helping to progress the ball, and defensively (CONT) #MUFC
Let's take a look at some HORRIBLE defense where United leave Harry Maguire completely exposed and let Trincao have a free run at him.
A defensive midfielder alone doesn't fix this because there are so many breakdowns, especially from the forwards #MUFC
(Pics are annotated so I can save words here). The play starts fairly innocently on the wing. Pogba and James have swapped roles (due to prior positioning) but James tucks in as the second CM. United look pretty well set up, except Bruno and James are both in no mans land #MUFC
Little Tactical Analysis thread here: I still can't get over this goal from Saturday.
Everything about it, the movements, rotations, etc is the PERFECT way to combat Leeds man-marking strategy, and United carve them apart #MUFC
It starts with Greenwood telling McTominay exactly where he wants the ball. Greenwood is going to have to drop about three steps deeper to make this work. Three steps doesn't seem like much, but if he doesn't do it, none of this happens #MUFC
As soon as McTominay plays this ball, Fred starts running forward. Greenwood is going to drag the CB into midfield, leaving all that space open, someone needs to fill it. Fred spots this and immediately moves to fill it (while Bruno drags his man wide) #MUFC
Well that would be 40 assists which would just about double the Premier League record for assists in a season so, no, I don't really think that's a reasonable expectation #MUFC
The thing about using assists to judge people is it relies on your teammates to finish the chances. This is an incredible ball from Pogba but we're remembering it b/c Greenwood finished this chance. Not many people besides Greenwood are capable of doing this #MUFC
The xG on that Greenwood shot was about 0.08. Greenwood one of the few in the world who you fancy to actually maybe score it, but 9/10 times it doesn't go in.
That doesn't - and shouldn't - take away from how beautiful and perfect that ball was from Pogba #MUFC
Thread:
Wednesday night against City, there was a fantastic example of exactly this happening (United's determination to play out from the back, no matter what). It starts with a poor back pass from Maguire to Shaw, leaving Shaw in trouble #MUFC@utdarena@timlongsports
@utdarena@timlongsports Under pressure, you wouldn't fault shaw for just booting this out, or kicking it out for a corner. Instead, he plays it wide into space so that Brandon Williams can take possession and start over #MUFC
@utdarena@timlongsports Williams, a young fullback playing in his first away derby, looks up to see what passing options he has. There are none, so he pulls the ball back, almost trapping himself and putting him under pressure #MUFC