There is a huge elephant in the room at Manchester United right now, and it is their physical prowess.
A thread 🧵
Let's go over the components of fitness first, before we delve into the issues at hand.
Along with the basics, there is also
🌬️Aerobic endurance (play 90' to a good level)
🏋️Muscular endurance (deal with repetitive contact)
Footballers train these elements to play better.
These components lay the groundwork for the physical output on Matchday.
Some examples of output:
🔋High-pressing for 50/90 mins (speed, aerobic endurance)
🦘Jumps for aerial duels (musc. endurance, power)
These outputs, in volume (amount) and quality (execution) must be trained in relation to the "Game Model".
If the training is not coherent with the demands of your playing style, your team will fall short somewhere.
Ten Hag's game model requires quality in:
💣Speed over 1-5 metres (counter-pressing)
📏Speed over 20-60 metres (counter-attacking)
🏋️Power, muscular endurance (aerial & ground duels)
🔋Aerobic endurance (proactivity)
The necessity is reflected in the tactical trends below.
Manchester United's physical output is falling short in those components.
They are on the back foot (static), non-explosive in short bursts (pressing, acceleration), and their forwards are being tasked with loads of "PEAK MATCH DEMANDS" while being overplayed.
If a team is not competent in these components, their technical and tactical levels over 90' will also stagnate.
Technical: Ability to execute technical tasks after physically draining actions
Tactical: Mental/cognitive ability to make decisions after & during physical tasks
Delving deeper, let's explore why #MUFC are falling short (1), and what can be done to improve on this (2).
A few theories for 1:
🪫Subpar conditioning of the players
🤝Unfamiliar coaching staff
🔁Lack of rotation
⚽️Unfavorable personnel
Conditioning and coaching staff:
As we explored, it is🔑to "train how you play". It is equally important to have fitness staff with EXPERIENCE working with your Game Model.
#MUFC employ Charlie Owen (since 2018), not Ten Hag's Schoenmaker of Ajax.
Wan-Bissaka, Fred, McTominay, Shaw, Bruno, and Rashford are standouts of the squad when not drained.
What can be done to improve this?
🗓️Better training periodization in relation to Game Model
🔁Rotate highly loaded players more
⏭️Buy athletic, dominant players
🗓️As we explored, either United bring in Ten Hag's experienced fitness coach (Schoenmaker) or design a more fitting program with the current staff.
This season, United created tactical solutions to compromise and compensate for their lack of physical capacity.
🔁Rotation
Through more quality (Elanga wasn't in the PL squad from GW27-38), Ten Hag should rotate more to manage the workload of his players.
Rashford is tasked with leading the press, 40m+ sprints, yet played 4.2k minutes.
⏭️New players
This is the last resort solution. If your conditioning and periodization are not getting the best out of your players, chances are new signings will physically drop off too after a few months of that training periodization.
End of thread
Ten Hag has a lot more on his plate for the management of next season. If players remain so undynamic, physically shattered and drained, United won't consistently dominate and impose opponents in the coming seasons.
Food for thought.
🔋Bonus:
New players don't have to be physical monsters, they also have to be brave, courageous and secure with the ball to keep it to
-Protect leads (Spurs away)
-Use possession to not run as much
-Avoid end-to-end games
This will reduce the physical workload of players.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
🇵🇹 A few surface level topics on Manchester United's appointment of Ruben AMORIM and his staff (Ferro, Fernandes, Adelio and Barreira)
🇵🇹 is renowned for the TACTICAL PERIODISATION which is the methodology that incorporated all scales of football training in one; and revolutionized the game through José Mourinho.
Mourinho was the first to find a practical methodology to implement Frade's theories.
🇵🇹 coaches approach their management from a scientific background, which is why you rarely see an unfit team led by a Portuguese coach.
Amorim and Ferro hold the UEFA Pro License, which means they went through that 🇵🇹 coaching pathway.
Antony comes at Gore with much less speed, taking touches with the inside of his boot. Actually manages to create SEPARATION from Gore, but cuts back again which is the wrong decision.
As soon as you manage to create separation, you should exploit it (release the ball).
The coaching for Gore here is "USE YOUR ARMS, ..., CONTACT"
Again to take speed out of the attack, and TAKE CHARGE.
Antony lets the ball stand still, and reacts to Gore "biting" - takes advantage. This dribbling style is quite unsuccessful against PL defenders
It's much less about individual *creativity* to "turn on the ball" and evade pressure, it's more about the GROUP tactics of
WHEN we create space (WHERE) and HOW we get there
⏰ TIMING
Decision by Onana to quickly restart the play assumes there's space for Mainoo to drive into. If there is a player within Mainoo's reach, the ball should not be played YET, as the FOUR (4⃣) defenders are still in the box.
It's Monday, and Manchester United have lost another game.
A thread on #MUNBHA 🧵
This thread will take a look at:
📰 #MUFC's GAME PLAN: how to play the game
🕊️ #BHA's ATTACKS and how they cut through #MUFC
⚽️ GOALS ANALYSIS: How Brighton scored three
⚔️ HOJLUND's IMPACT: What does he bring to the side?
📰 THE GAME PLAN
#MUFC field a 4-3-1-2 formation to
-Protect the middle of the pitch
-Push the ball outside
-Attack quickly after winning the ball