20 Jan 2022 13:14:47
Rangnick's appointment was lauded by many Utd supporters as a step in the right with the experienced football operator also taking a consultancy role at the end of the season.
From a personal perspective I have been a little underwhelmed with Rangnick's initial few weeks at the Club but in hindsight some turbulence should have been expected. Rangnick has not coached for over two years, transitioning to an aggressive new pressing style half way through the season was always going to be difficult and the premier league can be an unforgiving arena.
Although the capitulation against Villa was disappointing and the win over Brentford by no means convincing there has been evidence of better team cohesion and shape.
There was a 10-15 minute spell at the start of the second half where we kept possession of the football and took control of the game. Sometimes more patience is required and we need to work the openings rather than move the ball forward too quickly. It also starves the opposition of the ball which means they can't counter as easily and we're not giving away corners or free kicks in dangerous positions.
The switch to a 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 is a formation many Utd supporters have championed for some time. It generally gets most players in their favoured positions and the extra man in midfield gives us more control. We are able to build better from the back as the defenders or single midfield pivot have more forward passing options and defensively we get more men behind the ball. We don't have a natural DM outside of Matic which is obviously a problem but I think the more Rangnick persists with the formation the better our performances will become.
I think Rangnick has finally found a platform to build from and I expect our performances to improve moving forward if he persists with this formation and refines it on the training field.
Another big test on Saturday which may go along way in deciding our top 4 aspirations.
20 Jan 2022 13:35:37
Good post DLIB. I think it always going to be 4-3-3. As Shappy said use the formation that its easier for players to learn. 4-3-3 suits everyone i think, bar Ronaldo.
20 Jan 2022 14:24:47
Herrera - Our wide players are predominantly not creative. They generally want to score themselves rather than create chances for others. I’ve often wondered if we might be better suited playing Bruno as a false 9 where he can drop off the front and feed the likes of Rashford, Greenwood and now Elanga. He’s also a big goal threat himself and makes good runs into the box. Obviously that’s not going to happen whilst Ronaldo is at the Club but maybe he needs to become more of a team player and lead the line better. Hold the ball and look for midfield runners like he did for Bruno last night. He’ll always score goals and be dangerous because he’s clinical and is also great in the air but this team is not best suited to creating loads of chances for a No9. He’s done incredibly well considering his age and the fact he’s playing in a team which doesn’t really provide him with many chances.
Martial when in form was great at being that link player, dropping a bit deeper, picking the ball up and either running at the opposition or linking with the wide forwards. He could also run in behind, stretch the game and also gave us that threat on the counter. Unfortunately he just couldn’t deliver this on a consistent basis and there have always been question marks regarding his work rate and desire.
I must say I’ve been really impressed with Elanga. He’s very comfortable in possession, he looks after the ball well and keeps it simple when needed. He has good pace, can dribble, beat a man and makes good runs off the ball. Defensively he works his socks off and is happy to drop deep and help his full back when required which is something both Rashford and Greenwood can greatly improve on in my opinion. Early days but he’s injected some much needed positivity and quality into the team.
Let’s see what Saturday brings this Utd team has a tendency to leave you with egg on your face.
20 Jan 2022 17:40:26
Agree DLIB. That's why we need Kavani to bring others into play and not Ronaldo.
20 Jan 2022 18:45:31
Wholeheartedly agree, DLIB.
433 definitely the way forward - although we still need a new RB, ‘no.6’ and CF in order to make it work properly.
20 Jan 2022 19:08:38
I've always tended to prefer playing with a single pivot over a double pivot. I feel it gives you more tactical flexibility. If your under the cosh another midfielder can drop back, but it also gives you more freedom to push forward and dictate the game.
The big problem we have is Matic is the only midfielder we have capable of really playing as a single pivot. But he doesn't have the legs anymore to play at the intensity of the EPL for 90 minutes. While the other options who could play there have big flaws in their game to play that role at the highest level.
Three at the back systems are in vouge at the moment, personally I'm not a huge fan as I feel it can be tricky to get the right balance between attack and defence. Although I appreciate that part of the reason it's so popular currently is because there are very few CB's of true world class ability, with many being midfielders who lacked mobility. So the extra CB adds a level of security. Look at Maguire, looks hopeless in a back four, but as one of 3 CB's looks like a good defender for England.
While many full backs are failed wingers in the modern game so actually suit playing as a wing back.
If your squad has the right players for it then great, but I don't think building a squad to suit that system is a good idea.
I much prefer a back four with a single pivot who drops back between the CB's that play a little wider, but who can push up more when trying to pressure the opposition. I feel it's a much more flexible system.
I like the idea of a 433/ 4312 type system that I think would be good for us.
Bruno playing slightly deeper I think has worked well against Villa and Brentford where he has started to look more like the Bruno of old. Starting deeper means we have better ball progression from midfield, while it allows him to break forward without being marked. Playing as a No.10 it seems other EPL managers have got his number and just try and mark him out of the game to blunt us. Him playing deeper avoids that.
While the flexibility to play either a front three or a split striker system with a false 9 or No.10 just in behind them offers several ways to unlock teams. I also think Sancho could be the perfect player to play as a free No.10 behind two strikers. He plays his best when he has runners in front of him and players around him. Having two strikers, a couple of midfielders and full backs on the overlap. He'd have lots of players in and around him to play off of and link up with.
21 Jan 2022 11:41:28
I am sure you are mainly right Shappy but to say Maguire looks good for England is ludicrous!
21 Jan 2022 18:30:43
Ralf was not step in right direction for me, I think could not have been worse, he had as much right to job as Ole, his CV did not warrant even a discussion, in fact least Ole had connection to club so can maybe understand that, but a small club man who never won nothing and living in the past who no one else wanted comes in with a bunch of nobodies as his right hand men! Unbelievable.