08 Apr 2024 13:47:33
Shappy has written an article entitled, What Does The Manchester United Team Need To Improve
08 Apr 2024 15:03:19
I've not opened this yet shappy it will be read in a bit but you can write 20 paragraphs on stuff that's not a problem so I'm expecting this to be very long because the subject matter is a very long list. ???I'll enjoy the read later. ?.
08 Apr 2024 19:16:01
Good post Shappy.
08 Apr 2024 19:59:47
Shappy - Casemiro looks spent. I don’t know if he’s injured, just not fit enough or if his weaknesses are just being brutally exposed more by a different system in midfield but his mobility and speed look to have sadly deteriorated to a point which has almost become embarrassing for a player of his pedigree and stature.
Players just breeze past him with ease, he can’t run, turn or recover and has resorted to desperate lunging tackles. It’s almost sad to see such a decorated player exposed in such a way. He’s also been very poor in possession as well this season.
With the return of Mount from injury, perhaps we’d benefit from Bruno dropping deeper. He has the tenacity and running capacity to fill the position and his ability on the ball might help us in the build up. I think he’s played deeper on a few occasions and always done pretty well in my opinion.
Whilst by no means a perfect solution, Casemiro just doesn’t look right and Mctominay presents other issues. It would allow Mount and Mainoo to play their more natural positions and asking Bruno, as captain to do a more disciplined job for the team makes sense, rather than an inexperienced youngster or a player new to the Club returning from injury.
Thoughts pal?
08 Apr 2024 21:12:26
I wouldn't play Bruno deeper as his tendency to play the dangerous pass would potentially lead to turn overs close to our defensive third. It works occasionally but isn't something we should look to do too often.
If I was going to drop another player deeper alongside Casemiro it would be Mainoo as he has the intelligence and ability to play that role even if he lacks the experience.
However, at this point I don't see much point in trying to be pragmatic as there isn't much to play for at this point with UCL football a massive long shot at best. It makes more sense to try to better imbed the preferred playing style.
We just need to sign a better No.6 than Casemiro.
08 Apr 2024 21:37:56
Think ten Hag’s best shot at hanging onto his job is trying to show there is a positive style and proof of this progress and plan that he assures us exists every week. I’d take any of that over any win or European spot!
08 Apr 2024 21:56:24
Shappy - I didn’t mention being more pragmatic. I tend to agree with Spenno, we need to see evidence this style of play can work.
If not Bruno then Mainoo needs to drop deeper and Mount come into the midfield. Little point in persisting with Casemiro now in my opinion. He just doesn’t have the fitness, speed or mobility and will likely leave in the summer anyway.
I say let’s see what a more energetic and mobile midfield can do, plus he needs to justify why he spent £60m on Mount.
If EtH he can string a few performances together in the remaining fixtures and evidence this system can work it might just buy him more time.
09 Apr 2024 14:55:08
DLIB, dropping an extra player into midfield in an attempt to increase defensive stability is definitely a pragmatic move.
It's not a decision born out of being more attacking or to create more chances but to mitigate a weakness and add defensive stability.
We have seen that in build up Mainoo or Dalot has dropped in along side Casemiro making the 3133 into something more like a 3223, then as the ball progresses that player (Mainoo or Dalot) moves further forward so we have more options higher up and the ability to press teams higher and better.
The problem comes when we lose the ball then the opposition evade the initial press and release the ball into the midfield. Now those players who formed the press are behind the ball with just Casemiro left to cover the midfield, often outnumbered.
The only other option is to drop a player into midfield alongside Casemiro all the time, but then that's one less player further forward and it lessens our ability to press high, meaning we will likely have teams be able to attack our midfield more often, and potentially with more players (as more can move forward as we have less players pinning them back) .
So it doesn't necessarily solve our problem defensively, but it would definitely reduce the effectiveness of our high press.