Interesting. The other thing not captured by that stat is when Utd break four on four (or better) and conspire to overhit a pass, run offside, turn back to pass it to Bruno rather than the sort of two pass movement that used end with Rooney crashing the ball past the keeper. We miss situations that most other Premier League teams translate into goals. They are creating these more routinely now though. They also won ball back high up the pitch but then mess up simple passes to turn same into high quality chances.
There’s no point talking down the chances due to context if going to ignore city being 2-0 up, Utd pressing up the field exposing the defenders they have that can’t play a high line that resulted in simple breakaway situations. Could take them off as well as didn’t require city to do much to create them.
What stat covers the ongoing capacity of Bruno, Dalot, Shaw and others to have utter brain farts that might lead to a goal directly or more insidiously cause the corner or loss of possession that led to the goal ultimately
This is the sort of situation I’m talking about (not even a very high quality one) but worth a look in first few minutes of this.
You HAVE to put the ball in early from Mazraoui. The likelihood of it resulting in a header or even falling to someone arriving tail off so much when you delay. Gary Neville puts that ball in first time. Valencia puts the ball in first time from there. Your average Premier League player puts it in first time there and you’ll get the benefit of it over time.
Mazraoui there is worrying about losing the ball, should he pass it, give and go, cut in. None of which increase the chance of the team scoring but do avoid him getting the blame.
The Antony’s/Garnachos there have a different problem where it’s “how do I make this about me?” while doing nothing that will genuinely trouble a top full back.
I like Diallo there as while he tends towards the latter group, he can at least surprise.
I think Amorim is not all at fault here or even mainly because this shit came in in two phases under Ten Hag and earlier under Van Gaal as Utd lost their dynamism entirely. Fielding wingers but telling them to play like a CM out there just recycling possession.
Utd would help themselves a lot by playing some sort of ball early and into space.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this system and it’s increasing the number of good positions we’re getting into. The execution is still poor.
Notably from what I can see the Utd youngsters have stopped playing Ten Hag style football (high risk, high precision, highly spread out) but aren’t playing this 3-4-3 formation. It is however more similar in style to what Amorim wants which I think is the man’s point re the formation is really something he’s using to force players into the style.
If I were him, I’d say I’m changing to 4-3-3 but say I’m playing Mazraoui in DM with a back four of Dorgu, Yoro, De Ligt, Diallo and Ugarte and Mainoo completing the midfield 3.
Then in game you realise the full backs are pushing on, with the two wide players tucking in and Mazraoui tends to fill in right behind Diallo and you end up with EXACTLY the same formation he’s actually playing but the pundits shut up about it for a couple of weeks.
