This is probably the first CL game that I'm going into being pessimistic about our chances of making it to the next round.
Our attack just isn't spontaneous or unpredictable. It's either slow and deliberative or route 1 football hoping for the best at the moment. We have flashes of good play, but the players just can't seem to sustain it.
Maybe this will turn out like last season where we kept improving our passing and possession game as the season wore on. Starting with dominating possession in games for short periods to eventually being able to see out games. I guess this season is a culmination of all our efforts from last season, and the players look much more comfortable and calmer in possession than they were at this time last year but that has come at a cost of risky passes and creative play.
I feel like the main issue for the team is that most of the players are not used to playing a possession game, and in the process of ensuring they keep the ball, they lose their ability to make a spontaneous attacking pass because of the extra thinking that's going into the whole process. (Is it the right pass? Will I lose the ball?)
I don't mean to say our players are stupid its just that Van Gaal's insistence on making only smart passes that doesn't leave us exposed (not making passes like Blind did int he 1st half vs West Ham), the players are taking that extra second to think over a pass (like a through ball from the deep that set Martial free), and giving the time opposition to take up better positions.
Under Fergie, we used to play a lot of counter attacking football as we didn't mind not having the ball all the time and preferred to invite teams to attack us and then catch them on the counter using fast wingers and attackers. Fergie liked players taking a chance and playing a risky pass from the back or wingers taking on fullbacks to beat them and get a cross in. He put his faith in the defense being able to cover for any loss in possession.
Right now our biggest issue is that the players don't instinctively know where their teammates are the moment they get the ball, and this is the difference between the high tempo football that Barca used to play and what we're doing at the moment. This is what I think Van Gaal is building towards, where everyone knows where the others are and playing the quick pass to move the ball from one end of the pitch to the other, unsettling the opposition and causing them to lose their defensive shape. Thus creating spaces for players to move into.
This will take time to happen, and I don't really think it will happen anytime soon. We might struggle vs Wolfsburg because they will be setup to play against us on the counter while Van Gaal will set the team to ensure we don't caught on the counter. We will need someone to provide some bit of individual magic to get a win here.
Our attack just isn't spontaneous or unpredictable. It's either slow and deliberative or route 1 football hoping for the best at the moment. We have flashes of good play, but the players just can't seem to sustain it.
Maybe this will turn out like last season where we kept improving our passing and possession game as the season wore on. Starting with dominating possession in games for short periods to eventually being able to see out games. I guess this season is a culmination of all our efforts from last season, and the players look much more comfortable and calmer in possession than they were at this time last year but that has come at a cost of risky passes and creative play.
I feel like the main issue for the team is that most of the players are not used to playing a possession game, and in the process of ensuring they keep the ball, they lose their ability to make a spontaneous attacking pass because of the extra thinking that's going into the whole process. (Is it the right pass? Will I lose the ball?)
I don't mean to say our players are stupid its just that Van Gaal's insistence on making only smart passes that doesn't leave us exposed (not making passes like Blind did int he 1st half vs West Ham), the players are taking that extra second to think over a pass (like a through ball from the deep that set Martial free), and giving the time opposition to take up better positions.
Under Fergie, we used to play a lot of counter attacking football as we didn't mind not having the ball all the time and preferred to invite teams to attack us and then catch them on the counter using fast wingers and attackers. Fergie liked players taking a chance and playing a risky pass from the back or wingers taking on fullbacks to beat them and get a cross in. He put his faith in the defense being able to cover for any loss in possession.
Right now our biggest issue is that the players don't instinctively know where their teammates are the moment they get the ball, and this is the difference between the high tempo football that Barca used to play and what we're doing at the moment. This is what I think Van Gaal is building towards, where everyone knows where the others are and playing the quick pass to move the ball from one end of the pitch to the other, unsettling the opposition and causing them to lose their defensive shape. Thus creating spaces for players to move into.
This will take time to happen, and I don't really think it will happen anytime soon. We might struggle vs Wolfsburg because they will be setup to play against us on the counter while Van Gaal will set the team to ensure we don't caught on the counter. We will need someone to provide some bit of individual magic to get a win here.
