Manchester United vs Real Betis (Thu 1st August, 03:00 UK time)

Red00012 said:
What was with the poor attendance?
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Mid week game, Padres were playing their biggest rivals at the same time and the cost of tickets, Americans aren't always the brightest but they can tell when they're being ripped off I guess
 
ForeverRed1 said:
It’s worrying that we don’t have a single signing out there with yoro now injured and zirkzee not there yet. We need a proper midfield or we’re going to be much of the same as last season.
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definitely worrying as we go into the new season with basically the same squad as last....we badly need a couple midfield signings to give us some legs in the middle of the pitch

more worrying though is the team shape and how they were set up to defend....they are just so narrow at times where we are almost defending in a 424 which is a free release to the wide players and they just walk past our midfield into our defensive line...it just seems really really odd
 
I think we started with 4-2-4 with McT and Sancho as CFs. I'm so glad ETH didn't play Rashford as a CF. Surely he knows that does not work by now.

I think we'll keep McT and he will play as a forward.
Rashford was okay.

I'm not sure going forward a 4-2-4 will work in the PL with Cas and Eriksen as the midfield. :)
 
Anyone who can pm some highlights? MUTV have them behind a paywall and those on youtube seem rubbish.
 
gerdm07 said:
I think we started with 4-2-4 with McT and Sancho as CFs. I'm so glad ETH didn't play Rashford as a CF. Surely he knows that does not work by now.

I think we'll keep McT and he will play as a forward.
Rashford was okay.

I'm not sure going forward a 4-2-4 will work in the PL with Cas and Eriksen as the midfield. :)
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During the match, we appeared to press in a 4-4-2 formation, but our in-possession setup was far more complex. We built up play in a 3 + 1 formation, with Casemiro or Eriksen dropping into the back line. Our fullbacks inverted while McTominay and Sancho dropped deep to receive the ball. This setup was reminiscent of the 3-1-6 or 3-1-5-1 formations ten Hag utilized at Ajax, featuring plenty of interchanging that left Real Betis struggling to adapt.

It's evident that ten Hag aims to recreate his Ajax lineup:

In possession/build up play

Onana
De Ligt Blind De Jong
Schone
Mazraoui Ziyech Van De Beek Neres Tagliafico
Tadic​

At Ajax, De Jong frequently dropped into the back three, sometimes rotating with Schone - similar to what we saw with Casemiro and Eriksen. The wingers and fullbacks also rotated positions, with wingers sometimes staying wide while fullbacks inverted, mirroring our current tactics.

Looking ahead to next season, we might see a lineup like this:


In possession/build up play

Onana
De Ligt Martinez Mainoo
New CDM
Mazraoui Amad Bruno Rashford Shaw
Zirkzee​

Mainoo possesses De Jong-like qualities, adept at progressing the ball with his carries.

Mazraoui, Dalot, Shaw, Malacia, and Amass all have the versatility to overlap and invert. However, aside from Amad, our wingers aren't as comfortable both hugging the touchline and cutting inside. Dortmund Sancho was perfect in this role, but we have yet to see that form in a United shirt. This is a weak point—Rashford and Garnacho excel as traditional wingers, and Antony struggles with both styles.

Zirkzee could replicate the "Tadic" role by dropping deep, or alternatively, we could use Bruno as a false 9, with Mount playing as the 10.

If we acquire a new CDM to emulate ten Hag's Ajax side, a deep-lying playmaker like Schone would be ideal. Schone and De Jong were crucial in both starting attacks and stifling opposition threats.

While ten Hag seems keen on using Mount in this role, I believe he performs better higher up the pitch, as confirmed by this preseason.

Neves, whom we were linked with recently, would be perfect for the position. Alan Varela has also been suggested by some on here as a good fit.

Ultimately, it's crucial that any new midfielder excels at passing to enhance our tactical setup. Thus, I'm not sure Ugarte would thrive in such set up.
 
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Walters_19_MuFc said:
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It's evident that ten Hag aims to recreate his Ajax lineup:

Looking ahead to next season, we might see a lineup like this:

Onana
De Ligt Martinez Mainoo
New CDM
Mazraoui Amad Bruno Rashford Shaw
Zirkzee​

Mainoo possesses De Jong-like qualities, adept at progressing the ball with his carries.

Sorry, but just NO. Moving our best midfield player into a back 3 is bonkers! But so is EtH sometimes. Don’t think even he would go for this and Wilcox will have a melt down of epic proportions if he tried.
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Was a decent performance. Very good pressing and Casemiro, Amad and Amass were all good.
 
AndyMUFC said:
Was a decent performance. Very good pressing and Casemiro, Amad and Amass were all good.
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Agreed. The old and the young looked quite decent, but Amad and Amass in particular were fantastic. Amad is ready now to stake his claim as a regular starter, but if Rashford returns to prior peak form we do have a problem deciding whom to drop between Rashford, Garnacho and Amad. As for Amass, his talent, awareness and physical strength are impressive for his age but he does need to get through another growth spurt before we could ever expect him to start a half dozen games straight against PL opponents -- but I'd have him in the 23 every time now regardless of whether Shaw and Malacia are both fit.
 
Plant0x84 said:
Yes, and ten Hag would be Amad man not to keep playing him. Im not sure how you juggle Amad, Rashford and Garnacho. Somebody is going to end up pissed!
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That's good because pissed off players tend to do better the next time they get a game
 
Walters_19_MuFc said:
During the match, we appeared to press in a 4-4-2 formation, but our in-possession setup was far more complex. We built up play in a 3 + 1 formation, with Casemiro or Eriksen dropping into the back line. Our fullbacks inverted while McTominay and Sancho dropped deep to receive the ball. This setup was reminiscent of the 3-1-6 or 3-1-5-1 formations ten Hag utilized at Ajax, featuring plenty of interchanging that left Real Betis struggling to adapt.

It's evident that ten Hag aims to recreate his Ajax lineup:

Onana
De Ligt Blind De Jong
Schone
Mazraoui Ziyech Van De Beek Neres Tagliafico
Tadic​

At Ajax, De Jong frequently dropped into the back three, sometimes rotating with Schone - similar to what we saw with Casemiro and Eriksen. The wingers and fullbacks also rotated positions, with wingers sometimes staying wide while fullbacks inverted, mirroring our current tactics.

Looking ahead to next season, we might see a lineup like this:

Onana
De Ligt Martinez Mainoo
New CDM
Mazraoui Amad Bruno Rashford Shaw
Zirkzee​

Mainoo possesses De Jong-like qualities, adept at progressing the ball with his carries.

Mazraoui, Dalot, Shaw, Malacia, and Amass all have the versatility to overlap and invert. However, aside from Amad, our wingers aren't as comfortable both hugging the touchline and cutting inside. Dortmund Sancho was perfect in this role, but we have yet to see that form in a United shirt. This is a weak point—Rashford and Garnacho excel as traditional wingers, and Antony struggles with both styles.

Zirkzee could replicate the "Tadic" role by dropping deep, or alternatively, we could use Bruno as a false 9, with Mount playing as the 10.

If we acquire a new CDM to emulate ten Hag's Ajax side, a deep-lying playmaker like Schone would be ideal. Schone and De Jong were crucial in both starting attacks and stifling opposition threats.

While ten Hag seems keen on using Mount in this role, I believe he performs better higher up the pitch, as confirmed by this preseason.

Neves, whom we were linked with recently, would be perfect for the position. Alan Varela has also been suggested by some on here as a good fit.

Ultimately, it's crucial that any new midfielder excels at passing to enhance our tactical setup. Thus, I'm not sure Ugarte would thrive in such set up.
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Would actually want to see Mainoo as close to the other box as possible. I don't think he's that like-for-like as De Jong.
 
Walters_19_MuFc said:
During the match, we appeared to press in a 4-4-2 formation, but our in-possession setup was far more complex. We built up play in a 3 + 1 formation, with Casemiro or Eriksen dropping into the back line. Our fullbacks inverted while McTominay and Sancho dropped deep to receive the ball. This setup was reminiscent of the 3-1-6 or 3-1-5-1 formations ten Hag utilized at Ajax, featuring plenty of interchanging that left Real Betis struggling to adapt.

It's evident that ten Hag aims to recreate his Ajax lineup:

Onana
De Ligt Blind De Jong
Schone
Mazraoui Ziyech Van De Beek Neres Tagliafico
Tadic​

At Ajax, De Jong frequently dropped into the back three, sometimes rotating with Schone - similar to what we saw with Casemiro and Eriksen. The wingers and fullbacks also rotated positions, with wingers sometimes staying wide while fullbacks inverted, mirroring our current tactics.

Looking ahead to next season, we might see a lineup like this:

Onana
De Ligt Martinez Mainoo
New CDM
Mazraoui Amad Bruno Rashford Shaw
Zirkzee​

Mainoo possesses De Jong-like qualities, adept at progressing the ball with his carries.

Mazraoui, Dalot, Shaw, Malacia, and Amass all have the versatility to overlap and invert. However, aside from Amad, our wingers aren't as comfortable both hugging the touchline and cutting inside. Dortmund Sancho was perfect in this role, but we have yet to see that form in a United shirt. This is a weak point—Rashford and Garnacho excel as traditional wingers, and Antony struggles with both styles.

Zirkzee could replicate the "Tadic" role by dropping deep, or alternatively, we could use Bruno as a false 9, with Mount playing as the 10.

If we acquire a new CDM to emulate ten Hag's Ajax side, a deep-lying playmaker like Schone would be ideal. Schone and De Jong were crucial in both starting attacks and stifling opposition threats.

While ten Hag seems keen on using Mount in this role, I believe he performs better higher up the pitch, as confirmed by this preseason.

Neves, whom we were linked with recently, would be perfect for the position. Alan Varela has also been suggested by some on here as a good fit.

Ultimately, it's crucial that any new midfielder excels at passing to enhance our tactical setup. Thus, I'm not sure Ugarte would thrive in such set up.
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That was a pretty good post until you mentioned Mainoo as a CD. I still maintain it was a 4-2-4 more often than not.
 
gerdm07 said:
That was a pretty good post until you mentioned Mainoo as a CD. I still maintain it was a 4-2-4 more often than not.
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No Dalot - our best overall player last season??
 
gerdm07 said:
That was a pretty good post until you mentioned Mainoo as a CD. I still maintain it was a 4-2-4 more often than not.
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Wow! Mainoo wouldn't be playing as a defender. He would drop into the back line as De Jong did to help progress play. Another one who most likely didn't read my whole post.

@Red in STL I would start Dalot, but the reason I put in Mazraoui was to illustrate ten Hag willingness to build his 18/19 Aiax team.
 
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