So how about that press!!!

steffyr2

Full Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
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1,814
People have said that's the most important metric.
How'd we do? Where are the results kept?
 
I don't understand this thread? Is the question asking if we did press because we indeed did press or is this thread trying to imply that pressing isn't going to get you results?
 
Santoryo said:
I don't understand this thread? Is the question asking if we did press because we indeed did press or is this thread trying to imply that pressing isn't going to get you results?
Click to expand...
Im guessing the former.

We looked like we didn't work anywhere near enough. I saw Shaw and Dalot dragging their heels way too much, McT being just a general farce too.
 
VP89 said:
Im guessing the former.

We looked like we didn't work anywhere near enough. I saw Shaw and Dalot dragging their heels way too much, McT being just a general farce too.
Click to expand...
We did press but our pressing still need a lot of work. We weren't always cohesive in our press and we also have to work on making it hard for teams to beat out our press.

A few passes from Brighton and they'd find themselves facing our defense directly. Didn't help our midfield players were poor and allowing that to happen repeatedly.
 
I posted this to a) get someone to link to a place that had metrics for pressing with today's stats, and b) discuss how things went in this game.
Maybe compare us to our opponent week to week. Maybe compare us to last year.
 
Well, our press was levels below Brighton's, and our ability to navigate the press was also levels below as evidenced by de Gea lumping the ball out of play, Fred almost gifting them a goal, and Dalot getting in trouble quite a few times. We looked so naive in the build up when it looked as if we expected Fred to be allowed to pick up the ball from Maguire or Martinez unchallenged, but he was constantly marked or the passing lane cut off, which meant we played it wide and took an age maneuvering the ball up the pitch. Our passing was also way off. And we had little to no physical presence up front and only Marcus' pace.

Eriksen as a false nine seemed strange, but not to even try to drag out their back three for one vs. one was bizarre.

Anyhow, we pressed poorly, and looked like a bunch of strangers. Much like last season.

I guess those first 30 minutes under Ralf is still the benchmark.
 
Santoryo said:
I don't understand this thread? Is the question asking if we did press because we indeed did press or is this thread trying to imply that pressing isn't going to get you results?
Click to expand...

I think this answers it.


steffyr2 said:
Did we press so much? We need to see how great our pressing is without Ronaldo! We need stats!
I'll start --
1. Without Ronaldo -- Concede 2 goals
2. With Ronaldo -- Score 1
Click to expand...
 
We pressed well for about 15 minutes.

After that Brighton bypassed it by going long towards the full backs which is how they scored the first, Dalot heading it back into midfield instead of out and no-one contesting the second ball giving them a free run at the defence.

The second goal was laughably bad, they easily passed it out of our press from their own corner flag, again Dalot and McTominay ball watching allowing an easy through ball behind Maguire.

We desperately need to upgrade Dalot and McTominay, they're awful.
 
I'd rank it probably 4 on the list of problems yesterday.

Lack of stability or reliability in midfield
Lax fullbacks
Poor finishing
No press
Then other problems
 
It would help if some of these players could actually run for more than 10 minutes, there does not seem to be any improvement in the effort put in. Same story as last season players do not want to work hard.
 
steffyr2 said:
I posted this to a) get someone to link to a place that had metrics for pressing with today's stats, and b) discuss how things went in this game.
Maybe compare us to our opponent week to week. Maybe compare us to last year.
Click to expand...

No data yet unfortunately, I think it's going to take a little while. Even the basic ones like xG take 48 hours.

I'm keeping an eye on https://dataviz.theanalyst.com/season-reviews/2021/

EDIT

https://understat.com/match/18209

PPDA = 10.09. Significantly better than last season and more in line with the averages for teams like City / Pool.

xG of 1.42 to 1.73. I think if you include the Rashford onside one that was incorrectly given offside, it'll be 1.8 - 1.73 types. I think a draw was a fair result yesterday. (Note: I'm not saying draw against Brighton at home should be acceptable)

Still, don't want to (and you really shouldn't) read too much into a single data point.

Be patient for 5-6 games and we'll see.
 
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We're not good at it, Brighton negated it by not passing out from the back, they choose a more direct route when they had goal kicks and when we were in possession they counter pressed. Their goals came from us loosing possession in the middle third, yesterday biggest culprit were the likes of Mctominay (the worst offender), Fred and the fullbacks showing no maturity in possession and being unable to deal with the counter press.
We couldn't press effectively because they skipped the build up, and we showed no maturity in terms of carrying possession safely from the middle third to the final third were we could convert it into chance creation.
 
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