What changed in the second half? Omonia Nicosia 2-3 Manchester United ~ A thread 🧵
This thread will highlight some facets of United’s SECOND half attacking play against Omonia Nicosia, including:
- Lisandro Martinez- progression
- Luke Shaw- direct runs
- Marcus Rashford- dynamism
- Anthony Martial- all round brilliance
- Lisandro Martinez- progression
- Luke Shaw- direct runs
- Marcus Rashford- dynamism
- Anthony Martial- all round brilliance
Lisandro Martinez
Here are a couple of examples of his progressive passing from yesterday’s game. He has a really good range of passing:
- First pass is a crisp ground pass into Shaw’s feet
- Second pass is a long lofted pass into the space Martial is attacking
Here are a couple of examples of his progressive passing from yesterday’s game. He has a really good range of passing:
- First pass is a crisp ground pass into Shaw’s feet
- Second pass is a long lofted pass into the space Martial is attacking
These are just two examples, there were many more during the game. Over 68% (11/16) of his long passes were accurate during the game. He’s just excellent at passing through the eye of a needle, very important considering United didn’t sign a 1st-2nd phase deep-lying midfielder.
Lisandro played a key pass for Martial’s goal- into Rashford’s feet, lovely flick into Martial who buries it excellently past the keeper. Would any other of our CBs have played that pass with the same precision as Martinez? Unlikely. He’s key for us.
Luke Shaw
Shaw was excellent when he came on. Instantly, there was a key difference from the first half, Shaw was much more direct than Malacia in the first few minutes of the 2nd half.
Shaw overlaps, takes a defender with him, gives Rashford more space who gets a shot off.
Shaw was excellent when he came on. Instantly, there was a key difference from the first half, Shaw was much more direct than Malacia in the first few minutes of the 2nd half.
Shaw overlaps, takes a defender with him, gives Rashford more space who gets a shot off.
This was within the first minute of the second half. Malacia and Sancho provided little threat in the first half and both were responsible for United conceding their first goal. Shaw and Rashford were both more direct.
Here, Lindelof is in possession and he spots Shaw’s direct run, slightly too much pace on the pass and it goes out of play, but again Shaw shows his determination to get forward and join the United attack.
Ten Hag has a decision to make regarding the FBs. Malacia has been operating in more of an inverted role of late and has done okay there, but this has often left Sancho with no FB overlap, which is an issue, especially due to Sancho’s reluctance to take a man on.
I think Ten Hag may adopt the duo of Shaw and Rashford on that left hand side, with Shaw able to transition between the inverted role and overlap when needed. Rashford is more direct and doesn’t always need support there- he’s looking more confident this season with his take ons.
Marcus Rashford
Rashford completely changed the outlook of United’s attack. For his goal, Bruno plays an excellent long pass in behind the Omonia defence, Rashford does well and finishes. Again, this likely doesn’t happen if Sancho is on the left.
Rashford completely changed the outlook of United’s attack. For his goal, Bruno plays an excellent long pass in behind the Omonia defence, Rashford does well and finishes. Again, this likely doesn’t happen if Sancho is on the left.
I’m a fan of Sancho, but right now Rashford should be starting on the left. The worry is that Martial is injury prone and ETH prefers Rashford to Ronaldo at 9, but there’s no doubt in my eyes Rashford isn’t a natural 9 and is better from the left, with inside forward runs.
Anthony Martial
As you have seen in the images above, Martial was excellent when he came on. He scored a great goal, but his overall game is what impresses me the most when I watch him. Our combination play improves when we plays, he looks for one twos all the time.
As you have seen in the images above, Martial was excellent when he came on. He scored a great goal, but his overall game is what impresses me the most when I watch him. Our combination play improves when we plays, he looks for one twos all the time.
Thanks for reading this thread. This purely focused on some attacking facets of the 2nd half of yesterday’s game. I wanted to particularly note how the game changed when certain players came on. Please do LIKE, RETWEET AND FOLLOW @ThreadmanChaza for more threads like this.
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