Sports
Football
Analysis
Tactics
Tactical Analysis
Manchester United
Erik ten Hag
System Formation
Guardiola's City
Everton-Manchester United: Tactical Analysis (a thread)
- Erik ten Hag's use of the 3-1-6 creating space out wide
- Casemiro's performance
- Eriksen dropping into the back 3
- Erik ten Hag's use of the 3-1-6 creating space out wide
- Casemiro's performance
- Eriksen dropping into the back 3
Man Utd were particularly dangerous in the 1st half, cutting Everton open constantly as we saw Ten Hag's 3-1-6 in build up being put to use. In possession, this is the system Ten Hag used at Ajax and what we can expect to see more of from United vs a low block
It's an extremely popular formation to build up in at the moment as it's what Guardiola's City team frequently use. With Casemiro often as the lone pivot what it allowed United to do is create space on the flanks for the full-backs/wingers pushing up
What the 3-1-6 allows is for space to be created wide as players occupy central zones. There is space for a ball out to Shaw as Fernandes is in between Coady-Tarkowski with Martial dropping off, Rashford tucking in and Dalot coming inside as an inverted full-back
(Antony is out of picture above) Attacking with 6 players means you can interchange out wide, in this case Antony is dragging Mykolenko wide with Dalot inverted. Antony staying wide creates room in the half space that Dalot could drive into after a 1-2 with Casemiro
It dragged Everton to one side making the other flank free for a wide player to be in space and asymmetricaly on the left flank it was Rashford tucking in and letting Shaw stay wide, interchangable to create space out wide
It was encouraging from a United perspective to see Fernandes-Martial occupy the defensive line centrally and players rotate so there was always a 3-1-6 but the personnel changed as sometimes Shaw or Eriksen would make the 3 up as long as there was always space created wide
There were staggered versions of the 3-1-6 say if Martial dropped off and left Fernandes in the false 9 role, Eriksen pushed up with Shaw in defence to build-up, but the wide areas of the 6, left a player in space, we can see the little details of Ten Hag appearing
He wasn't always played in but Fernandes making runs in behind centrally joining Martial up front was dangerous, Fernandes in a game where he didn't need to make a killer pass as United weren't playing for transitions, was better. The last run led to the Martial chance
Antony dragging Mykolenko around high and wide is what led to the goal as there were early signs he was using the space between the CB and LB, making bursting penetrative runs. Everton were actually in possession so Mykolenko was joining the attack but Everton then lost it poorly
It has to be said Everton were particularly poor in needlessly conceding possession losing it in their own half and rarely finding an out ball for Moupay or Gordon. It felt as though the game was error stricken with United losing the ball 51 times and Everton 48
Casemiro's performance was intriguing and enigmatic, he was good at winning the ball high up the pitch in a combative nature and breaking up attacks even venturing forward one time getting on the end of Rashford's cross
Some of his passes and touches were loose.He gave the ball away here to Iwobi but he would reprimand his own error by winning the ball back or cutting an Everton pass out. It's exactly what happened for the goal, playing a loose pass then winning it back to play Ronaldo in
At times he would control the game in the middle of the pitch sweeping out a pass to Dalot under pressure bypassing the press or receiving from Eriksen as the lone pivot spraying passes out wide or showing for the ball for the winger
Other times particularly when pressed he would give the ball away, but it was his first full 90 perhaps just getting used to the Premier League and a bit of rustiness involved. He lost the ball 14 times but recovered it 11 (per wyscout) which sums it up
Overall though a performance to build on and United might've found a midfielder to break up attacks and distribute simply, but will still need a midfielder who can ball carry/drive into space, but Casemiro-Eriksen might be the pivot that lets Bruno function further up the pitch
Something else I picked up on, all Man Utd's corners were taken short maybe a new routine they've worked on considering the lack of height, the ball would go to Bruno on the edge then worked to a player to shoot or cross more accurately, something to keep an eye on
I didn't particular enjoy the game-state toward the end similar to Soton, Leicester, end of Liverpool. With it becoming more a 4-2-3-1, inviting pressure as the intensity dropped but maybe it's because as they're still learning they can't control a game for 90 minutes
Having said that Rashford's goal was harshly disallowed, and the game might've been more comfortable, but United made use of utilising the 3-1-6 in the first half and caused plenty of problems
Something Ten Hag will be happy with
Something Ten Hag will be happy with
End of thread !
Thanks for reading, all likes/shares/comments appreciated, there was actually more interesting things to go through then I first thought
Will be going through things in more detail (for instance United's short corners) on my substack: dharnish.substack.com
Thanks for reading, all likes/shares/comments appreciated, there was actually more interesting things to go through then I first thought
Will be going through things in more detail (for instance United's short corners) on my substack: dharnish.substack.com
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