Tuesday 21st October 2014 10:20
Print Article
Email Article
Marcos Rojo & Luke Shaw: United new boys in action on Monday
Manchester United spent big this summer, but Whoscored.com's Ali Tweedale explains why problems in defence remain their biggest handicap.
While Arsene Wenger is readily pressed by interviewers on his misgivings in the transfer market that have continued to cost his Arsenal side, one has to wonder what exactly went on at Manchester United in the summer for their defensive problems to remain so profound.
One can perhaps forgive Wenger for thinking that a slightly altered defence that finished fourth last season may be able to repeat last season's feats, but United had a team that came seventh, and for Louis van Gaal's team to still be so meek at the back points at grave mistakes on his part.
On Monday night once again, United were more than capable going forwards but were carved open far too readily and could only come away from The Hawthorns with a point.
Sir Alex Ferguson had overseen wins in every Premier League trip United had made there bar his final ever game in charge of the club - a meaningless and extraordinary 5-5 draw on the last day of the 2012/13 season. Even David Moyes won there.
But this time around this talented yet vastly inexperienced United side could not make their dominance in of the ball count.
Van Gaal's team have had more possession in Premier League games (57.6%) than either in Moyes' solitary campaign in charge (54.4%) or Ferguson's final, title-winning season (54.9%), and have found the net with increasing consistency.
Having misfired earlier on against the likes of Burnley, Sunderland and Swansea, their attack, arguably the Premier League's deepest in terms of quality in reserve and options available, has begun to find form.
Despite greater possession, United are having the same number of shots (13.8 per game) as they were last season, but with a much clearer game plan the chances they are creating are of better quality.
In Falcao, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie they surely have more goals to come. None of those has truly hit top gear yet; Van Persie notably missed a one-on-one at the Hawthorns that in Fergie's final campaign would have flown unstoppably into the net.
The team's conversion rate is thus better this season (13.6%) than last (12.0%) but down on 2012/13 (14.3%).
While Moyes' United were often derided for lacking an obvious plan of action (infamously resulting in that record-breaking number of cross attempts against Fulham), what is interesting about Van Gaal's United team is that they are even more direct. They play 13.1% of their passes long, up from 11.0% last season and 10.0% the season before.
Given that they retain possession after playing it long, have better pass success and are scoring plenty of goals, in an attacking sense, at least, United are clearly a functional side.
Their problems are glaring at the back, however, and they arise from a combination of a lack of experience and almost seeing too much of the ball. Playing it around amongst their midfielders and up to the strikers, the defence move upfield and in particular the full-backs push up to join attacks. When they do cede possession, huge gaps are left open at the back, and they have been punished too many times already under their Dutch manager.
Both goals shipped at West Brom stemmed from losing possession and having defenders out of position.
Whilst under Moyes they may have had less idea what they were doing going forwards he did at least keep them tight at the back, conceding the same number of goals (43) as Fergie's Premier League winning side of 2012-13. 1.1 goals against over the past two seasons has already risen to 1.5 this term.
The persistent problems at Old Trafford this season are just as glaring as they were 12 months ago, it's just that they are different problems under Louis van Gaal to those under David Moyes. There is still plenty of work to be done.
You can follow Ali on Twitter here.
All statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com , where you can find yet more stats, including live in-game data and unique player and team ratings.
via TEAMtalk | Manchester Utd http://ift.tt/10mnwMx
No comments:
Post a Comment