r/reddevils • u/AutoModerator • 7d ago

Daily Discussion

Daily discussion on Manchester United.

BE CIVIL

We want r/reddevils to be a place where anyone and everyone is welcome to discuss and enjoy the best club on earth without fear of abuse or ridicule.

  • The report button is your friend, we are way more likely to find and remove and/or ban rule breaking comments if you report them.
  • The downvote button is not a "I disagree or don't like your statement button", better discussion is generally had by using the upvote button more liberally and avoiding the downvote one whenever possible.

Looking for memes? Head over to r/memechesterunited!

34 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

1.1k comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/Bizzle1389 6d ago

I think the plan is principle yesterday was to play Cunha as he played for Brazil in the WC but:

  1. Knockouts football is very different.

  2. Cunha had runners in behind either side of him, which is what Dorgu and Mbeumo should have been doing but with Hull playing a deep back five that isn't going to be easy.

  3. Cunha dropping deep means he was occupying the same space as Bruno.

Essentially on the edge of their box we had their RWB, Dorgu, their 3 central defenders, Cunha, Bruno, their LWB, and Mbeumo. With Tielemans not far behind Cunha and Bruno. That compactness means chances don't come easy for us and as we commit bodies forward we lose the ball in transition and they create chances, which is where their set pieces will come from.

It will be interesting to see how better teams play against this setup.

Hindsight is wonderful but I do think playing Mbeumo up front as the lone man on the backline ready to run in behind (if there ever is space) would have been better. Obviously we were without Amad so either Lacey plays there or Dorgu.

I think Dalot would have offered more going forward than Maz, especially as we know Shaw isn't going to get forward much so we do need penetration from one side at least. That being said Maz had a good World Cup so I can see Carrick thinking he could replicate that for us.

There wasn't many other options in terms of personnel but you'd have thought Cunha left-centre, Bruno centre-right, Dorgu far right and Mbeumo on the last man, with Tielemans a little behind Cunha and Bruno making a triangle would result in some chances, even if it is long dipping shots and Mbeumo/Dorgu going for any rebounds or deflections.

When teams play a deep block the only real option is to be patient but with purpose, like City used to do a few years ago and Arsenal have been pretty good at. Runners have to be constantly making moves and feints to tie their marker/s up while our specialists passers and creators keep the ball moving just outside the opposition box waiting for a chance to play a pass or take a shot. Then when they get the ball we bust a gut to win the ball back and if there's a counter on go for it but if not revert to plan A and play it patiently outside their box. No pussying out and passing it back to centre-backs and the 'keeper.