Should Erik ten Hag adopt a new strategy at Manchester United?
United have three points so far and while the issues aren't as bad as some are making out, there is still a major issue that needs to be solved.
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Now that’s all out of the way, let’s get into it….
We are two games into the season and Manchester United fans are already panicking and making outlandish statements.
Erik ten Hag’s team currently sits on three points after two games due to a 1-0 win against Wolves and a 2-0 loss against Tottenham Hotspur. This alone should not be enough to panic fans and pundits alike, but the team’s performances have raised the alarm.
United have struggled to maintain control of possession and have been susceptible to counterattacks. There is also the elephant in the room whether this team have enough goals in it.
Now things aren’t as bad as they are being made out by many looking to capitalise on the perceived chaos, but if things continue down this road then tactical changes may need to be made by Ten Hag.
So this is a thought experiment based on some ideas I’ve been having about the current United squad and the potential business that the club can do in the remaining days of the window.
So with all that in mind let’s get into it.
The Problem
Despite all the doomsday prophesying, United’s performances have not been without merit.
The first 45 minutes against Tottenham was an excellent example of how United should look like out of possession. They were winning the ball back high up the field and stopping Spurs from working the ball up the pitch effectively.
Despite their lack of goals, the team has also created a number of chances. According to the Premier League’s official website, United have created the third most chances in the league in the opening two games, with six, only beaten by Newcastle (8) and Brighton (9).
The issue has been finishing them off. This will hopefully be solved by the addition of Rasmus Hojlund after he recovers from his injury as it will give the team a focal point. The Danish striker’s presence will also allow Marcus Rashford to move back to his favoured position on the left-hand side offering a further goal threat.
Andre Onana has also helped shore up the back in the majority, despite the goals United conceded against Spurs.
The major issue has been in the midfield, both in and out of possession. In possession, it has been lacklustre on the ball and the opposition has been able to easily press them and force turnovers or regressive passes.
Off the ball, they have been leaving way too much space and this means that the opposing players can exploit the gaps and easily ghost past Casemiro while Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes are pushed up the field.
So United need to improve their off-the-ball positioning and structure while adding quality on the ball. But Ten Hag also needs to find a way to fit in Casemiro, Mount and Fernandes as they are some of his best players.
So what is the solution?
The Tactical Shift
A few days ago I posted this lineup on my Twitter (or X.com I guess) account:
Now, some questions were raised about what I was cooking, so I decided that this article would be the best way to explain it.
The first question that many people raised was ‘Why would we be playing this formation when some of our best players are wingers?’ So let’s address that first.
This season Carlo Ancelotti has deployed a similar front line for Real Madrid this season using Vinicius Jr., Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo. The Brazilians act as hybrid winger/strikers moving in the space where it appears.
They can cut inside to threaten the goal and they can go wide to stretch the opposition defence. In the latter scenario, this is where Bellingham comes in.
Bellingham acts as a number 10/false 9. When Madrid go wider he acts like a striker and finds the gaps to get on the end of cutbacks; he is incredibly effective at linking the play up and his work rate means he can also support the midfield.
I feel like this setup would suit Rashford, Mount and Hojlund. The likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho would also be able to be rotated in to play a significant role.
The second question that was raised was ‘Why would you play Fernandes further back and not Mount?’ Well that I can answer simply, it’s about on-the-ball quality.
Fernandes has an incredible range of passing and a high technical ceiling. Deploying him deeper (and telling him to calm down with the forced passes) would give United more security on the ball. His long passes from deep would also allow United to take advantage of their opponents in transition (a la Kevin de Bruyne for Manchester City).
But then we come to the ‘Why should we use a diamond?’ question, arguably the most important one.
If United want to play Fernandes and Mount, they can not play a midfield three. Casemiro does not have the quality on the ball to link up the midfield with the defence and in the first two games his physicality has been questionable.
The width lost by removing traditional wingers would be supplemented by Luke Shaw and/or Aaron Wan-Bissaka/Diogo Dalot pushing higher up (this is something the right hand side would need to improve on). Their presence would give the midfielders yet another option to use when creating passing moves.
Adding a 4th midfielder who can help him off the ball and take the duties off him in terms of ball progression would be incredibly helpful and likely bail United out of several problematic situations.
But who should that player be?
The Mystery Midfielder
Cards on the table, even if United do not shift to a diamond formation, they should still sign another midfielder if they hope to build on their successes from the 2022/23 campaign.
In the graphic above I listed Ryan Gravenberch as the 4th midfielder, but that was only due to the most recent transfer rumours that were circulating. While I think he’s fine he wouldn’t be my first choice.
Sofyan Amrabat has also been heavily linked and he would be a much better fit and he has the benefit of having worked with Ten Hag before so he would know what the Dutch manager would ask of him.
My personal choice would be Kephren Thuram from Nice; an exceptional ball-progressing midfielder who would also add physicality to United’s midfield.
The issue with identifying a midfielder however is United need to decide whether they want a partner or rotation option for Casemiro. You can find a player that offers the best of both worlds but given United’s predicament, a specialist may be preferred.
There is also the issue of Kobbie Mainoo. If he was fit it would make the XI above much easier to write out as he could act as the ideal Casemiro partner but he is injured until the new year.
He is young but in preseason, he showed a lot of the qualities United have been missing for a few years now in the centre of the park, so it might be preferable if United get a willing rotation option instead of spending big on a cemented starter.
So what’s the outcome?
I doubt Erik ten Hag is going to make any sweeping changes in the long term and given his reliance on wingers a diamond formation will likely never be more than a thought experiment, but United do need to find a way to solidify their midfield.
Once the goals start going in, this should allow United to overcome the smaller teams but they will still struggle against their direct rivals if their midfield continues to lose in every matchup, be it physically or technically.
As for every manager post-Sir Alex Ferguson, the midfield has arguably been what has made or broke their projects and while the first season under Ten Hag was promising, he could also fall foul of this if he doesn’t find a solution.
But who knows, I could be ahead of the curve and when United turn out against Arsenal before the international break, we could see something drastic for the team to get back on track.