Thread:

Highlighting a couple of improvements from United's Europa league R32 win over La Real. #MUFC

La Real 0 v 4 Man Utd — Buildup & Pressing. #RSOMUN

Pressing & traps:

Often #mufc are hasty & over-commit in their pressing, especially from players like Rashford and Bruno. Thus leading their press to be dis-jointed and by-passed easily. On Thursday, they nailed it. They formed a pressing cage around #RSO entire midfield.
Aim was to minimize #RSO creative players' involvement on the ball. In fact, Merino & Silva had the fewest touches of their teammates. Bruno & MG11 focused on cutting passing lanes to midfield instead of rushing the press. MG11 pressed nearside CB when ball went out-wide.
The trigger for United's press was when the ball is played to the FBs. This is where a ball nearside Winger pressed the FB, while the CF closes the ball nearside CB & the CM (Scott) & FB (AWB) pressed the dropping CM (Merino) & LW (Oyarzabal).+CB pressed dropping CF (Izak). #mufc
Buildup:

#MUFC built-up in a 2422 where the CF & CAM dropped to help the buildup. #RSO pressed in 4132 with Silva pushing up. Th improvement was how Fred and Scott communicated & opened up angles for their CBs to cut through the press.+ Bruno dragging Illarramendi OOP.
This allowed Fernandes opened angles for Fred who was excellent on the night in scanning his positioning to get out of press.

Just like the pressing can be dis-joined if the backline doesn't push up, the buildup can also be dis-jointed with no angles to get out of press. #MUFC
MG11 and Fernandes dropping while MR10 shifting to CF to pin the CBs was very clever and helped #mufd by-pass #RSO press often. Notice Greenwood's position and he was the CF on the night...
#MUFC maintained their final phase shape, which was 325/235. It was fluid, however, as on the transition it was a 424. The change was Bruno maintained as high a position as Greenwood. He was a second striker. Bruno becomes less effective the deeper he drops...
Since #RSO don't really defend in a low block, he was not needed to drop to progress the ball often & it was a smart thing to be that high. A valuable quality Bruno has he makes a lot of striker-like runs off the shoulder of defenders. It was evident in his 2 goals.

End. #mufc

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