Hi I’m Masa United.
The second leg of their 22-23 pre-season match was against United in Melbourne, Australia. Melbourne opened the scoring at home in the fourth minute of the first half thanks to a goal by Christopher Ikonomidis. However, United were able to turn the game around with goals from McTominay in the 42nd minute and Martial in the 45th minute. United replaced 10 field players in the second half and scored their third goal in the 78th minute when Rashford scored. In the 89th minute, Lupancu cleared Chong’s cross, which was sucked into his own goal and scored his fourth own goal. United won 1-4. In the second game of the pre-season, they also scored four goals.
*Click here for match highlights
This time, we will look back at this match with 5 points from the tactical side and the player performance point of view!
The following items are included.
(1) Goals conceded early
They conceded a goal just four minutes into the match. The second pre-season game against Melbourne Victory will start with a goal conceded as easily as last season’s déjà vu. As in the first pre-season match against Liverpool, Ten Hag made the eleven a regular class in the first half. The keeper replaced the injured De Gea with Heaton and the CB replaced the injured Varane with Maguire in the starting line-up.
Against Melbourne, who had a 5-3-2 low block from the start of the match, United held the ball and looked to see where they could pry it in. The goal was conceded from Melbourne’s first goal kick, but Melbourne’s ability to change to 4-1-3-2 in the ball-holding scene delayed the press. The press on the left flank (Melbourne’s right) was easily deflected when it was halfway through, and Lindelof’s cover was behind him. Maguire is also behind in the return to the center and everything is resting. We conceded the opener.
Embed from Getty ImagesLast season, Rangnick, the creator of the Gegen Press, tried to instill it and it didn’t work, and the loose pressing seen in many games was seen again. Against Liverpool, we were able to press well from the front, but Melbourne came in loosely. Lindelof and Maguire’s carefree responses are also bound to be criticized, but if the “pressure” of the press from the front is not enough, scenes like this one will come out. This is a team-wide problem.
(2) Attack on the right side
United conceded a goal early, but they had to tackle their usual challenge of how to break open up against a low-key opponent. With Solskjaer, Rangnick and a team that has consequently practiced a collapse that relies on individual abilities, attention has been focused on how the new commander, Ten Hag, will improve. First, regarding ball retention, it is changed to a 4-3-3 with Fred as DM. The change from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3 is a staple at Ajax, but the point was that he used Fred as DM and McTominay as number eight.
Fred was responsible for the build-up by picking up the ball from the CB to start the game. He was also very careful with his positioning, and there were quite a few scenes where he instructed Maguire and Lindelof where to get the ball out. Fred served as an MVP in the Rangnick administration in a box-to-box, but in the second game of The Hag, he took on a new role and I think he did well. McTominay, who scored the opening goal in that box-to-box, is also better suited for the move.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe point of the collapse was the right side involving McTominay. McTominay lacked the quality of the final third (lol), but he made an important move in terms of creating a triangle between Sancho and Dalot. In the first half, most of the chances were created from the right flank, but Sancho’s high-quality, strategic selection of play and Dalot’s channel run and McTominay’s positioning to cover were quite high. Breaking down with this triangle unit is the iron plate of coach Ten Hag. In particular, penetration deep into the channel is seen again and again at Ajax. Dalot, McTominay are certainly not good enough in terms of ball play, but what they are trying to do should meet the needs of the coach.
(3) Evolution of Martial
Martial scored the next goal against Liverpool. The dedicated pressing up front, the frequency and timing of his appearance between the lines, the positioning of coming down to receive the wedge, and his signature sloppy dribbling and powerless finishing work. All of them show high quality. The fact that we trained well in the pre-season and that we are in good condition is also a big factor, but the difference from last season is still mentally. With Ronaldo not around, I think there is a sense of pride in the fact that I am the number one in the ninth, but coach Ten Hag appreciates Martial’s potential. The confidence of the commander is important to Martial. Even if you lose the ball, the attitude of immediately switching and trying to regain it is something that is unthinkable from Martial so far (lol).
Embed from Getty ImagesIn these two pre-season games, there is no more “Rotten Tony”. This should be seen as an “evolution” rather than a “return to the 19-20 season Martial” in which he scored 17 goals. The 26-year-old may have found a coach and a team environment that will allow him to show off his technique to the fullest. Of course, what becomes more important is continuity. Just two good pre-season races doesn’t change all the ratings. With Ronaldo’s departure and the acquisition of a new striker, there are still uncertainties, but the key will be how well you can focus on your work.
After the game, coach Ten Hag also
“I’m sure he’ll come back even better, he’s a good player, so if he has the right concentration and motivation and works hard, he’ll get results. When he has the right concentration and accomplishes a lot of things every day, he will have results. It’s up to him to do that.”
skysports
He said. I think that’s exactly right.
(4) Shining Iqbal and Savage
United came back from 1-2 to wrap up the first half. In the second half, as in the match against Liverpool, 10 field players were replaced. Forming a midfield duo similar to the Liverpool game was the 19-year-old duo of Iqbal and Savage. The two played in a 4-2-3-1 double CDM. Savage was a bit of a downside and played a role in scattering passes in the build-up scene. Defensively, his awareness of cover and his ability to detect crises are impeccable, and physically, he is a good 19-year-old.
Iqbal played more near the box than he did against Liverpool, but he showed off his high ball skills and ability to keep the ball. In the 57th minute, he turned two opponents to steal and raised a cross to excite the crowd. Like the three players on the right flank in the first half, Iqbal is conscious of working with Chong and Laird, and it is also a good impression that he has been able to show his character in the tactics.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhat these two players have in common is their composure when they have the ball. The fact that they have shown their qualities not only in Melbourne but also against Liverpool speaks to the high level of their ability. Also, in the second half of the Melbourne match, these two players were the core of the team. In the presence of Rashford and van de Beek, it is worth mentioning that they can make such a presence. This 19-year-old duo is one of the symbols of the change in the Ten Hag regime. If it grows well, there is even a possibility that it will be replaced by Fledge and McTominay in stages. The midfield position includes the possibility of joining Frenkie de Jong and Garner, who has been sidelined due to injury. Realistically, we may not get that many chances, but for now, these are the two of us who will be able to break into the first team in the academy squad for the new season.
(5) Rashford is No. 9
Against Melbourne, Rashford came on in the second half and scored his team’s third goal. He played on the left wing, but it was recently reported that one of the reasons for his poor form under the Langnick regime was his use on the right flank. Coach Ten Hag will probably use Rashford on the left wing, but looking at the two pre-season games, I don’t think he’s been able to move effectively on the left wing. In the match against Liverpool, we had decent shooting chances, but in terms of cooperation with the full-backs and the judgment when we had the ball, we were still far from the impression that we were fully recovered, and in the match against Melbourne, we had a very thin presence.
However, after scoring his third goal, he continued to shoot a header in front of the goal. In fact, Rashford switched positions with Amad just before the 78th minute when he scored the goal and moved into the top position. Moments later, he got out of Bailly’s vertical pass at perfect timing and poured it into the goal. In the 80th minute, he scored a nutmeg and in the 82nd minute, he met Malasia’s cross with his head, and suddenly his presence increased, but behind this was a change of position.
Embed from Getty ImagesOn the left wing, Rashford only thinks about trying to get behind the opposing defenders. Of course, that’s his biggest weapon, but if the ball doesn’t come out in the back, it’s impossible to get involved in the play. When He is at the top, he inevitably have a variety of play options, so conversely, back-and-forth moves are also effective. In the end, it doesn’t matter if it’s the left wing, but until Rashford regain his confidence and start working in the team, I recommend starting at the top. As I’ve written before, I think Rashford’s real quality is a striker. The same can be said for Elanga, but under the Ten Hag style there is a need for wingers who can hold the ball.
*See Rashford’s article here!
👿 Conclusion
The match against Melbourne was a challenge to concede a goal early on and break down the opponent who drew the ball away from last season. As a result, United scored four goals and cleared the hurdle by winning the reverse fixture. This time, we looked back at the match with five points, but under Ten Hag, there are some changes and improvements, but we can still see the bad habits of last season, so there is still a lot of work to be done in the future. However, there is definitely a sense of unity in the team, trust with the coaching staff and a response from training on this tour, so expectations are high for the new season.
There are four pre-season matches left. With the appointment of young players such as Garner, Garnacho and Hannibal who have not yet played, and when Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez will be able to join us, we will be looking forward to seeing when we can join them, but from the next match, the level of the opponents will improve. We’ll continue to check our tactical maturity!
The next match is against Crystal Palace at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Kick-off 19:10 on Tuesday 19 July. Came on! United!!
Thank you for reading until the end!
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