...::[The Footy Desk]::... (Part 2)

[Eutyphro]

5 hours ago, Jason said:

Bruno's position hasn't changed one bit since the day he joined, Pogba played on the left side of what appeared to be a midfield three but he almost played as a half winger at times, somewhat similar to Di Maria's role under Ancelotti at Madrid.

 

I doubt we'll play that formation much as it means two holding midfielders + Pogba and a lack of width in less open games, and we've also not had great success with the diamond this season. 4231 with Bruno in 10 and Cavani up top was becoming our settled formation but Cavani is suspended for three (now two) games, I expect we'll go back to that in most games with Pogba alongside Fred or Matic in games we expect to dominate.

I mainly watched first half and many times it was Pogba in the center and Bruno on the left. It was as if everyone adapted to incorporate Pogba. I'm not saying Bruno truly changed position or that he played as a winger, but he did adapt, and Pogba himself was pretty much everywhere on the pitch.

 

Like I said, the main issue was that the player with the most scoring ability Rashford was playing on the right which will not bring out the most goals in him tbh. But all in all United is showing good things and they now have squad depth to adapt to many situations.

[TheSantader25]

United actually winning the league with the current forwards they have would be quite an achievement. If they actually pull it off it would be amazing. It's insane that they are delivering the performances they are delivering with literally no real top notch wingers. But then again I think their midfield consisting of Pogba-McTominay and Bruno is actually the strongest in the league. Luke Shaw has also really improved his attacking contribution from what I saw last night. 

Edited January 2, 2021 by TheSantader25

[Jason]

Nah today was pretty much always how Pogba plays when we play the diamond, a lot of freedom due to missing a forward from our usual 4231, and he can do play with freedom cause he has two midfielders to cover. Heatmaps showed he did the vast majority of his work on the left as usual too. We've had mixed results with the diamond but it's the only formation we can play that plays Bruno and Pogba in their best positions together, so we use it now and then.

 

As for our forwards, only Liverpool have scored more than us in the league this season. Rashford's a top winger these days with his weakness being that he's not very clinical, if he was he'd be world class - today was a good example of that actually, he had some great moments but fluffed the finish, but he has games where he tears teams a new one. Cavani's still a top level striker and Bruno's in the argument for being the best player in the league, he's world class. Martial is the weakest out of that lot due to blowing hot and cold but he's a good player still. Saying this, right wing continues to be a problem, we basically just rotate through players and hope one has a good game and if not sub him off after 60 minutes, so we need to solve that big time.

 

The reason we won't win the league is partially inconsistency from players like Martial and Rashford abut it's mainly poor defending. Bailly is highly unlikely to stay fit and it's arguable if him or Maguire at truly top centrebacks so we sorely need a top centreback in. A top CB and a top right winger would have a VVD and Alisson level impact on this team I think. I'd like a top holding midfielder in who can defend and pass too, but I think the other two positions are a higher priority especially as those type of midfielders don't grow on trees.

[Eutyphro]

Show both Bruno and Pogba heatmap then.

 

Edit:

 

 

Also:

 

It's a sort of pseudo 442 that in practice was more of a 433 because Rashford was on the right, and Bruno played on the left a lot evidenced by the heatmaps.

Edited January 2, 2021 by Eutyphro

[Lonely-Martin]

Excellent win today.

[TheSantader25]

Sheffield have a shot at breaking Derby's record as sh*ttiest relegation side ever. Serves Chris Wilder right though for being against 5 subs. 

[Jason]

11 hours ago, Eutyphro said:

It's a sort of pseudo 442 that in practice was more of a 433 because Rashford was on the right, and Bruno played on the left a lot evidenced by the heatmaps.

 

Bruno drifts to the left a lot in any system we play because our attack bias is heavily down the left due to the lack of an established right wing. We often overload heavily on that side, resulting in Bruno and Pogba getting a lot of touches down that side. It's a years old problem that's well known with United and has been a thing since Valencia moved to rightback pretty much, and it's why we want Sancho.

 

Bruno's starting position, as it always is, is slap bang in the middle and last night was no different, which you can see by the heatmaps which have Bruno taking touches on the right which is normal for him. It seemed more like a 3 in midfield out of possession but shifted to more of a 4231 in possession, with Pogba on the left, which you can see by him having very few touches away from the left. We've even played Pogba there before actually, I wanna say it was under Mourinho though.

 

But yea, the only game I've missed this season was the Leicester game and Bruno played no differently last night compared to the start of the season, where Pogba wasn't in the team. If anyone is adapting it's Pogba at this point, but the majority of his games are in midfield, usually on the right of a two, which is where he's played recently. We've also recently tried VDB in that same sort of role Pogba played last night, can't remember what game exactly though.

[Eutyphro]

I think the whole thing was nit picking any way, and the heat maps are coherent with the points I made. Bruno was willing to play from the left as much as the middle, which enabled Pogba to play in his natural role, which is not stuck on the left, but down the middle as well. The heatmap also had Scott very much on the right and Fred pretty much everywhere. What they play is a dynamic 442 that resembles a 433 cause Rashford played as a right winger most of the time.

Edited January 2, 2021 by Eutyphro

[Jason]

In other news, even Big Sam aint keeping this WBA team up. They are so poor.

[TheSantader25]

Poor Roman spent all that money for nothing. 

[Jason]

Roman's probably on the phone to Tuchel already, Lampard showing no signs of improving this team despite the spend and he still seems completely clueless on what his best team is.

[Eutyphro]

I refuse to believe Kovacic, Kante, Timo Werner, Pulisic etc are bad players, so I do really blame this on the coach.

[Girish]

We look like a bunch of strangers thrown onto the pitch and forced to play together. I would say that things can't get any worse than this but I think they can. But yeah, Lamps gotta shoulder all the blame because losses are fine, part and parcel of the game but when you put in championship-level performances with the kind of players at his disposal there's only one direction to point the finger in.

[TheSantader25]

I was skeptical about Werner before he signed for Chelsea. It was known from his days in Bundesliga that he collapses under pressure. There was literally a game he played in one of the turkish stadiums in the CL and he said the fans' noises made him nauseous.

 

We have to see if he can turn it around but to me he looked weak mentally for this level. He is the type of player that Jose would bench INSTANTLY if he was at Chelsea to see if he can get his sh*t together. Pretty much how he did with N'dombele who has now turned his situation around. 

Edited January 3, 2021 by TheSantader25

[Eutyphro]

18 hours ago, Jason said:

Roman's probably on the phone to Tuchel already, Lampard showing no signs of improving this team despite the spend and he still seems completely clueless on what his best team is.

They already brought in Werner and Havertz. Tuchel could be a great fit to be honest. I hope Lampard can still have a good managerial career as well.

[Jason]

I don't rate Lampard at all my self, he didn't do anything special at Derby and while you could say similar stuff about a few managers, like Ole and Arteta, Ole's fought his way through several rough patches and the team continues to improve under him and while I've criticised Arteta heavily he's got some muppets in his team (which he continued to play), but now that he's putting some faith into some of the young ones they're looking a lot better. Meanwhile Lampard's in his second season and has had a huge summer transfer window and yet still looks completely lost.

[Lonely-Martin]

Nicely done Southampton, open that door up for the Manchester clubs, and potentially others. Nice!

[Jason]

The reason why this season is bonkers and unpredictable is most likely for terrible reasons - the pandemic - but sometimes you have to see the positives in the bad and this season is certainly that.

 

One way to sum up how bonkers this season is that if the team in 8th wins their two games in hand they will go 1 point off top. 8th to 3rd. City meanwhile are right back in it, Everton are right in it, Spurs are in it, United have a chance that we've not had since 2013. It is absolutely anyone's season this.

 

I somewhat selfishly hope the football doesn't stop due to the new lockdown in the UK because I think the top teams getting a rest and some players back from injury will strengthen them and remove a lot of the unpredictability, but we'll see how that goes.

[Eutyphro]

If you would have a two month break right now no doubt Liverpool would win the league. Without it I think UNITEDS GONNA WIN THE LEEEAAAGUUEE!!!

[TheSantader25]

Pretty much every top league except Bundesliga and Ligue 1 is gonna have some serious drama this season. I particularly hope We see one of the two milan clubs win Serie A this season. 

[Laker23]

Liverpool have looked horrible ever since post restart. I had assumed it was because of a lack of motivation after having the league wrapped up, so they'd just coast and that's the reason they looked bad.

 

To be honest maybe that's still the reason, because as unlucky as they've been with injuries the team is capable of so much more. There's no desire, everything moves slowly.

 

TAA is being neutered because of the centre back issues, and generally he looks way off the pace, anyway. Henderson at centre back is not the answer, as they desperately miss his presence in the middle. Salah is way less involved than usual, most of his attacking stats down from last last year. The list goes on and on.

 

Despite this it wouldn't surprise me one bit if they suddenly turn it on, such is the quality they have.

[Eutyphro]

They did beat Palace 7-0, so they're just very inconsistent, but not all out bad. Henderson at cb is indeed weird and not right.

[TheSantader25]

Liverpool were fine until the last 3 games. On their day, I'd say no team in the world can beat them as we've seen in some of the games this season. But the injuries have really taken the toll. The Wijnaldum-Fabinho-Henderson midfield is extremely essential for the way they want to play. I don't think the rest of their midfielders can play in Klopp's system as these 3 can. No CBs as well. All main 3 are injured. It's gonna be a tough season for them. They desperately need a CB or City-United could snatch that title off their hands. 

[Lonely-Martin]

Cool, a win is a win. Not at our best but pretty comfy in the end. Bit of a painful one on Hojberg, lol. Good nuff!

[TheSantader25]

Lol I'm watching 3 games at the same time. 

 

City are a far better team with Cancelo and Zinchenko as their full backs instead of Mendy-Walker. 

 

Best performance from us in the entire season so far. This is what I like to see. I don't care if we don't win anything. Just play good football for now. This is a young squad. 

 

Dammit Juve are beating Milan. 

Edited January 6, 2021 by TheSantader25

[Eutyphro]

I remember defending Zinchenko in here. I've always liked that player for Pep's system.

[Jason]

So basically the lesson of today is that Pogba isn't a left winger and Martial isn't a striker.

 

The performance is more disappointing than the result tbh, we never looked like scoring meanwhile City looked dangerous all night. Another semi final lost.

[Lonely-Martin]

Think I'd rather we face City than United to be fair. Our counter attack would probably be more available against City and it is a team we've done well against in recent years.

 

That said, they are super dangerous and I feel whoever we'd have gotten in the final would be a real hard test. United for wanting revenge from the absolute spanking we gave them, and City are natural challengers for anything.

 

I just hope we at least turn up and give it a good go is all.

[Jason]

Think the football being stopped in the UK is a matter of when and not if unfortunately, this new variant of covid is becoming rampant.

[Lonely-Martin]

4 hours ago, Jason said:

Think the football being stopped in the UK is a matter of when and not if unfortunately, this new variant of covid is becoming rampant.

 

Would be a shame of course, but very understandable. It's been mad down in my part of the country for a while now, this 3rd wave/new strain has been so underestimated.

 

But alas, I'll not ramble, I'm just trying to keep my head down and hope this spell eases up asap. It's f*cking crazy now.

 

Take care folks!