How do we unlock a defensive team

Quick passing and intelligent movement will break down a packed defence, just need to watch City, Liverpool, Barca to see that.

Whether we have the players to do that is a different story. I’m not sure we do, our passing for the last 10 years or so has been generally poor and 3rd man runs usually not existent. This is one area we need to improve cause we can’t rely on counter attacking against everyone.

noodlehair said:

Probably best to see how we actually do against one first. The whole idea we'd struggle is based on the fact we don't have a big striker, but City don't have one. Neither do Liverpool. They've both found a way around it.

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Think it’s more based on a recent history of us struggling.

Playing with width, moving the ball across the pitch at tempo, stretching teams and creating overloads.

Quick switch of play from a fullback to centre mid to the other free fullback. Then a quick low cross by the fullback to the far post against a disorganized defence, with the strikers attacking different parts of the box and Pogba/ Pereira at the edge for a long shot.

Guaranteed a goal or two somewhere in there.

I think the likes of Gomez are required with that little bit of trickery to unlock defensive set ups, as in my opinion, as a team I think we are good at countering teams but not unlocking defenses.

Hopefully, as the season progresses I am pleasantly surprised and we can do both.

Maybe we have the confidence to unlock defenses now as we look that little bit better at the back. The offensive players need not worry too much with what is going on behind them with AWB and 'arry at the back.

Pogba and Mata are adequate. Martial in a central role does more than a Lukaku as well.

Pace, movement, quick sharp passing and width. And be clinical when the chances come.

Unleash Phil Jones up front, unsettle their defense and capitalize on the ensuing confusion. Should be pretty entertaining at the very least.

Seriously speaking, the key is going to be plenty of movement, interchanges and quick nifty passing in between the lines and one-twoes. We've already seen glimpses of the fast paced attacking football under Ole in the early parts of his stint last season. With the cumbersome Lukaku gone and Ole trying to reinforce a more fluid and a buzzing frontline, I think it should work out nicely or at least in theory. You don't have to split a defense, if you can spin it into disarray with astute movement and quick tempo passing. Which we should be capable of.

We are definitely lacking on the creativity front but given the option of having a top class playmaker and a rigid, static forward line or a steady midfield but a dynamic forward line, I'd pick the latter. One could even argue that we have a more creative midfield than Liverpool, just by the sheer presence of Pogba. Key to it panning out and unlocking defenses is going to ultimately depend on the cohesiveness and consistency of our forward line.

Question marks remain over Rashford's decision making and consistency on the ball and Martial's movement and mentality remains, in tandem with the lack of a RW. Fingers crossed, it all clicks together.

Inigo Montoya said:

I'm Sure that's illegal. We'll get penalised

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Yeah.. Penilised

The answer is Angel Gomes. Is there another player in the PL that small, with that much skill, unpredictability and control?

For God’s sake, Ole, give Angel his wings

Annihilate Now! said:

Ole's got the key, and he's got the secret.

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Hopefully he has the key to another way.

(Blast from the past?)

Set pieces and medium distance shots, thats what the book says. We don't have the width nor the presence in the area to win headers so I'll hope we've worked on set pieces.

Lots of the technical and tactical advice given above. I’d agree.

But really, we all know that we need to give to Pogba and hope for the best. Outside of Gomes, who is 18, I wouldn’t back the other midfielders with creating a sandwich.

Quick passing and movement is essential. I'm hoping we'll field an actual attacker on the right (James or Greenwood). But unlike other teams who sit deep, Wolves are excellent on the counter, so our midfield will have to be super vigilant.

Imo, Gomes is the key. His close control and ability in tight spaces forces players out of position.

It’s where Pereira is preferred over a player like Lingard. He’s both better at picking out through balls and with his threat from 30 yards he can make defences panic and create space closing him down.

We ask them nicely.

dabeast said:

The answer is Angel Gomes. Is there another player in the PL that small, with that much skill, unpredictability and control?

For God’s sake, Ole, give Angel his wings

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Love it

Drive from midfield (get past their midfield 4-5), take your man on (force other opposition players to move/create gaps), good crisp passing.

If all else fails, shoot and hope for "a Kompany".

I think the quick transition is the most important to unlock tight defense. Unfortunately our right side is without good winger, so it means if they close off Martial, we are in a bad position. If that happens, quick passing through the middle with may 1-2, and let's say making a good shooting positions for goals outside the box.

Shoot.

Patience with constant bombardment of crosses. Risk of counter attack though.