ETH: "We want to be the best transition team in the world"

[Licha-Vidic]

This is actually a bit of a suprise to see (suprise not being the right word, I think, we are relatively high up in this particular stat since the 2nd or 3rd matchday). It would be interesting to see a stat about what happened shortly after those high turnovers. If we lost the ball again after 2 or 3 seconds or if we "just punted it forwards". Because, as you say, we haven't really made anything of note from those situation. To a point, that I seemingly didn't even notice that we win those relatively often which also means, we are paying the price for the tactic without reaping the rewards...

On the other hand, who knows, maybe this number is also a possible reason for some of the issues we are seeing. Namely the often mentioned void in between our front players and back players. If the front players engage in trying to win the ball high up the field but the defenders aren't really pushing up, then counter pressing can be very effective AGAINST us. Which would explain some of the "ball carriers really hurt us" stuff we have seen in the first few matches. Yes they hurt us but because they often had an easy game due to us leaving acres of space... Our opponents might have just done to us what we often did to Leeds and which fueled some myths about McTominays carrying qualities...

Dont over think alot mate.

We win the ball high then lose it again. The difference being the other team doesn't lose the ball cheaply.

Thus we spend huge amount of energy to win the ball, then lose it very easily. Then 20 minutes later we are shot in energy then with no plan. Wonder why we can't come back from behind.. Our only tactic is win the ball early, when the concede a goal this tactic becomes very fragile.

 

[OrcaFat]

This is actually a bit of a suprise to see (suprise not being the right word, I think, we are relatively high up in this particular stat since the 2nd or 3rd matchday). It would be interesting to see a stat about what happened shortly after those high turnovers. If we lost the ball again after 2 or 3 seconds or if we "just punted it forwards". Because, as you say, we haven't really made anything of note from those situation. To a point, that I seemingly didn't even notice that we win those relatively often which also means, we are paying the price for the tactic without reaping the rewards...

On the other hand, who knows, maybe this number is also a possible reason for some of the issues we are seeing. Namely the often mentioned void in between our front players and back players. If the front players engage in trying to win the ball high up the field but the defenders aren't really pushing up, then counter pressing can be very effective AGAINST us. Which would explain some of the "ball carriers really hurt us" stuff we have seen in the first few matches. Yes they hurt us but because they often had an easy game due to us leaving acres of space... Our opponents might have just done to us what we often did to Leeds and which fueled some myths about McTominays carrying qualities...

Yeah fair assessment. We’re not supposed to leave big gaps though. The full backs / CBs are supposed to fill in behind and close off that void (EtH just calls this compactness) but we’re still not drilled enough to do it at the right time.

 

[OrcaFat]

Oh absolutely.

If you look at our underlying stats we're a) midtable for both xG and xG conceded and b) have underperformed our xG by the third most of any team in the league so far this season.

So we have to get better at all of creating chances, preventing chances and taking chances. There's no one silver bullet to fix that, the team has been mediocre across the board and needs to improve across the board. Just converting some of those high turnovers alone doesn't fix the problem.

Converting the high turnovers is the key though. Getting a reward for the high pressing is the foundation for playing this system. It is not to say that other elements of our game don’t need to improve - they do but it’s one system, it all works together. The players need to buy into 100% for 90 minutes but it’s hard to do if you don’t score from the opportunities that the high pressing creates.

 

[mitchmouse]

maybe start with the basics... like being able to pass to a guy wearing the same colour shirt and know what that white thing at the end of the pitch is

 

[fallengt]

Doesn't matter how quickly you end up with the ball and from which part of the field...

... if the ball then goes to Rashford who then pauses for two seconds to wait for the defence to properly reset, then doesn‘t look for a player but tries to beat two men before the third dispossesses him or his slot is blocked or massively off target.

Final third attack is something to need to be addressed. The issue is United has too many players that see the ball as hand generate and want to pass it as quick as possible.
Teams know United is not super threaten in front of goal so they think they can play a bit adventurous to capitalize on United's inability to make something happen. Hence we make everyone looks like prime Barcelona

If we have 2-3 clinical attackers. It'd be a very different story.

 

[The Oracle]

ETH: "We want to be the best transition team in the world"

Well we are currently the best in the world at transitioning into complete and utter shite as the match goes on.

 

[Dan_F]

The only positive thing I’ll say is that in the last two games we’ve had close to double digit opportunities to score on the break, but it has to be perfect to work. Whether we should be relying on playing this way is another discussion. The players are so raw, un-clinical and low on confidence and you can tell. So many bad decisions are being made in good positions.

 

[Irwin99]

Must be incredible for Pep to have had so many of these type of games against United. Occasionally the quick counter attacks pay off like under Ole but i'm really tired of watching this style of football. It feels like the same game over and over.

It feels like we haven't valued possession since the days of LVG. People rightly have a go at LVG for his boring style but god I wish we could use the ball better in the build up. Tired of the same managers and the same philosophy.

 

[Samid]

Transitioning ourselves into irrelevancy with this bloke in charge.

 

[Jed I. Knight]

ETH: "We want to be the best transition team in the world"

Well we are currently the best in the world at transitioning into complete and utter shite as the match goes on.

Grasping at straws, mate.

We're usually shite from the get go.

 

[Greck]

It's now funny because people (self included) said these comments were surely more nuanced than what they first appeared to kneejerk conclusions; believing he couldn't possible be sipping the dreaded 'United way' kool aid. Surely there was something in the bigger picture, some middle ground we were just missing. Surely.

 

[Devilyouknow]

ETH: "We want to be the best transition team in the world"
Pre or post op?