Lack of urgency

[G-manc]

Why are we so allergic to actually running or playing with any sort of urgency? This seems to have been a thing with every manager post-Fergie.

Even the mid to lower table teams seem to have an ability to play some one touch football and zip it about a bit and contest 50/50’s whereas we only play with urgency in small spells when either chasing a goal or for maybe 5-10 minutes at the start of a game. I can’t remember the last time one of our players came out the right side of an evenly contested tackle.

Surely no one is told to move the ball slowly? if we actually had press resistant players who could string more than 2 passes together without giving the ball away cheaply, then I could sort of understand it, but all it does is 2 main things -encourages the opposition to attack us and allows them all the time in the world to organise themselves against our toothless attack.

We are bottom of nearly every stat whether it’s distance covered or attacking stats. How is this not identified and rectified given how many analysts etc. are involved in top level sport nowadays?

 

[Red4Ever]

This pisses me off more than anything

 

[horsechoker]

I'll get back to you later on this

 

[Blood Mage]

It's low fitness levels combined with a physically weak squad. Thrown in a bunch of weak mentalities and it's a perfect recipe for disaster.

The fact that Bruno is our captain says it all. The guy is weak, slow and crumbles in the face of adversity so often.

 

[Marwood]

It's low fitness levels combined with a physically weak squad. Thrown in a bunch of weak mentalities and it's a perfect recipe for disaster.

The fact that Bruno is our captain says it all. The guy is weak, slow and crumbles in the face of adversity so often.

In a thread about the lack of running you've picked up on Bruno?

 

[Red_toad]

It's low fitness levels combined with a physically weak squad. Thrown in a bunch of weak mentalities and it's a perfect recipe for disaster.

The fact that Bruno is our captain says it all. The guy is weak, slow and crumbles in the face of adversity so often.

Do you have access to their fitness reports?
I'd say it was a mental issue, as our players can run as much as anyone in the league when want/decide to. I actually think Bruno tops the running charts currently.

 

[clarkydaz]

Not a new thing is it. Remember when Ole came he said you expect united players to be the fittest in the land

 

[astracrazy]

It's the thing that pisses me off the most. Anytime we do have high urgency we play our best.

 

[Ali Dia]

Strolling around like we’ve just come off the back of a double winning season? They are already being paid and promoted in the media like they are. It’s the emperors new clothes, they have everything apart from success and drive

 

[elmo]

Not a new thing is it. Remember when Ole came he said you expect united players to be the fittest in the land

And he proceeded to make them even more unfit.

 

[Plant0x84]

This pisses me off more than anything

It's the thing that pisses me off the most.

Urgency incontinence, is when you feel a sudden and very intense need to pass urine and you're unable to delay going to the toilet.

Nice work on the pun gents!

 

[Himannv]

This is probably the biggest problem with our play. We move the ball so slowly that we are easy to defend against. There's hardly any off the ball movement to help either so it's not just the ball carrier's fault.

 

[Lay]

Hasn’t fitness been an issue for some time now? The players can’t sustain their fitness. We are physically beaten by every team

 

[Darkhorsez]

I'll get back to you later on this

 

[arthurka]

Hard working

 

[68cob]

Been the same for a number of years, where passes are attempted and our lads look confused when an oppo player has the audacity to take the ball before it gets close to the intended recipient. They genuinely look unaware that they are in a competitive game.

 

[Livewire1974]

Our players are overpaid lazy wasters.

 

[Lost bear]

It's the thing that pisses me off the most. Anytime we do have high urgency we play our best.

Yes. When we played Aston Villa there was an actual sense of urgency and as a result it was the best we’d played all season. The players played like they meant it. Usually they play like they don’t ( really mean it). Why? That has to be the key question about Utd at this point. It drives us crazy: why the feck doesn’t it drive THEM crazy? Why don’t they play like they mean it, why this sense of just going through the motions? It is unacceptable and has to be the first thing that Ineos gets to grip with.

 

[UpWithRivers]

Every manager bar Van Gaal played some form of counter attack. We hold on to the ball waiting for our forwards to make runs then try and hit them. Thats why Maguire is slated for holding on to the ball forever and now Onana. They are just waiting for runs. Its just crap football.

 

[RuudTom83]

So called Top teams get beat fairly regularly nowadays. The outcome of matches relies heavily on which team has the most energy.

United only get going once they are 1 or 2 goals down, but coaching them to start with some energy and urgency seems impossible post SAF.

 

[Red4Ever]

Urgency incontinence, is when you feel a sudden and very intense need to pass urine and you're unable to delay going to the toilet.

Nice work on the pun gents!

ha!

 

[LuckyScout78]

I agree here:

The urgency of United legend from the 90's a totally on a different and more top level.

Top level of urgency, intensity and fighting spirit.

When they get the ball. It is like = "Attack attack, scoring goals and scoring goals focus" I just don't feel it. The energy, urgency, top guts and play on full speed and speed pedal at the bottom.

A bit slower and more side and back passes.

The only team who is playing with that urgency is. The top of the table team. Liverpool. Special against Newcastle. It is just like attack attack. Liverpool just had that top urgency and guts.

No top guts = no glory = simple as that. Football is simple. No need rocket science to figure it out.

All Klopp and his team is thinking and focus = attack attack, scoring goals scoring goals boys. Biggest reasons why i think Liverpool are at the top of the table.

 

[AlexUTD]

I'll get back to you later on this

For fecks sake

 

[The Irish Connection]

Agree. It’s a problem. I would suggest weeding out the players who are the biggest culprits.
Martial, Rashford, sometimes Shaw and Mctominay for a start.

I would suggest Olise who has been linked has a bit of that style in him, hence I would be cautious unless the fee was reasonable.

The likes of Joao Neves from Benfica looks to have good energy and urgency in his game, but might be crazy money.

 

[AlexUTD]

Agree. It’s a problem. I would suggest weeding out the players who are the biggest culprits.
Martial, Rashford, sometimes Shaw and Mctominay for a start.

I would suggest Olise who has been linked has a bit of that style in him, hence I would be cautious unless the fee was reasonable.

The likes of Joao Neves from Benfica looks to have good energy and urgency in his game, but might be crazy money.

Olise? We have the mighty Antony out on RW wich also is left footed!

 

[golden_blunder]

It’s down to the tactics as much as the players. They need to get the ball in the box more

 

[The Irish Connection]

Olise? We have the mighty Antony out on RW wich also is left footed!

If you didn’t laugh you’d cry

 

[AlexUTD]

If you didn’t laugh you’d cry

It is all we have left mate

 

[noodlehair]

Just an assumption/guess but I feel like its mostly down to a lack of confidence/belief.

It doesn't entirely excuse it but I think you see this from a lot of teams. Players seem to magically become twice as sharp and be able to cover twice the distance as soon as there is some motivation to do so and belief that it will get them somewhere.

 

[lex talionis]

Our players hit the jackpot when they sign contracts with United.

 

[Lentwood]

It's always the way with Dutch managers in the Premier League. Slow, stodgy, dull, tactical football.

 

[Borys]

Because Ten Hag has been building a squad to tear up the Italian league.

 

[Reddevildans]

Maguire the biggest culprit

 

[TheReligion]

It's low fitness levels combined with a physically weak squad. Thrown in a bunch of weak mentalities and it's a perfect recipe for disaster.

The fact that Bruno is our captain says it all. The guy is weak, slow and crumbles in the face of adversity so often.

In a thread about the lack of running you've picked up on Bruno?

I’m equally as baffled as to why Bruno would be highlighted here.

 

[Lay]

It's always the way with Dutch managers in the Premier League. Slow, stodgy, dull, tactical football.

Mixed with stubbornness

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

I believe it's the inability on an individual level to make things happen off the dribble within the context of systems that, more or less, rely on moments of quality to get the job done. We utilize the left flank a lot to generate attacks, we often look adequate to move the ball up-field with pace and purpose to create isos for either Rashford or Garnacho. But neither of them is a natural dribbler, so most plays are dead on the water when the ball arrives at their feet.

Another thing is that United, throughout the last decade, seem allergic to "pass and move" players, while they seem very fond of the "catch and shoot" ones. Good movement and good vision are prerequisites of one-touch football. We often get the ball in good positions and in favourable situations in the final third, but will screw it up because we ditch the "checkmate in three moves" looking for the shortcut. And no, this isn't something you can teach. As Klopp, Pep and Tuchel have often said in various moments, the manager's job is to make sure that the ball gets in good positions in the final third. Once that task is accomplished, it's up to the players to justify their wages.

Thirdly, the few times we manage to maintain possession and circulate the ball in the final third with any sense of rhythm to our passing, the players from the second line of attack burdened with the responsibility to create chances are, in one word, crap at their jobs. When you rely on players like AWB, Dalot, Shaw to time their runs to perfection and execute a pass/cross with precision, you'll be struggling most of the time. Again, they'll offer you moments within games, but never a consistent threat to worry the opposition. The same goes with trying to mix it up by turning Garnacho/Rashford into creators or waiting for Antony to beat his man.

Finally, there's a fine line between urgency and hastiness, one that some of our better players don't seem to comprehend entirely. I'll leave it at that.

All the above create a conundrum where the system can't make the most of the width of the pitch in the attacking half, the players closest to the final third are forcing things (because that's what they know to do best) and get desperate and the players from the deeper lines are ever reluctant to commit themselves because they believe that they will either be ignored or -worse- they'll find themselves running back and chasing the ball like headless chickens.

You want to believe it's a "Dutch thing", but this cumbersome passing when the spaces aren't there, the lack of intricacy around the box and that focus on the left side to create attacks has been here since Mourinho, and it was fully embraced by Solskjaer. It makes you wonder...

 

[Red71]

I believe it's the inability on an individual level to make things happen off the dribble within the context of systems that, more or less, rely on moments of quality to get the job done. We utilize the left flank a lot to generate attacks, we often look adequate to move the ball up-field with pace and purpose to create isos for either Rashford or Garnacho. But neither of them is a natural dribbler, so most plays are dead on the water when the ball arrives at their feet.

Another thing is that United, throughout the last decade, seem allergic to "pass and move" players, while they seem very fond of the "catch and shoot" ones. Good movement and good vision are prerequisites of one-touch football. We often get the ball in good positions and in favourable situations in the final third, but will screw it up because we ditch the "checkmate in three moves" looking for the shortcut. And no, this isn't something you can teach. As Klopp, Pep and Tuchel have often said in various moments, the manager's job is to make sure that the ball gets in good positions in the final third. Once that task is accomplished, it's up to the players to justify their wages.

Thirdly, the few times we manage to maintain possession and circulate the ball in the final third with any sense of rhythm to our passing, the players from the second line of attack burdened with the responsibility to create chances are, in one word, crap at their jobs. When you rely on players like AWB, Dalot, Shaw to time their runs to perfection and execute a pass/cross with precision, you'll be struggling most of the time. Again, they'll offer you moments within games, but never a consistent threat to worry the opposition. The same goes with trying to mix it up by turning Garnacho/Rashford into creators or waiting for Antony to beat his man.

Finally, there's a fine line between urgency and hastiness, one that some of our better players don't seem to comprehend entirely. I'll leave it at that.

All the above create a conundrum where the system can't make the most of the width of the pitch in the attacking half, the players closest to the final third are forcing things (because that's what they know to do best) and get desperate and the players from the deeper lines are ever reluctant to commit themselves because they believe that they will either be ignored or -worse- they'll find themselves running back and chasing the ball like headless chickens.

You want to believe it's a "Dutch thing", but this cumbersome passing when the spaces aren't there, the lack of intricacy around the box and that focus on the left side to create attacks has been here since Mourinho, and it was fully embraced by Solskjaer. It makes you wonder...

A very interesting take on the problem…depressing, in that in that it reads like we’re further away than ever from seeing a successful United again, but interesting all the same…cheers!

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

I agree here:

The urgency of United legend from the 90's a totally on a different and more top level.

Top level of urgency, intensity and fighting spirit.

When they get the ball. It is like = "Attack attack, scoring goals and scoring goals focus" I just don't feel it. The energy, urgency, top guts and play on full speed and speed pedal at the bottom.

A bit slower and more side and back passes.

The only team who is playing with that urgency is. The top of the table team. Liverpool. Special against Newcastle. It is just like attack attack. Liverpool just had that top urgency and guts.

No top guts = no glory = simple as that. Football is simple. No need rocket science to figure it out.

All Klopp and his team is thinking and focus = attack attack, scoring goals scoring goals boys. Biggest reasons why i think Liverpool are at the top of the table.

I 100% agree with this, Liverpool's style of play is to get the ball from back to front as quickly as possible and get a shot on goal, they do this by having high energy levels, quick players and everyone understands what's expected. Villa is having success this season with the same approach, Newcastle at the start of the season, etc.

We should be able to implement that style very quickly IF the manager and players want to. We might not be as successful as we don't have as good players in my opinion as Liverpool but it's the easiest style of play to adopt and sign players for.

 

[Marwood]

It's what made Fergie so good. That balance of urgency, gettimg the ball up the pitch, whilst still playing good stuff. He nailed it.

 

[Stuu]

The whole "transition football" Ten Hag talked about in pre-season falls apart when you can't score the first goal. Probably 70-80% of the teams we play look to hit us on the counter from a low block. Erikson and Bruno would be ripping teams apart if every team played with a nice high line for us to run in behind. Until they figure out how to break teams down the losses will keep coming.