100% because of Henderson. Worth noting we didn’t do it all game and I think City worked us out after about 20mins so we dropped off but it makes us so much better defensively. Pep looked like he’d learned his lesson from the 0-0 earlier this season but I guess he had a buffer to go and try to win today, either way he played right into our hands and we looked pretty comfortable.
I think it's more of a change of Philosophy than down to individuals. We also played a high line and pressed high against Chelsea with De Gea in goal.Who was keeper against Chelsea?
You’re falling into the trap of thinking a high line versus Giroud is the same as the one today. As soon as Giroud went off we went deeeeep.Who was keeper against Chelsea?
We dropped in and out both games.You’re falling into the trap of thinking a high line versus Giroud is the same as the one today. As soon as Giroud went off we went deeeeep.
Much braver to do today.
Which I said in my post...We dropped in and out both games.
So I'm wondering how you jumped to gk, rather than just pure tactical?Which I said in my post...
I’m saying Henderson is 100% the reason we could play a high line in this game. Versus Chelsea it’s fine when Giroud is their 9, we’ve also been pretty high against weaker teams but that’s the first ‘big’ game where there’s a pacey CF and a team of equal/better players that I can remember us going that high. I think if DDG played that we’d have gone back 5 like against PSG.So I'm wondering how you jumped to gk, rather than just pure tactical?
Are we playing a deliberate higher line to stop them camping around our 18 yard line?
I duno.I’m saying Henderson is 100% the reason we could play a high line in this game. Versus Chelsea it’s fine when Giroud is their 9, we’ve also been pretty high against weaker teams but that’s the first ‘big’ game where there’s a pacey CF and a team of equal/better players that I can remember us going that high. I think if DDG played that we’d have gone back 5 like against PSG.
They had the pace — Sterling and Jesus are quick forwards — it’s just a lack of movement from them to actually cause real threats. We stifled them very well.It's also because Martial was holding the ball well, the defense has time to move up too. City didn't have much pace either.
That’s when it’s easiest to counter attack though. Sit deep, invite them on and then when it breaks you have players like Rashford,James,Martial who will get up the pitch on the counter. You basically want to create as much space as possible behind the opposition.I duno.
You can't counter attack that well if your packed around your own box.
I think it was tactical and would have happened regardless.
We'll never know
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We actually played like that for parts of the games against PSG, both home and away. It tends to be forgotten as other narratives are thicker.I’m saying Henderson is 100% the reason we could play a high line in this game. Versus Chelsea it’s fine when Giroud is their 9, we’ve also been pretty high against weaker teams but that’s the first ‘big’ game where there’s a pacey CF and a team of equal/better players that I can remember us going that high. I think if DDG played that we’d have gone back 5 like against PSG.
You're right, Henderson's not exactly a sweeper keeper like Neuer. But what he does is defend his entire box. That still makes a massive difference.Also worth noting that as per the guy I posted above Henderson isn't a particularly outstanding sweeper either (at least based on his season at Sheffield United).
The average PL keeper prevents 0.70 chances per 90min sweeping and Henderson prevented 0.72. So while better than De Gea, he was pretty much exactly average for the league as a whole.
Blaming DDG for everything is literally the most annoying fad on the caf. Especially when we played DDG against Chelsea and played in the exact same way as vs City.Can't believe some of the comment on this post. So people think Henderson was the main reason for our win? Henderson was the keeper against Palace as well, so where was his inspiration? his leadership, his sweeper style that allow us to keep a high line?
As far as I can see, the only explanation was that we have been saving our energy for the whole month, in particular at the Palace game, that we have the energy to run the extra 10%, even at the expense of an empty tank at Milan, in order to win this game. Meanwhile City was saving the Lady Luck for the other games, since they can afford to lose a few games.
It doesn't necessarily change your point too much, but we dropped deep as soon as the second half started against Chelsea, long before Giroud was replaced.You’re falling into the trap of thinking a high line versus Giroud is the same as the one today. As soon as Giroud went off we went deeeeep.
Much braver to do today.
Yep although my point, as might not have been clear from my first post, was it was much braver to do against City then Chelsea. I don't rate Jesus that highly but he's definitely more mobile than Giroud! I do think Henderson allows the higher line whereas DDG is less naturally inclined to sweep, it also helps we play a quite defensive/combative setup with McFred which makes it much harder to pass through us and our RB is a dead end for attackers, Shaw is in form - we're a very capable team defensively now.It doesn't necessarily change your point too much, but we dropped deep as soon as the second half started against Chelsea, long before Giroud was replaced.
Similarly in this game against City we started both halves pressing up high but got pushed back into a deeper position in the final 15-20 minutes of each half.
