Our Transformation since the Anfield game

[OohAahMartial]

http://www.squawka.com/news/how-jos...-since-their-last-clash-with-liverpool/876589

These stats really show how our offense has improved so much with a particularly striking statistic that we have made the most number of through balls--a long way away from the LVG days.

One-touch football
With the players seemingly more certain of their places under their new manager, confidence has returned to their attack.

Rather than trying to mechanise the play like many other modern managers, Mourinho’s priority remains fixated on forming a solid defence and then – to some extent – getting out of the way of his players in order to allow them to bounce off each other and bully the opposition.

Yet the Portuguese has played his role in getting more out of the final third too. One touch passing is now a key focus in training. It may sound like a minor shift but now 1.93% of United’s passing takes place within the penalty box, compared with 1.82% before facing Liverpool.

The percentage of shots in the box has risen too, up to 60.56% compared with 56.25%, with shot accuracy improving too – 63.38% versus 57.03% previously. United are less speculative in their approach play, more keen to give and receive the ball to punch through tight spaces around the area in order to put their shooters in better positions to take a chance.

Combination play, not pure individualism
Rather than looking to Pogba or Ibrahimovic to produce miracles, Mourinho’s side are now meshing together better than ever before. They are rapidly developing the kind of understanding that only comes with time and familiarity.

No team in the Premier League has completed more through balls this season, and since the 0-0 draw with Liverpool, United’s ability to find their runners by cutting through the defensive lines has become even sharper.

Successful through balls per game now stands at 1.50 rather than 0.88 as the bonds between their key creative players and attackers mature and their chemistry begins to become almost automatic.


Will be interesting to see if Klopp goes more defensive than usual to cope with the new United.

 

[donkeyfish]

Will be interesting to see if Klopp goes more defensive than usual to cope with the new United.

He probably will. Although it wasn't talked about that much, both teams in that Anfield game were more cautious than usual.

 

[NedStarkers]

He probably will. Although it wasn't talked about that much, both teams in that Anfield game were more cautious than usual.

I think this will be a much more open game. Henderson being out for Liverpool and the return of Coutinho will see them try to pinch one on the break. We need the win to get right back amongst the challengers. I think Mou will make sure we stay tight at the back but be much more attacking at home.

I can see also Chelsea imploding this weekend with Costa being in dispute. This could be a key weekend in the season!

 

[calodo2003]

We are starting to get a bit too predictable with one touches / flick ons in and around the box when we are trying to unlock the parked bus. Typically we are trying to do one touches through the middle of the pitch, just outside the box where the largest contingent of defenders are located. When we pull it off, it's great, but, if the point person who would typically flick the ball on (say, Ibra) settled it and turned away from the intended flick, knocked a pass out wide to change point of attack on either flank, played a short pass to a United player crashing the channel (especially if the player who passed Ibra the ball for the flick kept on his run to take some opponents with him, Mata, Herrera, etc. would be the beneficiary of space inside the opponent's box while receiving a short pass), even or a snapshot (like Ibra's goal v. West Ham), suddenly our tactics up front will not be as static as they have been.

Being able to mix up runs & points of attack consistently through Ibra in the final third all due to one extra touch will keep every opponent in the bus unsure of our tactics even deeper into their half. We ain't doing too badly now, but I don't want to see us try to open up parked buses with just flicks as it often is extraordinarily hard to do.

 

[OohAahMartial]

What is the best way of opening up a parked bus defense? For me it would be to draw them out and then attack with pace. But we tend to compress them into their box and try to run players into it, maybe partly in hope of a penalty but that relies on fair refs which we don't get, pot shots hoping for lucky deflections. I think most effective is getting to the touchline and sending a pacy ball either across the face of goal for a toe poke sitter or cut back for a first time finish.

 

[Green_Red]

We've got potential goals now from a couple of players which always makes a team more dangerous.

 

[Lawman]

We've got potential goals now from a couple of players which always makes a team more dangerous.

This makes a huge difference plus we have pace either side of Zlatan now. I think we still need a runner from the middle of the park to run beyond the frontman at times we don't have this.

 

[OohAahMartial]

In a 4-2-3-1 the front four of Martial Ibra Mhki and Rooney/Mata can all score goals. In a 4-3-3 we are left with a front 3, down one attacker, and the midfield 3 of Pogba Herrera and Carrick don't score much and don't make up for the loss of an attacker. If we continue with a 4-3-3 I would like Pogba to work on his finishing and we maybe need an upgrade on the other two that can also chip in with some goals.