I agree, but then we're lumping it down field to 3 players, in Greenwood, Martial and Rashford, who are quite possibly the worst aerially in the league. Rashford doesn't even attempt to challenge for balls in the air most of the time.
I know we're off topic.... but this just comes back to the fact that we are STILL not playing with any suggestion of identity or long term progression. As poor as it is that we're not getting the players in that we need, the squad Ole's got would be much better with some structured coaching and focus on key weaknesses.
No, we are playing with an identity it just only suits the front players you spoke of.
We've got two big lads in centre midfield, Matic and Pogba. Push them forward at goal kicks and play off them to win the second ball.
Once the ball is on the ground we're not bad at chasing it down in advanced areas. Most of the sides we play are as bad, if not worse, than us playing out from the back. So playing the percentages is actually a good idea. We're actually very efficient when it comes to turnovers near the opposition box so why not try to play there.
All we do when we try and work it out from the back is give opposition teams the chance to close us down. As soon as the ball goes to one of our defenders its a pressing trigger, Wan-Bissaka is the worst but they're all pretty miserable when pressed.
Matic and Pogba have the size to contest most aerial balls and Bruno buzzes around enough that he should win quite a lot of second balls in those instances. It'd make more sense asking our defenders to do that than expecting them to become Rio Ferdinand.
With players like Martial, Rashford, Greenwood and, if he comes, Dembele the flick on from midfield could become a potent weapon.