Tactical Analysis of Manchester United's Mini Revival Under Louis Van Gaal
Whisper it quietly, but something in the air has changed in Manchester. No, it’s not the palpable sense of excitement being experienced by the blue half as they await the confirmed arrival of Pep Guardiola; it’s a feeling in the red half that things are finally starting to come together.
It’s a small sample size, but Manchester United’s last two performances—a 3-1 win over Derby County in the FA Cup followed by a convincing 3-0 win over Stoke City on Tuesday night in the Premier League—represent a flickering beacon of hope for the Old Trafford faithful. It’s not the sort of dramatic upturn that will resonate with the worldwide footballing fraternity, but for ardent supporters, these matches represent a veritable step forward.
Speculation over what has caused the shift in performances is rife, with fan pressure a gold-medal candidate. The Red Devils have played poorly all season, but Old Trafford’s support was been unwavering—until the home loss to Southampton on Jan. 23 that led to boos and hisses across the terraces.
The positivity shown—in spite of the drab football on display—may have led Louis van Gaal to feel a false sense of security. The fans pride themselves on getting behind the team, but that may have perhaps hindered progression to an extent. The Southampton outburst, it seems, was a much-needed catalyst; Van Gaal stopped talking and started doing.
The freedom with which United played against Derby was something that felt almost entirely alien, and Jesse Lingard hinted on the club’s official website that Van Gaal had unleashed the players somewhat: “We started on the front foot, we played with freedom and I think we excited the fans. We have to press teams in most games now, put them on the back foot and force mistakes, then we can get the second ball and start playing football.”
That carried into the Stoke performance too, with the 3-0 win standing out as their best performance of the season. The zip, speed and confidence with which their football was played came as a true shock to the fans. It’s all good doing it against a poor Derby side, but here they were dismantling a strong Potters outfit that, less than 40 days previous, had dismantled them at the Britannia Stadium.
So what are the key on-pitch differences? United have been jolted into action, but how have they put theory of improvement into practice?
Left-Sided Chemistry
Against both Derby and Stoke City, Anthony Martial was in spectacular form. Playing off the left flank, he was fed the ball early and often in both games, and his high-intensity, positive play set the tone for good performances.
His jinking runs caused Cyrus Christie (Derby) and the Glen Johnson-Phil Bardsley combination (both Stoke City) all sorts of issues, and he constantly got either in behind them or darted inside of them to influence play. His link play and willingness to drift to find space made him borderline unplayable in both fixtures.
But it wasn’t just a one-man show; there’s a noticeable degree of chemistry forming between the Frenchman and 19-year-old Cameron Borthwick-Jackson—a rookie left-back forced into action because of an overwhelming number of injuries to have hit the full-back spot.
Combination play between a winger and a full-back can take a team to another level—remember Steven Pienaar and Leighton Baines for Everton or Lukasz Piszczek and Jakub Blaszczykowski for Borussia Dortmund?—and the chopping and changing at both full-back spots has stunted United. Some of the team's strong earlier performances came as a result of an in-form, rampaging Matteo Darmian on the right side, and he looked a little like his old self again on Tuesday as he pushed forward.
Borthwick-Jackson and Martial are bonding, and it’s leading to instinctive, intricate play from the left side. That flank is by far the stronger for United right now, with around 70 per cent of the most dangerous attacks emanating from there over the past two games. United fans should hope Van Gaal allows them both to continue—and that the dreaded injury bug doesn’t bite again.
Mata and a Midfield Reconfiguration
United’s formation is strictly 4-2-3-1, and while that hardly rubs against the season’s grain when it comes to shape deployed, the makeup of the advanced midfield line feels different.
Juan Mata, playing from a pure No. 10 position, has been pivotal to both results. He scored against Derby and threatened constantly against Stoke City, and with pace either side of him—Martial left and Lingard right—it can unlock his best.
But it’s not just the creation of chances he’s been responsible for. Nor is it the taking up of good positions in the final third. Arguably, the most impressive portion of Mata’s last two performances has been the ferocity with which he has pressed and harried, marking both opponents’ deepest midfielders doggedly and snapping at their heels.
It is evident from the tape Derby’s use of the ball on Friday was beyond poor, but at least a sliver of credit must go to Mata for forcing errors and hounding out ball-players. It’s not a trait we widely associate with the Spaniard, which makes it all the more intriguing to watch.
Lingard’s above quote mentioned playing on the “front foot” and “forcing mistakes” in order to retrieve second balls, and, chiefly, this is what Mata has contributed the most to.
Penetrative Passing
Of course, it’s all good pressing and harrying to retrieve the ball, but you have to do something with it once it’s yours. The big criticism of United this season has been their monotonous, slow, sideways passing, but that has been distinctly absent in the past two fixtures.
Most notably, Daley Blind’s passing from the back line has been the key to setting up more direct attacks. His lovely left foot has been behind several penetrative passes of late, setting up passages of play that go from back to front extremely quickly—a far cry from what we’d witnessed for the previous four months.
The Dutchman’s ability to thread the needle and play 20 to 30-yard passes between the lines, in conjunction with Martial and Lingard’s new-found freedom to drop off, come centrally and receive possession, gives United three direct passing options (including Mata) to utilise from the back, and they’ve not been afraid to work them all.
Chris Smalling, growing in confidence across the 180 minutes of football, has begun dribbling the ball out of defence more too, and the overall speed at which United are playing at is extremely pleasing. Urgency in the pass and in the move ignites the crowd, and that in turn feeds back into the performance, egging the players on.
Wayne Rooney Playing Football Again
Perhaps the most surprising individual turnaround has been Rooney’s; his revival has been just as key to the improved performances as any.
Seven goals in the last seven games in all competitions, with two assists added for good measure, is quantifiably excellent form. It’s a record Jamie Vardy, Romelu Lukaku and Odion Ighalo would be proud of, so for Rooney—who struggled so badly for the first half of 2015-16—it must feel like all his Christmases have come at once.
He is by no means back to being the devastating, force-of-nature striker defences feared; his touch is still 50-50, and he’s lost a step that limits him when it comes to beating defenders for speed.
But with confidence fuelling his every move, he’s pinging passes across the park, drifting to find the ball and interact with midfielders, linking counter-attacks with quick decisions and, crucially, taking on shots at goal.
He’s happy to try his luck from anywhere and any angle, and taking those risks have paid off—just ask Rob Elliot and Scott Carson, two ‘keepers who have stood helplessly as the Englishman’s shots have arrowed into the corner in recent weeks.
United’s 3-0 victory over Stoke saw them record their lowest possession percentage of the season (46) at home by quite some distance, per WhoScored.com, and it’s not a coincidence the passing has become more penetrative and more chances are being taken as a result. Rooney, Blind, Mata, Martial and Lingard have been set free, and while statistically United have been far less impressive, the goal tallies and aesthetics of their play have improved tenfold.
Is it a false dawn? Fans will remember United’s purple patch toward the end of last season—inclusive of a stunning performance at Anfield and a brilliant win against Tottenham Hotspur—and lament the club failed to build on it. They’ll heed warning from it and not get carried away.
But the signs are positive, and the comments the likes of Lingard and Rooney have made recently hint at something different. Only time will tell whether it’s just another spurt of form.
.jpg?w=600 "Vrabel Seeking Counseling")
.jpg?w=600 "Cardinals May Be Bluffing Pick")
.jpg?w=600 "Former President Crashes Cowboys Presser")
