Manchester United have two undroppables after shock tactical set-up vs Leeds
Manchester United players showed unity and solidarity as they celebrated their win in front of the enthusiastic away fans at Elland Road.
This display of team spirit is what their coach, Erik ten Hag, has been striving to cultivate and it was much-needed in the high-pressure environment of the game.
The match was played at a fast pace in a charged atmosphere, with the singing of the pre-match song, “Marching on Together,” creating a lively atmosphere.
However, the chanting from both sets of fans went too far and included references to the tragic events of Munich and Istanbul, leading both clubs to condemn the chants after the game.
During the game, Manchester United faced a tough challenge. They were subjected to intense pressure early on, with players such as Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia being tackled hard by Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie.
Additionally, they were adapting to a new approach, with a 3-2-2-3 formation being used from the start, which brought both advantages and difficulties. Despite this, they managed to endure through the first half hour.
Malacia joined Marcel Sabitzer in the midfield, while Fred, Bruno Fernandes, and the wingers played extremely high.
However, advancing the ball proved difficult. United had a few rapid breaks, but it was difficult to play past an aggressive and strong Leeds defense.
On one occasion, Shaw moved out wide under no pressure, but his pass infield to Malacia was blocked, and Marcus Rashford was high up the field, so he was forced to hit and hope to Wout Weghorst. On current form, this is more hopeful than successful.
United was obviously missing their top two line-breaking passers. Casemiro was suspended, but it didn’t help that Lisandro Martinez was left on the bench. Shaw is a competent passer, but he lacks the same ability as Martinez.
The South American combo are two of the club’s top passers and are crucial to United’s buildup. They are both capable of penetrating the defense with rapid forward passes, finding players like Fernandes and Rashford between the lines. But since both were absent, this did not occur. The development was sluggish and clumsy.
Casmiro’s absence was unavoidable, and with Martinez suspended at the Camp Nou, Ten Hag likely desired to give Shaw a shot at center-back. But Elland Road’s hostile and occasionally terrible inferno was not the place to experiment. This was hardly a calm afternoon at Carrington.
It was the first time this season that Manchester United opened a Premier League game without at least one of Martinez or Casemiro, and the difference was remarkable. Despite the funkiness of Ten Hag’s opening move, there was a noticeable decline in quality.
Leeds was willing to make no attempt to press the three players involved in the buildup from the back. With passing channels closed, Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, and Shaw were given possession, but lacked the ability to select innovative passes. They repeatedly surrendered control and put pressure on themselves.
When a game is scoreless, centre-back substitutions are uncommon, but Ten Hag definitely saw what the rest of us saw. Martinez replaced Malacia, while Shaw shifted to the left side of the defense. United started improving.
The substitution in the 61st minute did not fully change the outcome of the game, but it provided United with something they had been lacking: an excellent passer in a deep position. United’s first decent forward move of the half culminated in Dalot hitting the crossbar shortly after the halftime substitution.
Eventually, they gained a stronger grip on the situation, making it easier to advance the ball. Shaw’s pass to Marcus Rashford was the first step in gaining the three points. Then, Alejandro Garnacho extended the lead with a clever maneuver.
The forwards will receive the praise, but United’s approach style demands that at least one of Martinez or Casemiro be on the field.
Manchester United have two undroppables after shock tactical set-up vs Leeds
