If a settled squad is a happy squad, then Slovenia should go out for this Group C clash with Denmark – the same group as England and Serbia – without a care in the world.
Benjamin Šeško had been the subject of increasing transfer speculation during the build-up to Euro 2024, but just days before their kick-off against Denmark he signed a new contract with RB Leipzig which should keep the wolves from the door for now.
Slovenia start their tournament as rank outsiders, and the historical record isn’t too pretty. They’ve only played Denmark six times before. In June 2023, they drew 1-1 in their qualifying group for this competition. Denmark have won the other five, including the return fixture to the draw, 2-1. Prior to these meetings, they hadn’t met since 2008.
Should Šeško show the sort of form that he showed in the Bundesliga last season for Leipzig, Slovenia may even fancy their chances of overcoming Denmark. With 14 goals in just 17 starts and 14 substitute appearances last season, small wonder Arsenal and Chelsea were sniffing around. He also became the youngest player since Rudi Völler in 1982/83 to score in seven consecutive Bundesliga appearances and the second Leipzig player ever to do so, equalling a club record set by Timo Werner in 2019/20.
But Šeško won’t be the only young striker on the pitch on Sunday evening. Rasmus Højlund has already made his big move, and scored ten goals in thirty appearances for Manchester United last season. But he’s scored a goal every other game throughout his 14 appearances for Denmark and may be just as much of a threat to Slovenia as Šeško is to Denmark.
Denmark came within a whisker of reaching the final of the Euros just four years ago. They took the de facto hosts England to extra-time in the semi-finals and only lost to a rebound from a penalty which looked slightly suspect in the first place. Their performance at the last World Cup, however, didn’t match expectations. With just a single point from a goalless draw with Tunisia, they finished bottom of their group.
England’s recent friendly implosion against Iceland will also set them thinking. If the top seeds can find a way of tripping up, and the Iceland game suggested that for all their talents they could, then this group might even be up for grabs; all of which makes a strong start more important than ever.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Starting with a win would ease the Netherlands’ passage towards the knockout stages. With France to play next, three points may be essential if they’re to go into their final round of fixtures without any nerves hanging in the air.
A point from this game and a win against Austria five days later would almost certainly be enough to put Poland through with a game to spare themselves. Otherwise, they may find themselves having to take something from their final match against France to give themselves a chance.
Places in the next round are available for four of the six third-placed finishing teams this summer, but the chances of getting through diminish, the fewer points they have. In 2021, three of them had four points and one had three. In 2016, two had four points and two had three. Four points doesn’t guarantee a passage through but it does make it highly likely, while three makes it a crapshoot in which your goal difference will matter.
But how likely is a surprise from Poland? If a week is a long time in politics, then 45 years is definitely a long time in football. May 1979 was the last time that Poland beat the Netherlands, in a qualifier for the European Championships of 1980. The two sides have met twelve times since then, with seven Dutch wins and five draws.
Back in the 21st century, reports of the retirement of Robert Lewandowski turned out to be overstated, so hopefully he’ll be starting for, and captaining Poland, presuming the thigh injury he suffered in their final warm-up game is as insignificant as head coach Michał Probierz claimed after the match (there were mixed messages on that in the media). Matty Cash misses the tournament with the calf injury that overshadowed the end of his league season. Poland were dependent on their Nations League form to get this far, and will start as group outsiders.
The Dutch have also had injury concerns, with Frenkie De Jong out since March and the Liverpool-pursued Teun Koopmeiners also now ruled out by a late injury. Jurrien Timber didn’t make the cut after failing to recover in time from the ACL injury he picked on his Arsenal debut last August. The Netherlands will start as comfortable favourites to win but they’ve imploded in tournament finals before, haven’t they?
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
The 17th edition of the men’s European Championship will be the first time that the full tournament is held in a reunified Germany. Die Mannschaft are naturally involved in the opener, in which they face Scotland.
The hosts have won the men’s Euros on just three occasions, most recently in France in 1984 when Germany was still split between the West and East. Post-reunification, Die Mannschaft have reached three Euro finals, winning only in 1996. A second title is very much is the expectation this time, but their first target has to be getting three points on the board in Friday’s opener against Scotland.
The home team have only won six of the previous 16 men’s Euros openers, though that includes the last two in Italy and France. A success here would be a first on German soil as West Germany failed to win in 1988, though they did triumph three times as the antagonists previously.
Scotland Seeking To Spoil The Party
This will be Scotland’s first tournament opener and just their fourth ever appearance at the men’s Euros. They have not advanced past the group stage on all three previous occasions, including the last edition of the competition. This time, though, they have good reason to hope for a different outcome.
Regardless of the result of this game, they will have a fighting chance in Group A. Their direct and duel-heavy style of play helped them seal direct qualification from a tough group that included the likes of Spain, Norway and Georgia. Nothing epitomises it better than the fact that Scott McTominay was the group’s top-scorer with seven goals in as many starts.
Steve Clarke’s side certainly have the potential to cause an upset or two in this tournament.
Could Nagelsmann Be The Difference-Maker?
Especially in international tournaments, teams look to their star players to make the difference in big games. For Germany, though, head coach Julian Nagelsmann could hold the key to their success.
The 36-year-old tactician is renowned for his tactical nous and quick understanding of the game as it is being played, so his in-game tweaks could well give Germany the edge in potentially tight games such as this.
His approach to management is quite different to most of his peers too, as he has picked his squad with a much heavier emphasis on form and suitability to his style of play. It will be very interesting to see how that plays out both today and in the tournament overall.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
The 17th edition of the men’s European Championship will be the first time that the full tournament is held in a reunified Germany. Die Mannschaft are naturally involved in the opener, in which they face Scotland.
The hosts have won the men’s Euros on just three occasions, most recently in France in 1984 when Germany was still split between the West and East. Post-reunification, Die Mannschaft have reached three Euro finals, winning only in 1996. A second title is very much is the expectation this time, but their first target has to be getting three points on the board in Friday’s opener against Scotland.
The home team have only won six of the previous 16 men’s Euros openers, though that includes the last two in Italy and France. A success here would be a first on German soil as West Germany failed to win in 1988, though they did triumph three times as the antagonists previously.
Scotland Seeking To Spoil The Party
This will be Scotland’s first tournament opener and just their fourth ever appearance at the men’s Euros. They have not advanced past the group stage on all three previous occasions, including the last edition of the competition. This time, though, they have good reason to hope for a different outcome.
Regardless of the result of this game, they will have a fighting chance in Group A. Their direct and duel-heavy style of play helped them seal direct qualification from a tough group that included the likes of Spain, Norway and Georgia. Nothing epitomises it better than the fact that Scott McTominay was the group’s top-scorer with seven goals in as many starts.
Steve Clarke’s side certainly have the potential to cause an upset or two in this tournament.
Could Nagelsmann Be The Difference-Maker?
Especially in international tournaments, teams look to their star players to make the difference in big games. For Germany, though, head coach Julian Nagelsmann could hold the key to their success.
The 36-year-old tactician is renowned for his tactical nous and quick understanding of the game as it is being played, so his in-game tweaks could well give Germany the edge in potentially tight games such as this.
His approach to management is quite different to most of his peers too, as he has picked his squad with a much heavier emphasis on form and suitability to his style of play. It will be very interesting to see how that plays out both today and in the tournament overall.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
This Sunday, June 2nd, Selhurst Park in London will host a thrilling 11v11 Charity Match featuring two of the biggest internet creator groups: the UK’s Beta Squad and the American superstars from the AMP collective.
By FotMob
This highly anticipated event is set to be a spectacular clash, combining entertainment with a noble cause, as all proceeds will go to “The Water Project.”
Tickets for the match sold out instantly, with more than twice the stadium’s 25,000-seat capacity in the queue, eager to secure their spot. The excitement is palpable, and fans can expect an unforgettable experience.
The Beta Squad, led by immensely popular creators like Chunkz and Niko Omilana, has assembled a formidable team aimed at clinching the coveted trophy.
On the other side, the AMP team, featuring stars such as Kai Cenat and Duke Dennis, will travel from the U.S. with hopes of conquering the Europeans on their home turf and asserting the term “soccer” in the process.
Familiar faces will be aplenty on both teams, ensuring a unique and entertaining match. Adding to the excitement, FotMob is proud to sponsor the event.
Alongside partners Opta and Enetpulse, we will provide comprehensive coverage of the match, just like we do for professional games.
Expect FotMob ratings, xG stats, shot maps, and all the detailed analysis you’re used to — this time for your favorite creators! Don’t miss out on this epic showdown for a fantastic cause.
The football match, scheduled for Sunday, June 2nd, at 16:00 BST, will be a memorable day in online creator’s history. All profits from the event will support charitable The Water Project, ensuring that the impact of this event extends far beyond the football pitch.
While there are question marks over Arne Slot’s credentials as he prepares to take over from Jürgen Klopp, the need for fresh energy cannot be more apparent.
Whoever fills Jürgen Klopp’s shoes will face an almost-impossible job, with the charismatic German embodying the Reds on and off the pitch throughout his nine-year tenure.
Liverpool have become Klopp’s club. He was uniquely qualified for the position back in 2015, and the role has been moulded in his image in the years since. A man who represents not only the values of Liverpool FC, but also Liverpool as a city and a people.
Put simply, Klopp gets what it means to be part of the club – and he has embraced that.
Not only that, but he is of course one of the finest managers in world football. A purveyor of a relentless, attractive style of play that has endeared him to supporters and neutrals alike. It is not lip service when Pep Guardiola describes him as “the best rival I ever had in my life.”
It has been remarked that whoever replaces Klopp will need cajones.
They would need not only the skills, but also the stature to lead a club the size and expectation of Liverpool – but as has been made patently clear since Klopp’s resignation became public, the key attribute required is energy.
There should be no surprise, then, that those considered for the role have all been young, hungry managers with more to prove.
Xabi Alonso was arguably the perfect candidate, but he has since committed himself to Bayer Leverkusen. That has left Liverpool to reassess the situation at boardroom level, with a number of options across the Premier League and beyond mentioned as possible successors.
The collective will of supporters and journalists alike positioned Sporting CP manager Rúben Amorim as the most viable alternative – a must-hire, even – but the news that he instead held talks with West Ham laid clear the reality facing Liverpool.
With the likes of Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, Wolves’ Gary O’Neil and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola all linked with the job, there was a growing sense that the perfect appointment is not currently out there, and that Liverpool were erring closer to the territory they found themselves in when Brendan Rodgers was hired from Swansea in 2012.
That is, that the candidates on Liverpool’s shortlist seemed more suited to becoming the next Brighton manager, rather than leading the Reds out at Anfield.
Feyenoord’s Arne Slot, who is now poised to take over at the end of the season, would arguably fit that description; the 45-year-old has similar credentials to Amorim, as a title-winner outside of Europe’s top five leagues, but there are understandable concerns over whether he can step up.
Those within Liverpool’s boardroom clearly believe he is capable, with Slot impressing both in the data and in interviews with club hierarchy – which will include Fenway Sport Group’s CEO of football Michael Edwards.
His success with Feyenoord – winning the Eredivisie in his second season in charge and, as they settle into second place to earn a Champions League spot, lifting the KNVB Cup this time around – underpins that.
Slot appears capable of outperforming his resources, with Feyenoord a club whose record signing remains centre-back Dávid Hancko, who joined from Sparta Prague in 2022 for just €8.3 million. He has formed a cohesive unit with a defined style of play; intense, attractive, attacking football but perhaps with more control and conservatism than Klopp’s heavy metal.
But while he did reach the Europa Conference League final in 2022 – losing 1-0 to AS Roma – there remain question marks over how transferrable his skills will be to life at Liverpool, largely due to his entire career being spent in the Netherlands.
It is safe to label it a calculated risk by Edwards, who is supported by FSG president Mike Gordon, chief executive Billy Hogan, director of research Williams Spearman, sporting director Richard Hughes and assistant sporting director David Woodfine in a data-led recruitment process.
Whether or not Slot has the immediate gravitas to step into Klopp’s shoes, the events of the past month or so have shown that Liverpool is a club in need of a hard reset.
Any manager who holds the same job for almost a decade may struggle with the sense that his work is becoming stale, and losses to Manchester United, Atalanta, Crystal Palace and Everton highlight the ongoing flaws within the Liverpool squad.
Where before Klopp’s aura could drag the players through difficult times, the acceptance that he no longer has the fight, or even the willpower, to continue to do so has led to a desperate, complacent end to the campaign.
Off the pitch, Liverpool appear to be lacking ideas; on it, they are clearly lacking a cutting edge, with a misfiring attack one of their biggest concerns in this recent run of awful form.
Perhaps a summer of change will serve as the boost Liverpool need, allowing this season to be the building block it was initially viewed as before pre-season began – the belief in a title challenge, let alone a quadruple, only truly picked up steam upon the news of Klopp’s plan to leave.
A new manager, with new ideas and new methods, could be exactly what the Reds are asking for – it is the positive to cling to amid a poor stretch, when even finishing in the top four is not yet guaranteed.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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The stage is set for the 107th Coupe de France Final, which will see Paris Saint-Germain face off against Olympique Lyonnais at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Saturday.
Lyon: Can the Fallen Giants Return to the Promised Land?
Lyon began the 21st century by solidifying a dynasty in French football, winning their first-ever Ligue 1 title in 2001/02 and claiming the next six in a row. Les Gones would go four years without a trophy before beating Quevilly 1-0 in the Coupe de France Final, following that up by edging Montpellier on penalties in the 2012 Trophée des Champions Final.
However, the following 12 years would see Lyon fail to win a single piece of silverware and watch helplessly from the sidelines as Paris Saint-Germain became the top dogs in France, winning the championship on ten occasions and claiming six Coupe de France trophies, the last of which came in 2021. Today, however, they have a chance to put an end to their trophy drought and pull off a major upset against Ligue 1’s number-one side.
Both sides underwent major transformations in the summer of 2023. Paris Saint-Germain would dispose of various high-earning veteran stars such as Neymar, Lionel Messi and Marco Verratti, spending big on up-and-coming prospects such as Randal Kolo Muani and Manuel Ugarte, as well as France internationals like Lucas Hernández and Ousmane Dembélé, and they also replaced manager Christophe Galtier with Luis Enrique. As for Lyon, they found themselves in the midst of a changing of the guard.
The Storm Before the Calm
After purchasing a majority stake in Lyon in December 2022, American businessman John Textor looked set to work alongside Jean-Michel Aulas, who had been in charge since 1987. Instead, Aulas would step down from his honorary chairman role in May 2023 after French football’s financial watchdog – the Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion (DNCG) – decided to monitor Lyon’s wage bill and transfer activity due to insufficient financial guarantees. Textor lamented that Aulas was not completely forthcoming with regards to the club’s debt prior to the sale, prompting Aulas to threaten a defamation lawsuit and order the freezing of his shares in the club. As a result of the DNCG’s intense scrutiny, OL were forced to sell off key players like Castello Lukeba and Bradley Barcola and tighten their purse strings, spending a total of €19.34 million on new players in comparison to the €107.21 million they received in transfer fees.
Les Gones kicked off their season with just one point from three before taking on PSG on September 3. The referee had barely blown his whistle when Corentin Tolisso was robbed of possession at the edge of his box and lunged in to deter Ugarte. Kylian Mbappé duly converted from the penalty spot, whilst Achraf Hakimi, Marco Asensio, and Mbappé again put the game out of reach before the interval in a 4-1 victory. To add insult to injury, the Lyon players were subject to a dressing-down from their embittered fanbase, with one supporter utilizing a megaphone to admonish the squad: “The message is clear: if there are leaders in this dressing room, they no longer have the right to remain silent. You’re the ones who wear the OL jersey. Others before you have worn it and glorified it. You don’t have the right to tarnish it. We expect you guys to respect our jersey and to pull yourselves up by your bootstraps on the pitch.”
It was the last straw for Laurent Blanc, who was sacked after 11 months in charge, with fellow World Cup winner and ex-Lyon player Fabio Grosso assuming the vacancy. Grosso would register just two points from five matches before suffering a gruesome injury on October 29 – as Lyon arrived at Marseille for the upcoming Choc des Olympiques, OM supporters pelted the Lyon bus with bricks and stones. One of the glass shards nearly blinded Grosso, who was forced to get 13 stitches. The Italian manager was back on the touchline the following week as Lyon held Metz to a 1-1 draw before guiding them to their first win of the campaign against Rennes. However, after succumbing to a 2-0 defeat to Lille the following week, he was given his marching orders.
OL’s Turnaround Under Sage
When Pierre Sage became the club’s third manager of the season on November 30, Lyon sat bottom of the table with just 3 points from 12 matches. The 45-year-old rookie manager commenced his spell with back-to-back defeats to Lens and Marseille, before getting a much-needed reprieve on December 10 as Alexandre Lacazette’s hat-trick saw them trounce Toulouse 3-0, following that up with 1-0 wins vs. Monaco and Nantes. However, the storm clouds continued to encircle the Groupama with Lyon beginning 2024 with back-to-back defeats to Le Havre and Rennes. Desperate to avoid their first relegation in seven decades, OL splurged heavily in the January window with a net spend of €56 million, bringing in veteran stars like Nemanja Matić and Saïd Benrahma as well as promising young talents like Gift Orban and Malick Fofana.
Somehow, someway, Sage finally managed to get a tune out of OL, taking four wins out of four in February before falling to a 3-0 defeat at Lens. They would bounce back by taking 13 points from a possible 15, but they were brought back down to Earth on April 21, conceding twice within six minutes and suffering another 4-1 humiliation at PSG. Les Gones would nevertheless close out the Ligue 1 season with four wins on the bounce, sealing a sixth-place finish and qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.
Mbappé’s Last Dance
The last time Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon faced off in the Coupe de France in March 2020, PSG conceded within 11 minutes via Martin Terrier, only to respond immediately with a goal from Mbappé. The French superstar would score a hat-trick to lead PSG to a 5-1 thrashing in Lyon, and just five months later, he spearheaded the club to their first-ever Champions League Final, where they would come up short against Bayern Munich.
It has been a legendary spell in Paris for the 25-year-old forward, who has won a total of 14 trophies with Les Parisiens and racked up an astonishing 256 goals and 108 assists in 307 appearances. However, he has been unable to come away with the elusive Champions League title and failed to make his mark on either leg of this year’s Champions League semifinals as PSG fell to Borussia Dortmund. Seven years after arriving from Monaco for €180 million, Mbappé will depart the Parc de Princes on a free transfer this summer, having made just one trip to the biggest stage in club football.
With PSG cruising to the Ligue 1 title for the entirety of the campaign and Mbappé’s imminent departure proving to be the worst-kept secret in French football, Enrique has sought to wean the club off of their Mbappé dependence by benching the club’s all-time leading scorer on a regular basis in recent months. However, this hasn’t stopped Mbappé from setting a Ligue 1 record by winning a sixth consecutive Golden Boot, with his 27 goals putting him eight ahead of second-placed Alexandre Lacazette and Jonathan David, and it shouldn’t stop him from exploiting Lyon’s backline in Lille and testing Lucas Perri in goal.
Can Lacazette Lead Lyon to Another Comeback Win?
Whilst Mbappé looks set to play a pivotal role for France in this summer’s Euros, Lacazette continues to be overlooked by Didier Deschamps despite his best efforts. Since returning to his boyhood club in 2022, the Lyon captain has led the line with composure and grace with 53 goals and 11 assists in 73 appearances, finding the back of the net in six of his last eight matches, including a brace and a last-second penalty goal on the final day to secure a 2-1 win vs. Strasbourg and a sixth-place finish. When Sage took charge, Lacazette had scored just three goals – he’s since racked up 19 goals and 5 assists and delivered the goods in the Coupe de France, bagging a brace against Valenciennes in a 3-0 victory to lead them to the final.
Sage has managed to find the right balance between youth and experience, with Matić’s defensive prowess and physicality providing the platform for Maxence Caqueret to push forward and weave his way past opponents, whilst Saïd Benrahma and Ernest Nuamah’s arrivals have given Lyon a much-needed boost in terms of creativity, pace and dynamism on the flanks. After plying his trade in England’s fourth tier and Belgium’s second division, Jake O’Brien has emerged as a revelation in OL’s backline and a vital performer in both boxes, protecting his defense with his towering aerial presence and chipping in with 4 goals and 2 assists. Sage has not just found the right formula to get the most out of his new signings, but he’s also proven a shrewd in-game tactician, making use of his squad depth and providing young talents such as Rayan Cherki and Fofana with the chance to take advantage of tired legs and create havoc in the final third.
Lyon erased an early deficit at Montpellier on February 11 and prevailed 2-1 via goals from Lacazette and Caqueret to secure their first comeback victory since May 27, 2023. Since then, they’ve pulled off an additional six comeback wins, with three of those coming against Monaco, Brest, and Lille, all of whom finished in the top four alongside PSG.
This is a rejuvenated Lyon side that has a new lease on life following the arrival of Pierre Sage, and Luis Enrique will have to be wary. PSG’s last two encounters with Les Gones have seen them score four goals apiece before halftime, and they will need yet another attacking masterclass as they look to take care of business against a Lyon side that simply does not know when to quit. They have escaped the doldrums and ended a two-year hiatus from European football, and they have a golden opportunity to pick up their first silverware in 12 years as they take on a PSG side that has dropped points in six of their last 12 league matches.
Pierre Sage’s Lyon have already pulled off one of the greatest escapes in Ligue 1 history – can they spoil Kylian Mbappé’s swan song and put an end to their trophy drought? Stay tuned for what promises to be a thrilling encounter in Lille.
Manchester United take on Manchester City on Saturday in the FA Cup final in a game that could help them end the season on a high. But will that be enough to put some gloss on what has otherwise been the worst season in recent memory?
The way United’s Premier League season ended was rather fitting. Despite a rather desolate performance during the game against Brighton, Erik ten Hag’s side scored twice and picked up all three points. While there was no late drama that has been a defining feature of the season, United managed to get a win despite obvious issues.
And those are issues that have existed through the entire season and they have persisted in pretty much every game, prompting a change that hasn’t quite come about.
There is a certain sense of randomness to United’s matches, as they often turn into basketball games. That randomness has led to them winning some games or picking up points they probably shouldn’t and that might well help them win in the FA Cup final. But that will not change how the entire season has paned out and a trophy would only be a thin papering over the cracks.
The Red Devils, after all, ended the season at tenth when it comes xG generated and finished below the likes of Brentford and Brighton. They scored 57 times from an xG of 56.9, which is a rather fair account of their struggles and performances too. But it doesn’t end there.
Ten Hag’s side finished a shocking fifth bottom for xG conceded, which was worse than Wolves and Fulham, and close to relegated Burnley.
Having said that, those numbers are simply an after affect of other issues that have existed in the side and at the club this season. As United prepare to take on City in the final, we look at what has held them back this season.
Injuries
As per BBC figures, Man Utd picked up the most number of injuries in the Premier League this season (45) and those injuries affected multiple key players too. Be it Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martínez, Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane, Rasmus Højlund, Marcus Rashford, or the much-troubled Mason Mount, the campaign was a walking injury crisis in itself.
As a result, United could never really field a consistent XI in consecutive games and even if they did, players that were key for Ten Hag’s approach last season were sorely missing. This also made sure that the Dutchman could not take forward the foundations that were laid last season into something better, even though a signing such as that of André Onana was expected to make United better in possession.
Poor defensive structure
Ten Hag’s side had the second-best defensive record in the Premier League last season as they conceded as many goals as second-placed Arsenal and there was a point when they were actually in a potential title race.
They played in a deeper block and while they did press, it was controlled and limited. This season, things have changed, but only for the worse.
A constant problem has been a dysfunctional press with a higher line. There is generally a huge gap between the pressing four or five and the backline, which recedes and offers the opposition a lot of space on the transition. As a result, it isn’t a surprise that United concede a lot of goals from cut-backs and find themselves outnumbered during transitional moments.
Because of that, United concede a huge number of shots in every game. Brighton had 17 shots on goal and Newcastle, who lost 3-2 at Old Trafford, managed to have 21 shots.
It is a structural flaw which has repeated itself and to many, defending in transitions was also a problem for Ten Hag during his time at Ajax. With the time at United seemingly of the essence, the issue has risen to the fore once again.
Ten Hag’s failure to adapt
Ten Hag showed last season that he is great at adapting to problems in the side and he was constantly creative with positional and tactical changes. This season, that hasn’t quite been the case, as despite obvious problems in the setup have existed for the entire season.
Instead of making changes that addressed the issues, Ten Hag has doubled down on a flawed approach and that has complicated things for everyone on the pitch. Even though players do not suit the setup, he has persisted with it.
As a result of the flawed setup, United have had only the 8th most touches in the opposition’s box this season.
There have been times when Ten Hag has made some changes to the side to accommodate the strengths of individual players, but it has negatively impacted the side. Scott McTominay’s usage is an example.
The Scotsman has seven goals in the league but that doesn’t mean that he has had a great season.
Due to McTominay’s general guarantee of goals and good form, there were times when he was used higher up in the final third. While that might actually turn out to be his best position because he does have a very good ball-striking ability, it has pushed Bruno Fernandes back in midfield.
It essentially came at the cost of reducing the strengths of arguably United’s best player and one of the best on-the-ball creators in the game. Goals were, for United, much needed at that point but the plan was actually used over a large number of games and it negatively impacted Rasmus Højlund’s goal scoring tally.
Drop-off for individual players
A strong case can be made of the fact that even though Ten Hag had laid down some foundations of a playing style last season, some impressive individual performances helped United quite a bit. Marcus Rashford had hit supreme form and Casemiro was extremely vital in winning the ball in midfield.
Both players have witnessed a drop-off this season and while the setup has had a role to play in that drop-off, it has impacted the team’s general output.
For Casemiro, it seems like a case of him turning into a much more cautious player than he was last season due to the number of bookings he picked up. Even towards the end of last season, his performances had dipped and it seems as if he has never recovered, with the poor transitional defending setup making sure that he has had to cover an impossible amount of space.
The above infographic is a representation of Casemiro’s defensive numbers from this season and a comparison with the infographic from last season below shows the extent of the defensive fall-off.
As for Rashford, it can be argued that while he himself has been at fault, United’s attacking plan is riddled with uncertainty, making sure that the Englishman has to rely on extreme precision to make things happen.
He has had to dribble more this season (1.9 dribbles per 90) than he had to last season (1.5 dribbles per 90 minutes) because the system has relied on individual ability more often than not. But the end product has been missing and even though a part of it is Rashford’s problem, there has been no certainty in movement in the United attack.
If one compares how inside forwards operate at other clubs and how they have the certainty of movement from specific players, it paints an even darker picture for the lack of an attacking plan at United under Ten Hag.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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