Going long and direct
Going long from the back line and goalkeeper has been United's most material in-possession change, and while the pragmatic tweaks after Brentford pushed the team into the final third far more often, I keep asking whether it holds up against mid and low blocks.
The posts
- Opinion United are repeating their Hojlund mistake with Sesko Bought for direct GK to CF progression and duels for long balls, Sesko is now used as a deep passing outlet in an unbalanced team.
- Tactical analysis How Amorim adapted Three pragmatic changes — direct progression from the goalkeeper, Amad restored at right wing-back, and a more compact out-of-possession shape.
- Tactical analysis United gone long Long passes have doubled and own-third touches have collapsed: the numbers behind United's direct build-up, and its limits against compact blocks.
- Tactical analysis Amorim's build up: the fatal flaw The inverted centre-back is only part of it: why Amorim's goal-kick structure fails in a league where 47% of games come against elite pressing sides.