THREAD 🧵
Fred performed excellently yesterday and was one of our most impactful players especially in possession. Here is an analysis of his performance.
I will be updating this thread as I go along so RTing this tweet will be enough to spread it around.
Let’s go!
Fred performed excellently yesterday and was one of our most impactful players especially in possession. Here is an analysis of his performance.
I will be updating this thread as I go along so RTing this tweet will be enough to spread it around.
Let’s go!
In the first minute of the game his role became quite clear. Dalot picks up the ball and Fred’s immediate decision is to drive forward into space. He ends up as the furthest forward player on the pitch.
This frame shows us a little more. In the second and third phase of possession, Fred was higher up closer to the box. In the end of the first phase here, he dropped to help build. He had different roles in different phases even though he was written down as ‘CM’.
Fluidity.
Fluidity.
This was more of a team issue than a Fred issue. Both Fred and Pogba, as no. 8s, should’ve either been more aggressive in closing down TOT’s first phase or they should’ve dropped. Conte instructed Son, Kulu and Kane to drop into the space on Matić’s line all game and it worked.
Matić gets a block in and the ball ends up high. Fred scans ahead of him twice but doesn’t scan behind him to see if he’ll be challenged to bring it down. Højbjerg closes him down, wins it and Telles ends up having to defend deep.
These are small but impactful parts of the game.
These are small but impactful parts of the game.
We have a potential transition but Pogba and then Matić play it safely and regressively which Fred voices his opinion about. He tells Pogba first that he was open and then he says something to someone else out of the shot (maybe Ronaldo).
His offensive influence grew from here.
His offensive influence grew from here.
Initially, Fred began higher up but he wasn’t receiving the ball as we couldn’t progress to the box. So, he just began dropping into these spaces between TOT’s midfield which ended up being important for the first goal.
He enjoyed the offensive freedom he was given as Pogba is more likely to remain deeper positioned in possession than Bruno which means Fred can drive forward into spaces. That difference in role resulting in him ending up here during this phase of play.
When Varane had possession in the opposition half, Fred made it clear he would show for the ball. He did it a few times before this. Here, Varane uses him as a dummy to draw Kane further in and then he plays it across to Maguire.
In the same possession phase Fred shows himself again to Varane. This time, Varane picks him out. However, it’s not just a simple pass. Fred had shown himself to Varane multiple times which puts the image into Varane’s head. This is how chemistry is built.
This was excellent. He moves into a passing path but then takes a hard look to his right to scan for a defender. He sees Ronaldo at the same time. He flicks it around the corner and it’s a neat play…but look at him. He continues his run in case there’s a rebound or another pass.
It’s been just 12 minutes into the game but the phrase that encapsulates Fred’s performance so far—his performance overall too—is “offensive proactivity”. He never rested, was on the move, played progressively and was impactful till the end.
Confidence is a funny thing. Fred recovers possession and plays a pass to Ronaldo by flicking it up with the outside of his right foot. He runs around his man, receives it first time and plays an excellent first time pass to Rashford. Fred ends up the furthest forward once again.
This was a big issue. Fred and Pogba were too far forward but in ‘no man’s land’. This meant Kulusevski dropped to Matić’s line which Telles tucked in for. Rashford was tucked too and that gave Højbjerg an easy switch. However, Fred recovered well defensively as we’ll see.
Fred’s tendency is to create overloads and he often does it when it’s unnecessary. Here, he does the right thing and fills in the space which allows him to make the block on Son. Had he not filled the space, Son could’ve gotten an easier look at goal. Good individual defence.
He plays a progressive here in transition and tries to make himself an option on the other side of Højbjerg but the latter checks him off the ball but the referee didn’t see it. Nevertheless, the offensive proactivity can all be seen here.
We lose possession but I’m unsure why. It’s either a GK or a wayward pass from a defender. In any case, Matić gets drawn into Højbjerg and Son slips into his space. Fred has to recover the space and instead of gambling he sticks to the space behind Son which slows the attack.
Both Pogba and Fred (making a run) are higher up with Matić to the left. Ronaldo drops to help this early possession phase though it really should be one of the no. 8s. The switch to the LW (Telles) was on here due to Fred and Sancho drawing defenders but Varane didn’t see it.
This is where one can be too eager. Rashford flicks the ball on but it isn’t clean as he’s under pressure. Fred assumes Dalot will collect and push and so he makes a run but Bentancur steps in and Fred ends up out of possession due to making his run too early. He has to recover.
He recovers well and makes the interception. The benefit Fred brings is that despite his size he’s an impressive athlete. His PT trains him by using mechanics from various sports and so Fred’s biomechanics, as a result, are very refined.
This is excellent. Fred’s isolated against two during a transition.
He steps out to Son which makes Bentancur double guess and cut in and then he steps to Bentancur, halting the transition single-handedly. He’s only able to do this due to his athleticism.
He steps out to Son which makes Bentancur double guess and cut in and then he steps to Bentancur, halting the transition single-handedly. He’s only able to do this due to his athleticism.
It wouldn’t be a Fred performance without him diving in, eh?
He has two on him as Pogba gets back late to defend (was on the floor after a duel). Instead of Fred holding his ground, he pushes off Bentancur, sticks a leg out and loses. Pogba ends up fouling.
He has two on him as Pogba gets back late to defend (was on the floor after a duel). Instead of Fred holding his ground, he pushes off Bentancur, sticks a leg out and loses. Pogba ends up fouling.
Fred initially doesn’t follow Kane which was bad but he recovers well. He notices the potential pass and moves into that space which prevents the pass. However, it was a recovery; a better piece of defending would’ve been to follow Kane from the beginning.
Nevertheless, nice.
Nevertheless, nice.
When we concede the penalty many of them argue with the referee. Fred is the last one and walks away from the referee, shouting at him, “Wake up!”
He actually received a yellow card before this so he definitely said something else to the referee which the main broadcast cameras didn’t see.
Some minutes ago Fred let Kane drift away from him and had to recover. This time, he notices his run early, runs with him and challenges for position off the ball which is an improvement from last time without a doubt.
I liked this. Fred attempted a switch to Sancho but instead of the red path (left) it was the yellow path (right). He wanted Sancho to run onto it which would’ve put us high into the final third with a dangerous player in possession. It was just short though. Good intent.
Our team shape wasn’t good. The ball is played to Kane and Fred pauses when he turns which he never does if he knows it’s his zone. The problem is that it isn’t. Kane has dropped again with no marker and Fred then has to recover and gets a really good block on the shot.
Fred is tenacious here, maybe even too much but he wins possession after a couple of rebounds. He then plays the initial outlet to Ronaldo, shows himself around his man and then plays a progressive pass to Sancho.
Impact on both sides of the game: defence and offence.
Impact on both sides of the game: defence and offence.
This is excellent. In the last year Fred would’ve gone to the ball but here he followed Son. This makes the pass to Son much harder because if Fred wasn’t there it can be short and Son would simply check his run. Fred being there means the pass needs to be well weighted. (1/2)
It isn’t well weighted and it’s played ahead of Son with Fred impacting that. Matić steps in, plays to Fred and we have possession.
This was good pressing. We followed the man and forced the opposition to play better. Far too often have we made it too easy for them. (2/2)
This was good pressing. We followed the man and forced the opposition to play better. Far too often have we made it too easy for them. (2/2)
Do you remember this position with Varane? Fred does it with Dalot now, plays a one-two with Ronaldo and then plays it out wide to Sancho which ends in a shot attempt.
This was clean, proactive, offensive football and followed on from excellent first half performance.
This was clean, proactive, offensive football and followed on from excellent first half performance.
HALF TIME: SUMMARY
Fred has done well both offensively and defensively. A few lapses defensively requiring recoveries was the only real downfall. The rest was all nice. He was really good.
Fred has done well both offensively and defensively. A few lapses defensively requiring recoveries was the only real downfall. The rest was all nice. He was really good.
BREAK:
OK. I’ve been going for two hours. I’m going to take a break for an hour and then resume (1pm UK time).
See you then. :)
In the meantime, let me know any thoughts you have underneath.
OK. I’ve been going for two hours. I’m going to take a break for an hour and then resume (1pm UK time).
See you then. :)
In the meantime, let me know any thoughts you have underneath.
Update: I’ll be back after the PSG game. I’d like to finish that off.
OK, let’s continue.
He picks up possession from a cross and takes a few steps forward before releasing Rashford. He doesn’t receive the pass upon Rashford checking his run and is annoyed by it. He was in the mood to constantly be involved.
This was probably the worst thing he did yesterday. We’re pressing high but it’s beaten. Instead of holding his position, he sprints 20 yards to continue the press, doesn’t get close, is passed through and TOT end up transitioning in his guarding zone. Just a bad decision here.
Here is a wide camera view of that play if you’d like to see the distance:
Fred, once again, leads the transition. He starts with a nice one-two via Rashford and then progressively passes to Ronaldo. It ends with a good opportunity.
It’s another transition started by Fred. Firstly, he reads the play and intercepts. He turns his man and finds Ronaldo with another progressive pass. This time, Ronaldo plays the ball backwards even though he was unmarked. He should’ve scanned, turned and driven. Good from Fred.
This is excellent. Fred is learning the importance of guarding space slowly but surely. Here, Son makes a run and Fred tracks him instead of going to the ball. He then switches Son onto Varane and guards the zone ahead, intercepting with ease. Really good work here.
A short story:
Fred starts YET ANOTHER transition and this one leads to a shot on goal. Honestly, there isn’t much else to analyse at this point. He was just immense all game barring a few moments.
Fred receives a strong pass from Cavani and doesn’t take a good first touch but his second touch is a pass on the stretch to Ronaldo which relieves pressure off us in that phase.
DDG launches a great pass to Sancho who passes to Fred. Fred’s under pressure but executes extremely well. It almost results in a goal.
FULL TIME: SUMMARY
Fred was excellent all game. He produced a good assist despite it coming from a long-range strike, he recovered possession many times, he guarded space more than he normally does and he was fantastic offensively both on and off the ball.
A lovely performance.
Fred was excellent all game. He produced a good assist despite it coming from a long-range strike, he recovered possession many times, he guarded space more than he normally does and he was fantastic offensively both on and off the ball.
A lovely performance.
OK, that is the end of this thread. There was much less to mention in the second half as I left off parts that would’ve seemed like repetition of not-as-important actions. I hope you enjoyed it overall though and corrections are always welcomed.
Peace. 🌹
Peace. 🌹
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