The best performance of the season yet, but not *quite* the expected standards.
A thread on #MUNNFO 🧵
A thread on #MUNNFO 🧵
The framework for this week's Premier League thread:
⚡️NFO's quick start
⚔️Great attacking display
🛋️Rest defense
🏓Defending the long ball
⚡️NFO's quick start
⚔️Great attacking display
🛋️Rest defense
🏓Defending the long ball
⚡️NFO's QUICK START
On an early corner, #MUFC have 5 in the box, 2 near at the corner and 3 on the edge. The last three players are fine personnel-wise if they train on how to defend it.
When the first ball is cleared, Rashford steps back to COVER for the second ball - good.
On an early corner, #MUFC have 5 in the box, 2 near at the corner and 3 on the edge. The last three players are fine personnel-wise if they train on how to defend it.
When the first ball is cleared, Rashford steps back to COVER for the second ball - good.
⚡️NFO's QUICK START
Ball falls onto the 🟡GROUP 3v1 overload. Principles to follow on 🔴 individual and group level
🔴Rashford or Antony should "stagger" behind AWB to COVER
🔴AWB: Static aerial duel, jump off two feet and climb on opponent/foul
🟡Create COVER
Ball falls onto the 🟡GROUP 3v1 overload. Principles to follow on 🔴 individual and group level
🔴Rashford or Antony should "stagger" behind AWB to COVER
🔴AWB: Static aerial duel, jump off two feet and climb on opponent/foul
🟡Create COVER
⚡️NFO's QUICK START
🔴AWB jumps after Johnson, loses out
🔴Rashford's COVER is not good enough - should be 1, 2 meters deeper, and ready to shield ball
🔴Antony is running away from the ball, which was a weird thing to do
🔴Awoniyi has all the momentum on Rashford and wins
🔴AWB jumps after Johnson, loses out
🔴Rashford's COVER is not good enough - should be 1, 2 meters deeper, and ready to shield ball
🔴Antony is running away from the ball, which was a weird thing to do
🔴Awoniyi has all the momentum on Rashford and wins
⚡️NFO's QUICK START
🔴It's an unfair foot race that United don't win
🍳Awoniyi's fake shot is very convincing, has Onana scrambling
🥅I'm not an expert here, but I think Onana's positioning is fine. 6-yard line as a reference gives more reaction time margin with #10 tackling
🔴It's an unfair foot race that United don't win
🍳Awoniyi's fake shot is very convincing, has Onana scrambling
🥅I'm not an expert here, but I think Onana's positioning is fine. 6-yard line as a reference gives more reaction time margin with #10 tackling
⚡️NFO's QUICK START
⚽️Awoniyi gives the eyes, Onana is sure he'll go right
👣Mid-shot, realises the shot isn't taken, hops to change direction and cover the goal again. It's this footwork I'm not sure on
⚖️Naturally off-balance
🦾Reaaally tough to sufficiently stretch arms then
⚽️Awoniyi gives the eyes, Onana is sure he'll go right
👣Mid-shot, realises the shot isn't taken, hops to change direction and cover the goal again. It's this footwork I'm not sure on
⚖️Naturally off-balance
🦾Reaaally tough to sufficiently stretch arms then
⚡️NFO's QUICK START
Wide free-kick setup:
6⃣Zonal line on 6-yard
1⃣st post: player that can head away fast & hard balls (Rashford) + Bruno to cover + Eriksen to block the front post run, hardest to defend from wide FK
2⃣nd: Dalot
4⃣v2⃣: blocking situation - blocking 2nd post
Wide free-kick setup:
6⃣Zonal line on 6-yard
1⃣st post: player that can head away fast & hard balls (Rashford) + Bruno to cover + Eriksen to block the front post run, hardest to defend from wide FK
2⃣nd: Dalot
4⃣v2⃣: blocking situation - blocking 2nd post
⚡️NFO's QUICK START
🕸️Wan-Bissaka was asked to BLOCK (4v3) Boly, but he smartly joined the 1st bank.
⬆️You want Rashford at the 1⃣st post to block fizzed crosses. He can jump and clear
⚽️MGW's delivery is PERFECT. Over Rashford, drops onto Boly's head.
🕸️Wan-Bissaka was asked to BLOCK (4v3) Boly, but he smartly joined the 1st bank.
⬆️You want Rashford at the 1⃣st post to block fizzed crosses. He can jump and clear
⚽️MGW's delivery is PERFECT. Over Rashford, drops onto Boly's head.
⚡️NFO's QUICK START
🕷️AWB's orientation is wrong here. Even if he does get the first contact, the ball will not be cleared well
🔪Lisandro was also a blocker and doesn't get to the ball's height at all.
That's the thing, you won't not concede these goals with smaller players
🕷️AWB's orientation is wrong here. Even if he does get the first contact, the ball will not be cleared well
🔪Lisandro was also a blocker and doesn't get to the ball's height at all.
That's the thing, you won't not concede these goals with smaller players
🌳A bit of strategic backstory; NFO sat back after their start.
They usually defend in a mid-block, with not too much pressure on the ball. This swinged momentum in United's favour, who, without much countering resistance, could keep the ball in the opposition half and attack.
They usually defend in a mid-block, with not too much pressure on the ball. This swinged momentum in United's favour, who, without much countering resistance, could keep the ball in the opposition half and attack.
This allowed #MUFC to show off their attacking play, which was great on the TEAM and GROUP levels. I will knit this together with their REST DEFENSE.
Rest defense is the defensive structure that 'rests' in anticipation of losing the ball, to recover it again or defend the goal.
Rest defense is the defensive structure that 'rests' in anticipation of losing the ball, to recover it again or defend the goal.
⚔️GREAT ATTACK
A few things for yourself to watch here on every level
🔵WIDTH
🔵PENETRATION (runs)
🔵SUSTAIN the attack
🟡OPEN space for others
🟡CREATE triangles and overloads
🔴DRIVE the ball forwards
🔴Think FORWARD first
A few things for yourself to watch here on every level
🔵WIDTH
🔵PENETRATION (runs)
🔵SUSTAIN the attack
🟡OPEN space for others
🟡CREATE triangles and overloads
🔴DRIVE the ball forwards
🔴Think FORWARD first
⚔️GREAT ATTACK
The three attacking clips I've picked out are really good, I'll just let them play out
🔵'Minimum width' to play inside (FBs)
🔵PENETRATION
🟡SWITCH play
🟡CREATE triangles and angles
🔴MOVE after passing the ball
This is a clear IDENTITY
The three attacking clips I've picked out are really good, I'll just let them play out
🔵'Minimum width' to play inside (FBs)
🔵PENETRATION
🟡SWITCH play
🟡CREATE triangles and angles
🔴MOVE after passing the ball
This is a clear IDENTITY
⚔️GREAT ATTACK
A great attack, tell me what you see! Let's dive into this one in-depth.
A great attack, tell me what you see! Let's dive into this one in-depth.
⚔️GREAT ATTACK
👥Good COVER to win the ball and keep it
🔴Casemiro: first action is FORWARD
🟡Good runs by AWB & Bruno to open the pitch and attack the OVERLOAD
🟡CREATE triangles and angles: excellent movement by Rasdhford and Bruno to do so
👥Good COVER to win the ball and keep it
🔴Casemiro: first action is FORWARD
🟡Good runs by AWB & Bruno to open the pitch and attack the OVERLOAD
🟡CREATE triangles and angles: excellent movement by Rasdhford and Bruno to do so
⚔️GREAT ATTACK
🟡Lay-off by Rashford is also possession basics, if you don't want to turn quickly, lay it off
🔴First-action-forward-Casemiro
🟡3rd pic you could expect some PENETRATION to receive in behind, but United play it out well here too
🟡Lay-off by Rashford is also possession basics, if you don't want to turn quickly, lay it off
🔴First-action-forward-Casemiro
🟡3rd pic you could expect some PENETRATION to receive in behind, but United play it out well here too
⚔️GREAT ATTACK
🔴Antony drives inside, attracts players and 🟡Rashford + AWB recognize the 3v3 very well
First-time pass into AWB who is always so good in timing his attacking runs
If you've read my previous work, this is 🍞&🧈
🚗DRIVE at the defender
🎣ATTRACT and RELEASE
🔴Antony drives inside, attracts players and 🟡Rashford + AWB recognize the 3v3 very well
First-time pass into AWB who is always so good in timing his attacking runs
If you've read my previous work, this is 🍞&🧈
🚗DRIVE at the defender
🎣ATTRACT and RELEASE
⚔️GREAT ATTACK
🔴Antony's right foot creates the dangerous cross for this attack.
🟡Attacking the box is done very well by United. Attack the FRONT post, the BACK post, and scatter around the penalty SPOT.
🔴Antony's right foot creates the dangerous cross for this attack.
🟡Attacking the box is done very well by United. Attack the FRONT post, the BACK post, and scatter around the penalty SPOT.
🛋️REST DEFENSE
This attacking is enabled by good COVER at the back to not concede on every counter.
General rules:
🔵Numerical OVERLOAD in rest defense
🟡Protect the CENTER first, force ball WIDE
🔴Be SIDE-ON
🔴Be TOUCH-TIGHT to your attacker
This attacking is enabled by good COVER at the back to not concede on every counter.
General rules:
🔵Numerical OVERLOAD in rest defense
🟡Protect the CENTER first, force ball WIDE
🔴Be SIDE-ON
🔴Be TOUCH-TIGHT to your attacker
🛋️REST DEFENSE
One of the reasons #MUFC's rest defense was much better, was Diogo Dalot's role.
By inverting, he could "clog" up the center to be touch-tight and close down after losing the ball.
More important though, was the general HIGHER play by the CBs.
One of the reasons #MUFC's rest defense was much better, was Diogo Dalot's role.
By inverting, he could "clog" up the center to be touch-tight and close down after losing the ball.
More important though, was the general HIGHER play by the CBs.
🛋️REST DEFENSE
After a "dangerous" pass, Martinez comes TOUCH-TIGHT to Awoniyi. The goal is not to breathe in his neck, but to
🔴CLOSE DOWN if he received the ball into feet
🔴Be first to the long ball in behind
After a "dangerous" pass, Martinez comes TOUCH-TIGHT to Awoniyi. The goal is not to breathe in his neck, but to
🔴CLOSE DOWN if he received the ball into feet
🔴Be first to the long ball in behind
🏓DEFENDING THE LONG BALL
This was a bit of a theme in the game; #NFO scored from one high ball and M. Turner (GK) sent plenty of long balls United's way.
General rules can be found in the tweet below:
This was a bit of a theme in the game; #NFO scored from one high ball and M. Turner (GK) sent plenty of long balls United's way.
General rules can be found in the tweet below:
🏓DEFENDING THE LONG BALL
COVER behind the ball (stagger your defensive line)
👣On your toes to be quick to win 2nd ball
♻️That's why you COVER and STAGGER, to recycle safely
COVER behind the ball (stagger your defensive line)
👣On your toes to be quick to win 2nd ball
♻️That's why you COVER and STAGGER, to recycle safely
🏓DEFENDING THE LONG BALL
Good long ball by #NFO, Martinez should
🔴Nudge the CF off-balance, and UNDER the ball
🟡Excellent STAGGER by Rapha to COVER
🔪Second ball won by Martinez
👣EVERYONE(!) on toes to be quick, and we're first to the next ball
Good long ball by #NFO, Martinez should
🔴Nudge the CF off-balance, and UNDER the ball
🟡Excellent STAGGER by Rapha to COVER
🔪Second ball won by Martinez
👣EVERYONE(!) on toes to be quick, and we're first to the next ball
🏓DEFENDING THE LONG BALL
Nudging as the small CB doesn't always work, it's more efficient to be a dominant CB.
Martinez gets under the ball himself and Varane's COVER is not there
Nudging as the small CB doesn't always work, it's more efficient to be a dominant CB.
Martinez gets under the ball himself and Varane's COVER is not there
That's all for this week's thread. A comeback after a shocking start where basics were exploited, but the good performance was partially down to #NFO's game plan that allowed prolonged attacks and pressure.
Nonetheless, clear training ground improvement.
GW3⃣:✅
Nonetheless, clear training ground improvement.
GW3⃣:✅
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