Meet the opposition: Aston Villa
Villa have strengthened smartly this summer and could be challenging for a top half finish
No. 3 UNITED vs. ASTON VILLA, JULY 23rd 2022
editorial
Is Ten Hag targeting players, or positions?
Given that this a matchday magazine for United’s tour game against Villa, it seems strange to have our two main feature articles on players who aren’t even on the tour. But there’s naturally a lot of interest in United’s new signings.
The strange thing that the Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen signings have in common is that they’ve both sparked much debate as to what position they’ll play in the United team.
If we were more familiar with the manager we’d probably be able to have an educated guess as to what is in his mind, but the fact that the boss is also new to the club adds even more intrigue.
One question is whether Ten Hag – given that these are Ten Hag targets and not exclusively scouted targets – is buying players he trusts and likes or whether he is prioritising different positions to those most fans thought were the most urgent.
In an interview this week the manager said “We are looking for a player who can play in the holding midfield position, but it has to be the right one…We have a list, and we qualify as the player who has the competencies to play that role…We will strike the moment the player is available. When we can’t find him, we have to deal with the players in our squad and we will develop one in that position.”
However, he also said “I would like to sign English players because I think there is only one criteria and that’s quality in combination with the price…It looks like English players are quite expensive. It’s a fact you cannot deny. In the end, it’s about quality.”
So the first statement says he’s targetting specific roles, while the second suggests he’s targetting specific players.
In this issue we’ll take a look at both Lisandro and Eriksen and try to answer the question, in their cases, as to which Ten Hag had in mind when he signed them.
One role he may be feeling less need to target right now is centre forward. Anthony Martial has been in stupdendous form on the pre-season tour. Not only is he back to his best, he’s arguably been the best we’ve seen so far.
However, these are 45 and 60 minute pre-season run outs. The big question is whether this heralds the dawn of a brave new world for the Frenchman, or whether that dawn is another false one.
Given the big question mark over Cristiano Ronaldo’s future, in our new Devils’ Advocate column, two of our top writers argue the case for and against banking on the 26 year old to lead the line this season.
One thing’s for certain about this pre-season tour so far, and that is we are already seeing a very different United from the one that limped across the 2021/22 finish line. It’s too early to get too carried away, of course, but you can’t help but feel a little bit optimistic about the coming season when the team is performing so well and we haven’t even see two of the new signings – or Cristiano Ronaldo – in action yet.
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The top news stories about United this week, handpicked for you. Clicking on any headline will open the full story from The Peoples Person in a new window. See the dedicated transfers page for more transfer news.
Match report: United 3-1 Crystal Palace
where will eriksen play?
The Dane has excelled in many roles, but what does Ten Hag have in store for him?
Christian Eriksen is finally a Manchester United player and there is no doubt that the club will benefit from his creativity and nous in possession. His versatility will have been a factor in the “pros” column when considering his signing, but it does pose a question over where the Dane will be most likely to feature on the pitch.
An exceptional passer of the ball with an eye for a chance, Eriksen came to the Premier League first time round as an attacking midfielder, and should Bruno Fernandes need a rest or sustain an injury, that is a position Eriksen may find himself in again.
Arguably, his best spell for Tottenham Hotspur actually came playing off the right in their 2016/2017 side with the playmaker serving up 15 assists and eight goals to help the North London club to a second-place league finish.
Despite early signs that Jadon Sancho will thrive on the right under Erik ten Hag, there is an argument to be made that all of United’s wingers prefer playing from the left and Eriksen could provide an option off the wing as well. That would be increasingly likely should Scott McTominay and Fred continue in a double pivot, as playing off the wing would give Eriksen the opportunity to tuck in and support the pair in possession, as he did for Spurs’ combative Dier-Dembele partnership in the aforementioned 2016/2017 campaign.
With Fernandes liking to push up and support his striker, he can often vacate that number ten zone, which Eriksen would be able to drift into off the right-hand side. However, with the McFred duo a somewhat uninspiring pair on the ball, it is more likely that United’s new signing has been brought in to replace one of them rather than support their union.
In his 11 games for Brentford he operated in central midfield as part of a three, so there would be an adaptation to playing in a two behind Fernandes, but it is an adaptation that Eriksen began years ago.
When Pochettino didn’t set his team up in a 4-2-3-1, the Denmark international was deployed in a double pivot with Dembele in a 3-4-2-1, where his passing range could be used to full effect. And when Antonio Conte brought him to Inter Milan, he saw Eriksen as an alternative to Marcos Senesi – a deep-lying playmaker – which saw him operate as a six or an eight as often as a ten.
Having a wider view of the pitch is a huge benefit to a player possessed of fantastic vision, and his raking through passes from deep could evoke memories of Paul Scholes’ playmaking days under Sir Alex Ferguson. And it is in central midfield where United have had serious issues in progressing the ball efficiently, a problem which has only been exacerbated by the departures of Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba on free transfers.
Having made more ball recoveries per 90 minutes than Scott McTominay managed last season, Eriksen is a willing runner who will be able to contribute to Ten Hag’s high press from such a position.
The new manager has a history of converting attacking midfield players from his Ajax days, during which set-piece specialist Lasse Schone, a player used to the number ten role and capable of playing off the wing, made it to a Champions League semi-final in a double pivot with current United target Frenkie de Jong. There is, of course, a danger that a lack of physicality could see Ten Hag forced to revert to the McFred duo if United don’t take to his possession and counterpressing methods as well as they ought to when the season gets rolling.
But the blueprint is there for Eriksen to dominate the midfield on the ball, and he will certainly be more fun to watch in that position than was Old Trafford has been able to serve up in recent times.
Meet the opposition: Aston Villa
Villa have strengthened smartly this summer and could be challenging for a top half finish
Manager: Steven Gerrard
Gerrard has had a relatively good start to life in the midlands, propelling Villa to 14th in the table last season. He has however, overseen a side prone to inconsistency, with an end of season run that saw them collect just five wins from fifteen games. That undermined his ‘honeymoon period’ start, during which they fought to a 2-2 draw in their home fixture against United courtesy of goals from Jacob Ramsey and Phillipe Coutinho.
One to watch: Jacob Ramsey
Ramsey capped a stellar performance in midfield with a goal in the last meeting between the sides. He also enjoyed a 100% dribble success rate, created a big chance for Phillipe Coutinho to convert and won four duels to deny United’s rhythm. At just 21 years of age, he is a player Gerrard can look to build his team around going forward and if United’s midfield keep allowing him to have the sort of performance he enjoyed last time out, it will only propel him further.
THe venue
The Optus Stadium was voted as Australia’s best stadium in 2021, having only opened in 2018. The 61,266-seater is a multipurpose venue and has hosted Australian Rules Football, Cricket and Rugby Union games as well as concerts by Ed Sheeran, Eminem and U2. Its use of anodised aluminium gives the oval stadium a bronze façade unique to Australia’s third largest stadium.
New Signing: Boubacar KAMARA
Kamara signed for Villa as a free agent despite rumoured interest from the likes of Atletico Madrid, AS Roma and United. At just 22 years of age, he has 129 Ligue 1 appearances under his belt, demonstrating a maturity in the holding midfield role that left many fans wondering why he wasn’t more seriously considered at Old Trafford. The former Marseille man’s training performances have convinced his manager that he will “be a really big player” for his new side.
interesting stats
Villa have only won twice in their last 20 fixtures against the Red Devils, although the last meeting between the sides ended in a hard fought 2-2 draw. That game saw Gerrard’s side have 65% of the ball in the second half, with 6 shots on target to United’s 2 and winning 34 duels compared to 22 for the Red Devils. Under a coach as demanding as Erik ten Hag, a repeat of those statistics will not be acceptable and fans will hope that the team’s new-found intensity and organisation will bear fruit, even this early in preseason.
FORM AND INJURIES
Villa’s 1-0 win over Leeds United on Sunday saw them field a strong squad with new signings Robin Olsen, Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos all featuring in a Christmas tree setup. Nine changes at half time followed by another in the second half means we can expect a strong side in the first half, perhaps followed by a changed team in the second, with the Villains fresh for the game. They will be without Kortney Hause, however, as the central defender suffered a setback in his recovery from an injury sustained against Crystal Palace back in May.
transfer rumours
What’s hot, what’s real and what’s not
In this section we look at some of the most active transfer stories of the week about United, both comings and goings. We give each story a fire rating (how hot the story is, out of five) and a star rating (how reliable the story is, out of five).
our top transfer tip
🔥🔥🔥🔥
Rated 5 out of 5
Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona)
The transfer saga of the summer. We still think this should happen, because of United’s close relationship with De Jong’s agent Ali Dursun.
The issue still seems to be about the €17m in back pay that Barça owe the player. The Catalans now have a full agreement with United for a €75m+€10m fee and have stopped pretending they want to keep him. They let it slip that they need to sell him in order to register their new players, including Robert Lewandowski.
United are said to be patiently waiting as De Jong takes part in Barça’s pre-season tour. This could go to the wire and there are no guarantees it will happen, but United remain confident.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Rated 5 out of 5
Cristiano Ronaldo (to any CL side)
Atletico Madrid are the latest Champions League club to quash rumours of their interest in signing Ronaldo, rumours which they say came from his own camp.
This means that Atleti, Chelsea, PSG, Napoli, Juventus and Bayern Munich have all declined agent Jorge Mendes’ advances.
With a loan to Sporting Lisbon also dismissed as “fake news” by the player himself, it’s hard to see where he will go unless United secretly now want rid, and are prepared to subsidise his wages. Agent Jorge Mendes is offering a 30% reduction in his contract to willing clubs.
🔥🔥
Rated 3 out of 5
phil jones (to DC UNITED)
Wayne Rooney is reportedly interested in bringing his old mucker to Washington and giving him a new lease of life after years of frustration.
United would almost certainly let Jones go on a free transfer but the issue could be his wages, variously reported to be between £75,000 and £110,000 a week.
Another issue as The Peoples Person pointed out is whether the plastic pitches and gruelling travelling schedule required in MLS would be conducive to the player’s ongoing physical issues.
🔥🔥
Rated 4 out of 5
Antony (Ajax)
This one seemed to die off when Ajax slapped an €80m asking price on the left-footed right winger, deemed too high by United.
However, canny old Ajax have this week signed another right winger, the talented Francisco Conceição from FC Porto. At 19, they may want to give him a year to bed in, but with Antony begging the club to let him leave and United willing to put big money on the table, a resurrection of this transfer deal could be on the cards.
🔥🔥
Rated 4 out of 5
Youri Tielemans (Leicester)
Tielemans is reported to be planning a meeting with Brendan Rodgers this week to decide on his future. If he is not willing to sign an extension, he could be sold in this window for around £30m.
Both United and Arsenal are reported to be keen, although the Belgian could be a backup option for both, with Arsenal moving for Juventus’ Arthur Melo and United’s first choice still being Frenkie de Jong (above).
Fabrizio Romano has repeatedly mentioned United’s interest in Tielemans, which gives this an air of credibility.
🔥
Rated 1 out of 5
Ibrahim Sangaré (PSV)
With a buy-out clause of €35 million, Sangaré could be the solution to United’s defensive midfield problems soit came as no surprise when reports started to circulate about United’s interest, with the club said to be leading the race to sign him.
However, other reports dismissed these as “total nonsense” and said that United have not yet declared any serious interest in the Ivory coast international.
Meanwhile, PSV boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has admitted the player could be on the move.
match preview
All the latest information about the upcoming game.
Team News and Predicted XI
Erik ten Hag has shown a tendency to field strong starting line-ups in preseason and that is likely to continue against Aston Villa.
With a 4-2-3-1 formation preferred, United will once again look to press high up the pitch and attack with purpose.
New signings Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen are not linking up with the squad for the Australian leg of the tour, so we can expect a familiar line-up on Saturday.
Harry Maguire will look to continue in the right centre-back position, and with United to using him as a platform to focus attacks down the right-hand side as they did against Melbourne Victory.
Raphael Varane is back in training but we’re expecting Victor Lindelof to partner Maguire, with Bailly getting a chance to continue his impressive form in the second half.
Diogo Dalot has begun every game so fair, so he is likely to start here as he looks like Ten Hag’s first choice right back, with either Aaron Wan-Bissaka or Ethan Laird to come on in the second half.
At left back it’s a toss-up between Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw, but we’re backing the new signing to kick off since that would split the game time evenly.
Fred and Donny van de Beek are likely to play from the off as Scott McTominay sat out training on Wednesday, with Bruno Fernandes ahead of them.
Anthony Martial will look to carry on with his good preseason form up front, and on the wings, Ten Hag has Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Elanga to choose from – we expect the former two to start.
Tactical Analysis
Ball-oriented press
Man- oriented press
United are expected to continue in a 4-2-3-1 against Aston Villa – a system well suited to a high press and we’ll be looking out for the organisation of the team’s man-oriented pressing structure.
After United’s 4-0 victory over Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp lamented his side’s inability to cope with United’s “man-marking, especially in midfield.” However, Erik ten Hag was quick to clarify: “I wouldn’t say it was man-marking. We like to press all day.”
Broadly speaking, there are two variations of pressure and counterpressure: ball-oriented and man-oriented. In a ball-oriented press, the opponent in possession is the reference point for a press, with multiple players closing down the ball carrier from various angles in order to limit options and force a turnover.
Man-oriented pressing still involves harrying the ball carrier, but rather than four or five players closing them down, only the nearest two or three players will. The rest of the side press potential receivers, leading to a situation where the ball-carrier has two problems: (1) They have no time on the ball, and (2) They have no free passing options.
The latter is what United have practiced so far and the Red Devils have reaped the benefits in games such as the Liverpool result. However, in that game it also led to some dangerous counter attacking situations, particularly in the first half and Melbourne Victory managed to exploit the space around the centre halves for their opener days later.
When choosing to press in a man-oriented fashion, you allow the opponent space to play in to, essentially challenging the opponent to take advantage of that space before you can cover it. Think of Pep Guardiola’s sides – the teams they come up against often have space to play in to, but the likes of Sergio Busquets and later Fernandinho ended up racking up interceptions as they “sweep” the space their opponents try to exploit.
With a ball-oriented press (which Liverpool commonly use) because the team has the ball as a reference point, the entire team has one thing to move towards – central defenders are able to squeeze up in most situations leading to offsides or rushed passes. This can, however, leave receivers free for passes into feet, and against technically excellent players who can pick a pass under pressure, switches of play and line-breaking passes can easily disorganise the press if it fails to impose enough pressure in the first line.
We can expect Ten Hag to continue to opt for a man-oriented press, as he most commonly used at Ajax, and we’ll be paying special attention to how well the central defenders manage the space to their backs and sides – will they be able to shore up against counter attacking opportunities, or will there be “mistakes” for which the Dutchman must find other solutions?
The energetic Ollie Watkins will no double give us a flavour for how well a Ten Hag-coached United defence cope with Premier League centre-forwards, who are universally adept at running the channels.
David O’Neill
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The devils' advocate
“Anthony Martial can be the world class centre forward United needs”
The case for ...
Look, there’s no denying it: Anthony Martial is an inconsistent player. Even the most optimistic person wouldn’t suggest otherwise. However, there is an argument to be made that he can be the world-class centre-forward Manchester United right now. How can we make that argument?
Well, let’s look at his obvious qualities. We know he’s a clinical finisher (his low scoring seasons aren’t down to inefficiency but because of other factors). We know he’s a brilliant technical player. We know his link-up play is great. Finally, we know he’s strong, pacy, and can create chances for himself.
What we didn’t know was can he press? Can he work hard? Pre-season has confirmed he has it in him to do both. What’s left for him to prove he has the qualities to be a striker in Erik ten Hag’s system.
We can sit all day and debate about why Martial hasn’t performed when he’s been expected to, but his talent and qualities are undeniable. The real question is: can Ten Hag be the man to get it out of him consistently?
Any player needs certain circumstances to be in place to perform at their best. Some players need to be yelled at. Some need to be told they can’t have chips for lunch anymore. Martial seems to need an arm around his shoulder and to be told he’s the special one who is untouchable.
Either you accept that or you don’t. But what’s clear is he’s a fantastic enough player when he’s in form that he deserves to be catered to in regards to creating his version of an ideal environment.
We also have to talk about the elephant in the room. United don’t have any other players in the squad good enough to be a world-class striker for the long-term. Martial is our only current answer.
We can talk about dipping into the transfer market but there are no obvious candidates. There seems to be a shortage of top class, available strikers. And if you’re going to take a punt at a lesser known player, you might as well take a punt at Martial instead.
That unknown, new striker could struggle or fail just as much as the Frenchman is likely to return to his best.
Pre-season isn’t the best place to make conclusions from but we can pay attention to the encouraging signs. Is it a coincidence that when Martial finally has a strong setup and good players around him he’s back to his goalscoring best?
Give him the platform and he’ll perform. It doesn’t make him any less of a player. It’s like arguing Lionel Messi is now a bad player because of how he’s been at PSG. The talent there is obvious. What’s also obvious is he doesn’t have the dream setup in France.
And for the longest time, Martial didn’t have that with United. When he has, he’s performed. It’s undeniable.
The case against...
Everybody had written Anthony Martial off and couldn’t wait for him to be sold. The Sevilla loan was the nail in the coffin. Given celebrity status, given a run in the starting XI, given everything he wanted … nothing.
If it wasn’t for the fact that Ronaldo wants to leave or if we’d bought a striker we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.
But three decent 45-60 minute performances on tour and all of a sudden, it’s 50 million down the drain, Tony Martial scores again. Well, I don’t buy it.
30 French caps, 2 goals. 23 games in 21/22, 2 goals. 36 games in 20/21, 7 goals. 38 games in 18/19, 12 goals. 45 games in 17/18, 11 goals. 42 in 16/17, 8 goals.
That’s the norm for this player. Whoever the manager, whoever is playing around him. 2015/16 and 2019/20 were blips. We shouldn’t bank on it happening again.
Some argue that he performs better when he’s the undisputed number 9. It was Zlatan taking that number that catapulted him into a year of mediocrity in 2016/17. We gave him the benefit of the doubt, he was young, Zlatan is a big character.
But then we had the same excuse in 18/19, when Ibra left and Lukaku arrived. Poor Tony. In the shadows again. In 20/21, Cavani was the culprit.
The fact is, even if it’s true that Martial is good when there’s no competition, then we still can’t rely on him to lead the line this season. Is he going to play 50 games plus a World Cup? Is he going to sulk and lose form the minute he’s rotated?
One of United’s biggest problems over the past few years is that the squad has contained too many inconsistent players. Some are inconsistent from one part of the match to another (Fred, for example). Some are inconsistent from one match to the next (Pogba, McTominay and Rashford, for instance). And some have good seasons and bad seasons (De Gea springs to mind).
Martial probably falls into all three of those categories and that makes him just about the most inconsistent player at the club. Even that successful 19/20 season was inconsistent. Four goals before Christmas was hardly a great haul.
It has been rumoured many times that it’s United owner Joel Glazer’s love of and belief in Martial that has kept him at Old Trafford this long. He’s blocked his sale at least twice. That in itself is a reason to get rid. Not just because the owner shouldn’t be making football decisions, but because it’s clearly a bad one. And just because he’s a Glazer. #GlazersOut.
There really isn’t a single reason besides blind hope for pinning our hopes on Martial to lead the line for United this season.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me six times, call me a Glazer.
twitter chatter
Some of the best United-related posts on Twitter since the last match
Clicking on a video tweet will open it in Twitter in a new window.
size isn't everything
Lisandro Martinez may not be the tallest centre back in the world, but don’t let that fool you
Manchester United’s signing of Lisandro Martinez marks a battle won for Erik ten Hag, not just in securing a new centre-back, but in convincing the club to back him for his choice of defender over the club’s own long-standing target.
While it has been clear that United have been in the market for a left-footed centre-back dating back to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s caught-on-camera comments to then-Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake, the club’s long-standing target appears to have been Pau Torres.
The Spaniard’s performances caught the eye of United scouts during Villarreal’s Europa League winning campaign, and his stalwart defending in their Champions League semi-final run in the season gone did nothing to put off the Red Devils’ recruitment team.
While Martinez most likely was on a shortlist somewhere at Carrington, it is the new manager’s insistence that has persuaded them to part with a potential £55m for a diminutive central defender.
The response to his height has been somewhat predictable in certain quarters, with some willing to write off the Argentine as being unsuited to a role at the heart of a defence in the English Premier League. Surely he’ll be exposed in the air?
However, looking beyond the feet and inches actually shows that such a criticism would be more fitting had United opted for the club’s choice over the manager’s man.
At 5’10” there are many players who will “out-stand” Martinez, but when the Argentine can outfight, outmuscle and outjump them, what does it matter?
Lisandro Martinez was the single most effective aerial presence in the Ajax team last year, winning 70.18% of his aerial duels – better than target man Sebastien Haller or lanky midfield enforcer Edson Alvarez.
His tenacity and commitment earned him the moniker “The Butcher of Amsterdam,” and those same traits have enabled him to keep the likes of Erling Haaland quiet in the Champions League.
He makes an abnormally high 5.4 aerial challenges per game which makes his uncommonly good success rate all the more impressive, particularly compared to 6’3” Pau Torres, whose 59.79% success rate is worse than Victor Lindelof’s – who himself is hardly aerially dominant.
It could be argued that league standard plays a part here and it would probably be a fair point – expecting Martinez to carry his numbers straight over from the Eredivisie would be unrealistic.
He will be facing more physical strikers on a regular basis but having been raised in the cauldron of Newell’s Old Boys, it is hard to imagine the Argentine being intimidated by physicality.
Whether Pau Torres would be able to deal with highly aggressive forwards would have been a greater concern.
A fairly passive defender, it would be easy to envision Torres having similar problems adapting to the league that Victor Lindelof suffered early on.
During his first season at Old Trafford, the Swede won an abysmal 46.81% of his aerial duels, dropping from his 58.97% in Portugal.
It would be fair to say that Lindelof has developed that side of his game, registering 61.18% last season. That improvement shows that it is possible for defenders to come to the Premier League, struggle, and come out the better for it, which would bode well for either centre-back.
However, if you were to bet against The Butcher, the odds would not be in your favour.
And by gambling on Ten Hag’s man, United might just have dodged a bullet.
size isn't everything
Lisandro Martinez may not be the tallest centre back in the world, but don’t let that fool you
Manchester United’s signing of Lisandro Martinez marks a battle won for Erik ten Hag, not just in securing a new centre-back, but in convincing the club to back him for his choice of defender over the club’s own long-standing target.
While it has been clear that United have been in the market for a left-footed centre-back dating back to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s caught-on-camera comments to then-Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake, the club’s long-standing target appears to have been Pau Torres.
The Spaniard’s performances caught the eye of United scouts during Villarreal’s Europa League winning campaign, and his stalwart defending in their Champions League semi-final run in the season gone did nothing to put off the Red Devils’ recruitment team.
While Martinez most likely was on a shortlist somewhere at Carrington, it is the new manager’s insistence that has persuaded them to part with a potential £55m for a diminutive central defender.
The response to his height has been somewhat predictable in certain quarters, with some willing to write off the Argentine as being unsuited to a role at the heart of a defence in the English Premier League. Surely he’ll be exposed in the air?
However, looking beyond the feet and inches actually shows that such a criticism would be more fitting had United opted for the club’s choice over the manager’s man.
At 5’10” there are many players who will “out-stand” Martinez, but when the Argentine can outfight, outmuscle and outjump them, what does it matter?
Lisandro Martinez was the single most effective aerial presence in the Ajax team last year, winning 70.18% of his aerial duels – better than target man Sebastien Haller or lanky midfield enforcer Edson Alvarez.
His tenacity and commitment earned him the moniker “The Butcher of Amsterdam,” and those same traits have enabled him to keep the likes of Erling Haaland quiet in the Champions League.
He makes an abnormally high 5.4 aerial challenges per game which makes his uncommonly good success rate all the more impressive, particularly compared to 6’3” Pau Torres, whose 59.79% success rate is worse than Victor Lindelof’s – who himself is hardly aerially dominant.
It could be argued that league standard plays a part here and it would probably be a fair point – expecting Martinez to carry his numbers straight over from the Eredivisie would be unrealistic.
He will be facing more physical strikers on a regular basis but having been raised in the cauldron of Newell’s Old Boys, it is hard to imagine the Argentine being intimidated by physicality.
Whether Pau Torres would be able to deal with highly aggressive forwards would have been a greater concern. A fairly passive defender, it would be easy to envision Torres having similar problems adapting to the league that Victor Lindelof suffered early on.
During his first season at Old Trafford, the Swede won an abysmal 46.81% of his aerial duels, dropping from his 58.97% in Portugal. It would be fair to say that Lindelof has developed that side of his game, registering 61.18% last season. That improvement shows that it is possible for defenders to come to the Premier League, struggle, and come out the better for it, which would bode well for either centre-back.
However, if you were to bet against The Butcher, the odds would not be in your favour. And by gambling on Ten Hag’s man, United might just have dodged a bullet.
play time: Quiz Crossword Puzzle Jigsaw
Morphing Mancs
Which three United stars have been morphed into one in this image? Click the button to reveal the right answer.
jigsaw
Who is this United player?
Crossword
1. Facundo Pellistri's country
2. The older Neville brother
3. Nickname Stroller, played for United and went on to manage Arsenal
4. Left back who missed the 1977 FA Cup final due to injury
5. Scored 163 goals for United between 1980 and 1995
6. Choccy
7. Bobby Charlton's birthplace
8. United's fourth most expensive signing ever
9. Scored the goal that allegedly stopped Sir Alex from being sacked
10. United's number 5 between 2014 and 2018
11. Centre back who played 249 games for United between 1963 and 1973
12. United defender whose first name is José and last name is Teixeira
X
Congratulations!
Matchday Quiz – Aston Villa
Christian Eriksen signed for United last week. These 10 questions are about United's Danish players. See how many you know!
RED billy
I want one. I don’t want one. Yeah, I want one.
Manchester United fans have been screaming at their TV sets and twitter feeds and friends down the pub for years that the team needs a quality central defensive midfielder to replace the aging (and now gone) Nemanja Matic. There was huge frustration last summer when Declan Rice, or any suitable replacement really, wasn’t signed. We’re not going to win the league without one, we said. And boy, were we right.
The defensive shambles of 2021/22 will live long in the memory of the United faithful, waking us up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, etched into our collective unconscious. “Why didn’t they listen?” we scream as we wake. “I told you we needed a CDM! Glazers out!”
This isn’t just a recent thing, it’s been going on since 2019 or so, since the dawn of the dreaded “McFred”, the double pivot of box-to-box midfielders who have been asked to sit. Chelsea have got Kanté, City have Rodri, Liverpool have Fabinho, Leicester have Ndidi.
We’ve watched in anguish as stories linking United to the likes of Eduardo Camavinga, Jude Bellingham, Ruben Neves, Denis Zakaria, Aurelien Tchouameni and many others have come and gone. Not for us. Outbid. Outpriced. Out of our depth.
Herald the arrival of Mr Erik ten Hag, our new manager, cue Joel Glazer, chequebook open, pen in hand, beckoning him forth. Surely now, we’ll get that missing link, the key player we’ve been missing all this time. Surely.
Then all of a sudden, what do we hear? Ten Hag doesn’t always play with a CDM. In his man-pressing system, you don’t really need a CDM. No, we get Frenkie de Jong and Christian Eriksen, we get Donny van de Beek firing, we don’t need a CDM.
We cock our heads to one side and purse our lips, staring at various “Predicted XI with Frenkie, Donny, Christian and Bruno” line-up pics on the internet. Yes, we can see that working. Why didn’t we think of that? For all these years, we have never needed a CDM at all!
Hang on though. If we never really needed a CDM, then why didn’t McFred work? Was it simply that the tactics weren’t good enough? Or are McFred not good enough?
Anyway, no matter, in Erik we trust, we’re going to go forward, confidently, through an eighth transfer window without a CDM in sight. I’m confident. Are you confident? At least, I think I’m confident. Confident-ish.
Then I see a report claiming that United are leading the race to sign PSV’s Ibrahim Sangaré. One of the best young CDMs around. From the Eredivisie, so well-scouted by the boss. And then I start to feel genuinely confident. Add a player like this into the midfield and we really do start to have a team.
Although that rumour was quickly scotched, it woke me up to the fact that United do, still, unquestionably need to sign a defensive midfielder this summer. Even if we play with the more attacking options in the majority of matches, there will be those when, tactically, we need that specialist sitting in front of the back line.
So, after that brief flurry of inner calm, those nightmares are back and will keep waking me up until we sign one.
Darren's Diary
A week in the life of a technical director
Sunday
There was a wee mix up at the airport, they couldney find a place for me on the plane so I made my own way the way. I wasney gonna pay BA prices though so I Ryanaired it as far as Agadir and then blagged the rest. Nae bother.
Monday
Stuck in Kenya. Asked for my autograph, the wee eejit thought I was Colin Hendry. I told him, I wouldney be showing my bahookie to anyone. Phoned Erik to give him my ideas for training but got cut off.
Tuesday
Got to Bangkok for the kick off but I hadney remembered the time difference. Team’s already left for Australia.
Wednesday
Card was declined so I couldney get a flight to Melbourne. Had to phone Alec, he bought a ticket for me. Tried to phone Erik again, but his phone just keeps ganging dead.
Thursday
Finally got to the hotel but there wasney a room for me. Luckily saw Scotty and he said I could bunk wi him. Joined in training, was maybe a wee bit heavy in a tackle with Rafa. He wasney too pleased.
Friday
Lads played today, Vic came in for Rafa so I shouted oot tae him tae gie it laldy, then Melbourne scored. Erik told me tae sit doon. He’s prolly noticed I’ve still got a wee bit of jet lag. Scotty scored. Man of the match.
Saturday
The Athletic came by asking for an interview with someone, so Erik sent me, but they said tae dinny bother.
Top 10 Videos
Some of the best United-related videos on Youtube since the last match
Click below to select
10 Videos
HERO to ZERO
Who are we raving about this week?
Hero
Erik ten Hag
Erik has done everything that could have been asked of him so far on this tour. Three wins, youngsters blooded, he’s got Martial and Rashford firing again and he’s got Iqbal and Savage looking like the finished article. Hero of the Week.
ZERO
cristiano ronaldo
We’re of course sympathetic to the family issues that have kept Ronaldo off the tour, but his need to publicly abandon United in such a desperate manner leaves a bitter taste in the mouth for fans who 10 months ago were celebrating his loyalty. So he gets our Zero of the Week award.
