The Manchester United Thread: That's It. That's the Joke (Part 1)

He was well known for it, often ploughing a lone furrow up top. The big difference now is how organised it is, the triggers, the positioning of other players, angles etc. Back then it was more about just pressurising people and giving them less time on the ball. Still trying to force the mistake but without the organisation. I think I’d be right in saying that back then our philosophy was that if we had the ball, they couldn’t score. Now it’s used as a weapon, form of attack.

But to get this back on track, what we’re seeing from Ronaldo, I think is Italian style football, mixed with a decent spoonful of ego and age. Honestly when they signed him I thought they would play him and Cavanni and maybe one other up front. Cavanni to do the hard work that he’s known for. I think it’s just another demonstration of Ole being pretty clueless. To some degree you’ve got to carry Ronaldo in a defensive situation but the way they’re using him now means they cant afford to.

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Not that I read it, I saw the Mirror is reporting that Ole is privately unhappy (yet the papers know) that the owners didn’t splash the cash in midfield in the summer.

I’m totally behind this from Ole. Absolutely its the owners fault. Not enough money spent. We can’t lay all the blame at Ole’s doorstep.

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Interesting that the midfielder they were linked with in the summer - Saul- has barely had a look in at Chelsea yet. I wonder if he would have had more of an impact at Utd…or just been another problem for them.

Chelsea have very settled 3 CM’s in Kante, Jorginho and Kovacic. You bank on 2/3 of them playing every game. Saul’s been brought in for depth. I see that they’re now trying something different with Loftus-Cheek, he played the single pivot behind Kante & Kovacic on Saturday (slight change in shape with 3 midfielders, allowing Werner to play more with Lukaku in a front 2). On United, who knows. Maybe would’ve got more minutes. But sort all their defensive organization? I wouldn’t be sure. Even if they had a Declan Rice, I think United need to find some sense from literally back to front, what they’re doing without the ball.

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Ronaldo leading the press in a Klopp side?

Suspicious Tom Ford GIF by GQ

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He wouldn’t lead the press, he’d play Mo’s special role on the opposite/left side.

:sunglasses:

Joking, not anymore of course.

He couldn’t lead the press if you made him production manager at The Times.

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The only pressing Ronaldo is capable is for a settlement out of court after he raped someone…

…Allegedly…

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Oh shit! Wake up the legal team, we’re expecting to be sued :flushed:

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Yes, but we have so much of the ball that there’s not that much pressing to actually do per 90? Against Norwich we had something close to 80% possession.

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Tbf I think I am getting confused about what that graph is actually saying. Pressures per 90 suggests putting pressure on the defenders, pressing etc, and doesn’t say anything about pushing back to defend more, which I imagine Mané and Salah would be number one and two at consecutively in the league. Just take a look at Salah vs City about how hard a forward can work going the other way to defend.

I agree that Bobby and the midfielders probably lead at the pressing.

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The pressures per 90 is an indicator, but it’s not an exact science, and the way we press might be too sophisticated for this metric.

We seem to press in packs of three, with a main man leading it, depending on where it is, and at least two supporting players assisting, to shut off options for the defender on the ball.

I don’t know how the stat is measured, but it’s possible the way we do our pressing isn’t fully captured in a basic stat.

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Completely agree. We almost never press with a single player. Just before pressing, Bobby always checks over both his shoulders to see where the ball carrier’s options are and to see that his own teammates are there to pressure those potential players receiving the first pass. Otherwise he won’t even attempt it.

Our system really is beautiful to watch when our players are on their game. It really would be uncomfortable for the players on the other team though. Especially if they are not a team supremely confident in passing it from the back…

Off topic. United suck. But we trust OGS.

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To me it seems more like Bobby/Jota and the midfield pressing, trying to get a nick on the ball, while Mo and Mane are constantly making runs into space when this happens.

Anyway, wrong thread. United are shite

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Another thing that would skew our press stats is that we normally have more of the ball, and our opponents don’t try pass out, more like pass over, which means our front three can’t press in this situations.

Ronaldo is a poacher these days, and NEVER makes our starting lineup as it stands.

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Lol Carra got in Ole’s head.

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R E N T F R E E B O Y S

You fucking love to see it.

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Wonder how he feels about Roy Keane, Gary Neville and other ex United people criticising him - of course the focus was put on Carra.

The closer we get to the United game the more I worry it will result in Ole’s sacking!

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Yeah, it has that feel. Fingers crossed we don’t batter them (wtf?)

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FUCK
THAT

as @PeachesEnRegalia would say…

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