New season, same old Manchester United.
Erik Ten Hag may be an admittedly skilled coach but he is not a magician.
This title is attributed to (Graham) Potter.
Before the first leg at Old Trafford, Eric ten Hag requested that the host and guest teams exchange their booths. The idea was to get closer to Stretford End, hear the cheers of the fans louder and feel the love even more.
The road back into the players’ tunnel after the first half against Brighton may have felt endless for the Dutchman. By the minute, the volume inside the arena was lowered, and in the first half of travel, jubilant fans were drowned out by boos.
Before Manchester United A hollow insert, which must be mentioned for the first time, but not the last, is dissected in this season: Graham Potter He is an absolute genius.
Attack is the best defense
In my opinion, there are a few tactical pieces Premier League More awesome than seeing match plans made for the Englishman. Especially against the big clubs, when the seagulls are counted beforehand. On Sunday, Potter had to make eleven games without his two best players last season, Mark Cucurella and Yves Bisoma.
If the effect of these losses is that the manager took an immediate defensive stance at Old Trafford? No, that’s not how Graham Potter works. Instead, the away team decided to bet high and gained all the courage and self-confidence they gathered during the spring.
Maybe it was a 3-2-2-3 formation, or maybe some kind of diamond in midfield with Adam Lallana a little more aggressive than Pascal Gross. Instead, Leandro Trossard, who is listed at right-back, took on the role of winger. The risks of such a system are great, and the possibilities are endless.
And soon the audacity paid off. This tough attacking formation surely means that there are space for United to attack around Brighton’s penalty area. The problem for Tin Hag’s select men was that the ball was seldom around. And the offensive line, with Christian Eriksen above expected and Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench, seemed cut off from the rest of the squad.
Fred/Mctominay doesn’t agree with that
Moises Kaisedou, 20, seemed to see Fred as a little storyteller. That Manchester United have yet to sign a competent midfielder in 2022 almost used veteran goalkeeper Dean Henderson to use the very strong word choice of the day, “criminal”.
Fred and Scott McTominay aren’t terrible players, but the duo often find it difficult to live up to the high standards that come with being United players. They also had a lot of trouble dealing with focused Brighton on Sunday.
This, in turn, means that the away team managed to outperform United in the last third. In a purely surprising way, taking into account the budget and expectations. It’s clear that Pascal Gross still covets the title of the league’s most humble but best player, which is said with a heavy dose of love. The German’s ability to shine in this way despite not having certain (usually necessary) qualities should be attributed to Potter.
For example, Gross was far from the fastest on the field, but scored two goals in the first half. United’s defense line, with Harry Maguire and new signing Lisandro Martinez in the lock-up position, looked bemused as usual.
Tin Hag’s plan is a fiasco
The second half was inevitable, for Brighton, about preventing United from reclaiming the lead. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez mixed and passed between the two goalkeepers and should have intervened better in the home team’s playoffs. Alexis Mac Allister would have probably cleared the ball otherwise, he is now booked with an own goal.
Cristiano Ronaldo kicked his boots early and the pressure he put on Brighton’s penalty area increased. Eric Ten Hag’s plan to play the Portuguese off the bench and play a false nine was, in hindsight, a complete fiasco.
New manager, same old Manchester United.
Times columnist Wayne Rooney believes Ronaldo should be allowed to move on. The club still has no chance of winning the league title and therefore has to think long-term. This is indeed true. In addition, Anthony Martial is expected to enter the match once he is free of his injury.
At the same time, it is impossible to shake off the feeling of an unhealthy amount of focus on Ronaldo. It is clear that United’s structural shortcomings throughout the squad, a legacy from previous managers, remain the main concern. There is no difference with or without Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sold for 116 million pounds sterling
This afternoon should not be too much about United failing either. Instead, it should highlight Brighton’s victory and celebrate Graham Potter’s daredevil and lovable genius.
Last year he sold South Coast club Ben White for £50m (free), Yves Bisoma for £35m (cost £15m) and Mark Cucurella for £62m (arrived for £16m).
Graham Potter responds by allowing Pascal Gross, Danny Welbeck, Adam Lallana and Trussard to play Manchester United at Old Trafford. It is almost impossible to describe such a meaningless feat. I hope the traveling fans keep chanting the coach’s name all night long, he’s got it.
