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Manchester United: Utilising True & False Wingers to Catalyse Attacks
Manchester United versus Aston Villa was widely viewed as an end-to-end encounter. This is in part due to Villa's tendency to sit deep but also counter so quickly, but also due to United playing in a streamlined manner. Pogba and Rashford's wide roles were integral to this.
United applied the usual 3-1 approach to build-up, however lacked central lines of immediate progression.On this occasion Rashford was found by Bailly after a carry (see next tweet for Rashford's role in build-up phases).
Rashford: a True Winger in 1st/2nd Phase Build-up:
right footed on the right often held width to create progressive angles catalysed streamlined back-to-front possession
Pogba: a False Winger in 1st/2nd Phase Build-up inverted to varying degrees, but rarely received wide this allowed Shaw to overlap and Martial enter the left channel Pogba was often an intermediary from a direct/long pass to final third runners
Pogba & Rashford: Contrasting Roles in the Final Third Rashford started wide and conventional, as a right footer on the right drifted inside in possession and inverted to become a goal threat Pogba drifted inside from the start roamed deeper to create
Pogba & Rashford Combining in their Contrasting Roles to Set Up Goal: Pogba is a false winger; he holds little lateral positional discipline and receives a long ball Rashford maintains true width Wan Bissaka is able to underlap as United go back to front
In effect, United utilised Pogba and Rashford in roles that maximised their strengths and competencies, while filling both of the ''wide'' positions. These players had instructions to position in certain ways to offer angles and modes of progression to punish Villa's lack of...
vertical compactness in settled shape.
Ultimately, it created an end to end game, which marginally favoured United. This allowed United to maximise their chances of winning three points against a very good team.
Ultimately, it created an end to end game, which marginally favoured United. This allowed United to maximise their chances of winning three points against a very good team.
