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Manchester United suffered a late heartbreak in opposition to Brighton and Hove Albion as Joao Pedro struck in added time to down the guests 1-2 on the Amex Stadium on Saturday.
The Seagulls have emerged as some form of a bogey staff for the Pink Devils ever since Erik ten Hag took over with United dropping 5 of the final six Premier League conferences between the golf equipment.
Whereas the staff from the South Coast appear to have Ten Hag’s quantity, what was disheartening to observe this time round was the truth that for essentially the most half, United have been respectable.
They’d management of the ball and the sport and appeared comfy in possession whereas wanting a lot improved when it got here to urgent from the entrance and taking part in out from the again.
United look flat on this false-nine system
However the fashion lacked penetration as no one ran in behind to pose a menace to the Brighton backline which remained excessive as most United stars needed the ball performed to toes.
The false-nine system employed by the Dutchman has its deserves however these flaws meant United, whereas having extra of the ball, had fewer pictures.
This fashion is the polar reverse of final season’s present the place United both attacked quick or obtained counter-attacked at will. There isn’t a center floor with Ten Hag’s United as of now.
To not point out the identical defensive lapses. There stays far an excessive amount of house behind the midfield whereas the defence nonetheless struggles to squeeze up, because of the lack of tempo on provide from Harry Maguire.
6 – Since 2022-23, Manchester United have misplaced extra Premier League video games due to objectives scored within the ninetieth minute (+ stoppage time) than another facet (6); they’d solely misplaced two such video games within the first 30 campaigns within the competitors mixed. Asleep. #BHAMUN pic.twitter.com/F6JXEWUHti
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 24, 2024
Whereas the primary objective conceded was on account of the Englishman being gradual to react and Lisandro Martinez dropping his man, the second objective was one thing that has been affecting the 20-time English league champions rather a lot just lately.
As soon as identified for his or her potential to conjure up winners in added time, underneath the previous Ajax coach, this development has been turned on its head with United conceding six stoppage time winners within the final two seasons, after conceding simply two within the previous 30 years.
Surprising report
That was partly because of the surprising resolution to take off Bruno Fernandes, the staff’s talisman, which handed the Seagulls the boldness to throw the kitchen sink on the Previous Trafford facet on the loss of life.
Such deflating numbers stuff ought to give Ten Hag nightmares however after two seasons, he ought to have labored on this within the coaching floor by now.
Keep in mind final season in opposition to Brentford, when Aaron Wan-Bissaka switched off whereas taking part in because the left-back which allowed the Bees to equalise after United had crawled themselves again into the competition?
Enjoying with out a specialist left-back actually damage as soon as once more as Diogo Dalot selected to cowl the appropriate with Noussair Mazraoui standing proper behind him throughout that fateful assault.
Throughout set-pieces, United proceed to look weak as most gamers don’t perceive the zonal system correctly regardless of spending a lot time on the coaching floor, or not less than that’s what followers want to suppose.
When will these issues be solved, no one is aware of. Ten Hag is already feeling the warmth and it’s simply two video games into the brand new season. Liverpool are up subsequent and it nearly seems like squeaky bum time for the supervisor.
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