Manchester United’s win over Leicester City on the weekend was gritty and dogged, to say the least. However, the concerns should not be pinned on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s desk. He got his tactics right, it was the players who didn’t deliver.
So far under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, we have seen his teams go at the opposition with pace, power and flair. And against the bigger sides, more specifically the top six, he has set out to target their weaknesses whilst empowering his own side’s strengths at the same time.
Against Leicester City, Solskjaer took the latter approach. Not because they were a top-six side, but because they possessed such a dangerous threat like no other team.
Claude Puel’s Leicester have one of the most devastating counter-attacks in England. Demarai Gray, James Maddison and one of the league’s deadliest finishers Jamie Vardy, breaking forward at pace is a nightmare for defenders to stop.
So how did Ole go about preventing the counter?
As most managers worked out after Leicester miraculously won the title in 2015/16, pouring men forward and leaving space in behind is a no go. You will get punished with such pace on the counter. So sit back, make them break you down and be the team who does the countering.
The stats show that teams have cottoned on to the fact that defending deep is the way to frustrate The Foxes, who have only won four games at the King Power this season.
But, Solskjaer was not going to arrive at Leicester City and park the bus, breaking the deadlock was crucial. United started the first half with great attacking intent and for the opening 15 of those, were devastating.
Luckily for the Norwegian, Marcus Rashford slotted the ball past Kasper Schmeichel in the ninth minute to make it 1-0. It was his second bite at the cherry after missing an earlier, arguably easier, chance with his head.
This then allowed Solskjaer’s plan to unfold. Now United could retreat in a low block requiring Leicester to break them down.
Unlike previous manager’s though, Solskjaer’s plan was catered for United’s strengths too. Sitting back and inviting Leicester on to them was just what suits The Red Devils. Waiting patiently for the moment they win back the ball and then, suddenly, they are off.
Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, Alexis Sanchez and Paul Pogba gallop forward with tremendous effect. It was the perfect game plan. Solskjaer prevented the opposition from doing what they do best, which allowed United to do what they do best.
If the game plan was perfect why did Manchester United not win more comfortably?
I just think it was a bad day at the office for so many players. If one team member has an off day, you can carry them. But when a good number of the team do, it is very noticeable.
How many times can you remember the side working hard to win the ball back, or Leicester squandering possession lightly, before United broke forward on the counter only to waste a three versus three opportunity?
It wasn’t as if the players were missing individual chances, they were not creating clear-cut chances due to the sloppiness prior to it. They were making the wrong decisions in key areas and also just generally being untidy on the ball.
Manchester United’s players were dispossessed nine times during the match and had a combined total of 15 unsuccessful touches. Only one player made a successful through ball, that was Paul Pogba. No outfield players, other than Ashley Young had completed over five accurate long balls. And only three different players made an accurate cross in the match with a combined total of four [WhoScored.com]. The last stat really tells the story of United’s indecision and lack of quality in the final third on Sunday.
This happens from time to time. But the important thing is if you can ride it out and still manage to get the win. Somehow, some way, Manchester United managed to keep their grasp on all three points on Sunday, a win which lifted them into fifth. And that is all that matters.
It’s a good sign to win when you’re not playing well. A saying often branded around towards the back-end of seasons in the Sir Alex Ferguson era. When you don’t play well, can you still nick the points? If you can, it’s a sign of champions.
But what I take most from Sunday’s match, was the tactical astuteness of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer again. That was the big question mark that I had written over him when he arrived at the club. Could he deliver tactically against the big sides? Wins against Tottenham and Arsenal proved this and continuing to research and follow through with systems against the so-called “smaller sides” as well, demonstrates his hard work and attention to detail.