Manchester United Split Strikers
This weeks analysis comes from Old Trafford and the big game between Manchester United and Liverpool.
Manchester United lined up in a 352 shape vs Liverpool's typical 433.
One of the key things Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wanted to do in the game was crowd the centre of the field as Liverpool's front 3 like to play narrow.
By playing with a back 5 United's wing backs were then responsible for dealing with both of Liverpool's attacking full backs Trent Alexander Arnold and Andy Robinson
United's game plan was to exploit the space behind Robinson and Arnold especially in transition.
Marcus Rashford and Daniel James both who have great pace played as two split strikers so on turnover they would look to run in behind the full backs and hope to drag Liverpools center backs out. By playing in between the full backs and center backs it allowed United to use the pace of two of their key players.
This worked well on many occasions especially in the first half.
Andreas Pereira played as a false 9 behind Rashford and James and would also look to make 3rd man runs into the space created by the front two.
End product from Pereira was an issue in this game.
Key features:
Exploit space in behind Liverpool's full backs
Drag center backs into wide positions
Runs wide to create space centrally
Play over the top when possible in transition
Better decision making in final third
In the second half Liverpool pulled one back through Adam Lallana. Goal came from a wide area and you could argue cross should have been stopped or cleared better by Manchester United backline.
Overall however good tactical decisions from Solskjaer utilising the attributes of Rashford and James who are better coming from wide areas then central.
Rashford is a player who is mobile, quick, needs room to run into and attack players rather than being a back to goal target man which he is not.
As a coach sometimes you must adapt to the players you have and on this occasion I felt Ole got his tactics right.
