Manchester United’s front four evokes memories of mid-Noughties Arsenal
By the time 90 minutes were up at Old Trafford, the superlatives used to describe Manchester United’s 8-2 hammering of Arsenal had all already been worn out. (‘Hammering’ is also a superlative, well done for pointing that out.) United were relentless, ruthless and quite simply remarkable; and, although they were a bit shaky at the back, they look a side destined to cover themselves in glory come next May. There is still a long way to go yet – we’re still in August, after all – but the signs are good for the immediate future.
Despite being early days, it is evident that there is something strikingly different about the way this team is set up from last year. For one, their central midfielders – Tom Cleverley and Anderson in the absence of Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick – do not appear to have a fixed role in the team and neither is more defensive-minded than the other; instead, there is a sharing of the workload and so far it has been successful. Cleverley, in particular, has looked impressive and has been rewarded with an England call-up for his efforts. Secondly, United have reverted back to a system which does not look to dissimilar to the one they used in 2007/08 – certainly as fluid and with as much emphasis on their front four than in the years between. More of which we’ll focus on soon.
It is also worth noting Sir Alex’s apparent reluctance to tamper with a winning side, having only made changes when required to his back four. The midfield/forward six, consisting of Nani, the two central midfielders, Young, Rooney and Welbeck, have started every league game so far and if Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra were not absent through injury, there is no reason as to why Ferguson would not have named an unchanged line up for three consecutive matches. (Having said that, Phil Jones and Jonny Evans have ably deputised.) The rotation policy should be more prominent as the season wears on but, for the moment, the manager is pleased with what he is seeing.
You can hardly blame fans for getting a little carried away. For a change, there seems to be no sign of the annual early-season hiccup and although doubt remains of the lack of depth in central midfield, these are exciting times. At the weekend, United fielded an even younger side than Arsenal (average age of starters: 23.1) and swept them aside with ease, dispelling premature claims that the team may struggle due to the departures of some notable senior players in the summer. Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones also look like seasoned pros; showing that inexperience doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. Furthermore, Ashley Young has wasted no time settling in and the emergence of both Cleverley and Welbeck has given reason for the cynics to dabble in a bit of optimism. It is worth focusing on the effect both Young and Welbeck have had on the team so far, and just how crucial they might be this season as part of a front four.
Sir Alex wants to add dynamism to the squad and has done so by playing the duo above others; and, of course, there are obvious parallels to be drawn with the Euro-League double winning side of 2008. That team relied heavily on their Fantastic Four: Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Ryan Giggs but they so rarely faltered. It meant for exhilarating, devastating football and United are looking to replicate it again for this campaign. The way the current four of Nani, Rooney, Welbeck and Young went about the game on Sunday was very reminiscent of another team’s attacking quadrumvirate. That is, ironically, the great Arsenal side of 2001-05.
Arsenal were set up in a 4-4-2 where they had a front four consisting of two wide forwards (Fredrik Ljungberg and Robert Pires) and two withdrawn centre forwards (Theirry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp). The wingers were orthodox, crossing the ball from the touchline or drifting inside and getting into dangerous positions. Pires and Ljungberg frequently found themselves on the scoresheet as a result; and there is no reason why Young and Nani cannot do the same thing. Indeed, Nani had a penchant for scoring important goals last season as he became more involved but the return to a more fluid style this time around might help him further. There is plenty of strength in-depth, too. David Pleat said of United’s wingers earlier this month: “They are wonderfully efficient at Old Trafford, with wide players stretching defenders and providing problems which opponents cannot counter. Nani’s trickery, Antonio Valencia’s speed, Giggs’s skill, Park Ji-sung’s industry and now Ashley Young – it is a quintet that Ferguson can rotate at his leisure.”
Rooney and Welbeck have a tendency to drop deep much like Bergkamp and Henry used to; and pose just as much as a goal threat. It was a shame to see Danny Welbeck limp off in the first half of the 8-2 win – and then hearing he’s ruled out for about five weeks – but Javier Hernandez can do just as much of a job.
Sir Alex has never been afraid to tweak to keep abreast with the modern game. There are times where he can be very pragmatic, however not all the time. The way United have set up this term suggests that they’ve reverted back to a fluid style reminiscent of 2007/08 and, oddly, Arsenal in the mid-Noughties. It’s the sort of Manchester United the fans want to see. Oh, these are definitely exciting times.
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- Please don’t be thrown off by the title. By saying “evokes memories”, I mean that it simply ‘reminds me of…’ – hopefully (HOPEFULLY) there’s no ill-reaction. Purely there to point out the similarities between the two rather than acting as some sort of dig towards Arsenal fans. (“We cool?” “Yeah, we cool.”)
- I also realise that the new season is only a month old. Still.
Manchester United find the perfect balance between defence and attack
United 3-0 Tottenham: Analysis and Observations
It is still early days but the manner in which Manchester United conducted themselves in their first home game was most encouraging. And such a result against a team thought to be the ‘dark horses’ of the Premier League this season gives all the more reasons to be optimistic. Tottenham’s resilience was apparent in the first half where they mounted a good challenge, seeing more of the ball and creating chances but all their hard work was undone in the second where they collapsed meekly and let United take charge.
It was an authoritative performance from the hosts after the interval and, indeed, United found the perfect balance between defence and attack. This was all done despite the likes of Ferdinand, Vidic, Fletcher, Carrick, Berbatov and Hernandez either on the bench or absent through injury. Manchester United have always been blessed with great strength in-depth, able to sweep aside opposition regardless of who is and isn’t playing.
Defence copes well under pressure
A lot was made about Manchester United’s apparent inexperience at the back but as any observer of the clubs knows, ‘inexperience’ doesn’t exactly have to be a negative word. The two centre-halves, Jonny Evans and Phil Jones, were both strong contender for Man of the Match. Evans was disciplined and assured allowing Jones to be in his comfort zone and venture forward when needed. Both Chris Smalling and Patrice Evra were solid and provided another attacking outlet down the flanks.
<Figure 1> This was a fine performance by Evans. It was, to use the annoying football phrase, a ‘no-nonsense’ performance from the Northern Ireland international. The above diagram shows his defensive clearances – four of which were in dangerous positions in and around the box.
<Figure 2> There are many reasons to be excited about Phil Jones. If you take a look at the key below, you can just see how useful a player he is. He made plenty of interceptions and clearances; and had freedom to press into spaces – restricting Spurs to use long-range efforts in order to find a goal.
Spurs failure to exploit United’s so-called ‘weakness’
<Figure 3> A lot has been of David de Gea’s apparent weakness from long-range shots; indeed, he conceded more than any other player from efforts outside the box in last year’s La Liga but a quick look at the goals suggest that some were unstoppable and that it’d be unfair to call it a weakness of his. However, it was quite obvious that Spurs had tried to target him, with a majority of their shots coming from outside the box. It should be added that this was also partly the case because United’s back four had restricted Spurs.
Cleverley and Anderson give stability to midfield
For the third consecutive game, United’s new look central midfield pairing were excellent. At first, they struggled to impose themselves but soon got into the groove – it was Tom Cleverley with the vital cross for Danny Welbeck that finally broke the deadlock. With Anderson (who scored the second) alongside Cleverley, it gave stability to the midfield and the team. There is a perfect balance between the two.
<Figure 4> Anderson carried out his defensive duties well. It is vital for a midfield player to stay disciplined and prevent the opposition from creating, and so Anderson’s six interceptions were crucial. That sounds more impressive when you consider Tom Cleverley didn’t even make one – but what it tells you is that both have different roles despite playing in a similar position.
United utilise the wings so well
“You’re just a shit Barcelona,” observed the travelling Spurs fans of Manchester United whose chants, albeit witty, were ultimately flawed. It’s probably not worth dwelling on such a comment but United, as it were, are almost something of an ‘anti-Barca’ – however, that isn’t a criticism. There are many ways a team could play in order to be successful and, in this game, they displayed great verve down the flanks, with a tendency to spread play quickly and without as much focus on possession keeping. For instance, even at 2-0 up, it wasn’t a case of simply keeping the ball and building patiently – it was more attacking the full backs and finding the man in the box. Not to say Barcelona don’t necessarily do that but as so much has been made at the fact that United “don’t have a central midfield”, it is worth saying that different teams work in different ways and players are given roles according to how their team is set up. There is no ‘right way’ to play the game, for sure.
And not many teams concentrate so much on their wide players like United do – it’s worth mentioning that by the time they scored their third, they had already attempted over 30 crosses. Ashley Young, or “a shit Aaron Lennon” as a couple of intellectuals chose to describe him as, looked dangerous on the flanks and already he looks a shrewd acquisition. Nani is very similar; but now, he tends to drift into the centre a touch and link up play and so far, he’s done it with much success.
<Figure 5> The chalkboard above looks a touch concerning but it does suggest United’s reliance from the wide ball. They scored 18 headed goals last season – more than any other team – and that’s partly to do with their perseverance to find the man in the box. In reality, 6 successful crosses from 33 is not as bad as it sounds when you consider that two of those were assists.
Wayne Rooney can compliment anyone
When Wayne Rooney drops into that almost-trequartista position, his impact on the game is likely to be huge. He appears to have created a good understanding with Danny Welbeck, who came in and out of the game but was finally able to impose himself in the second half when he scored the first and created the second. Rooney was impressive again – he attempted the most passes in the final third (38, 13 more than second-best Nani) and was in the right position to nod in the third towards the end.
The Report Card. United players are graded as if they’re back at school; David De Gea C – Chris Smalling B, Phil Jones A, Jonny Evans A, Patrice Evra C – Nani C, Tom Cleverley B, Anderson B+, Ashley Young B – Wayne Rooney A, Danny Welbeck B
Analysis and Observations: Authoritative Manchester United excel as a unit
United 3-2 Manchester City
Just a friendly, you say? Of course, but that hardly matters; it was the performance alone which was enough to fuel excitement ahead of the new season. At first, it was simply frustrating as Manchester United failed to convert. And even more frustrating when they conceded two cheap goals. Then breathtaking. One thing for sure, these 90 minutes – or United’s 85 minutes of dominance – was the embodiment of something good. Against a team supposedly strong enough to win the title, this game saw the Red Devils prevail in the mental battle. Quite vital when you consider that the 11/12 campaign is less than a week away.
United show power through the flanks. When you contemplate the inflated prices in the transfer market these days, £16million for Ashley Young looks a steal. Historically, United have always had a whole host of competent wingers and Young appears to be a fine addition. Here, he displayed great verve down the flanks and drifted in when he needed to, reducing the workload of both Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck at the same time. And, with United two goals down, he delivered a fantastic cross from a free-kick which allowed Chris Smalling to score setting United up for the rest of the game.
With Young making a good impression on the left, Nani enjoyed a good game on the opposite flank. He had made a good start but, at times, was kept quiet by City’s full backs. However, as so typical of the Portuguese winger, he excelled when United needed him most and led them on their fightback. A beautiful interchange in the box had allowed Nani to stroke home and equalise – setting the tone for the last half hour where United charged at City’s back four with much authority. Quite predictably, they found their third in stoppage time. Nani, the source of it as he dispossessed Vincent Kompany on the halfway line and then coolly rounded Joe Hart. And, after a terrific campaign last year, it was barely a shock.
Cleverley’s, er, genius, shines through. As the team has always prided itself in having great depth, Manchester United may need to sign another central midfielder in the summer window as they appear to be a little short on number. However, Tom Cleverley gave a timely reminder of his worth here at Wembley – evidently, his loan spell at Wigan Athetic has paid dividends. With United two goals down at the half time, they needed a change of personnel – not because they were playing badly, in fact they were easily the better team, but confidence had obviously been shot.
Who knows? Had Michael Carrick been fully fit coming into this game, he might have played on. As it happened, Cleverley replaced him and he instantly got into the game, stringing passes together and showing adventure whenever possible. He created a half-chance for Danny Welbeck immediately, before going on to assist the second. Here, Cleverley forged a good partnership with Anderson, much like he had a week earlier when United had beaten Barcelona 2-1 in a pre-season friendly.
David de Gea struggles to impose himself. Unfortunately, United’s new Spaniard keeper didn’t enjoy the sort of competitive debut his teammates such as Young or Phil Jones did, as he made two made avoidable errors towards the end of the first half. Firstly, for Joleon Lescott’s goal, he positioned himself poorly for a free kick and was made to pay as the defender easily nodded in. Then, minutes later, he was slow and sluggish as he failed to save an Edin Dzeko strike. He did try to atone for these mistakes in the second half when he pulled off a few decent saves, but his performance will still be under scrutiny. It’s important that he is given time, though.
United operate as a team. The reason why City struggled to assert themselves was because they focused too much on individuality and certainly did not pass the ball as well as United, who had a large share of possession even when they were behind. The equaliser epitomised just how good United are as a collective – showing great understanding together. It is also worth noting that when the final whistle was blown, United’s eleven players on the pitch had an average of 23. At one point, their oldest player was Ashley Young, quite amusingly – at the tender age of 26.
The Report Card. Yep, it’s back. United players are graded as if they’re back at school; David De Gea F – Chris Smalling B, Rio Ferdinand C, Nemanja Vidic C, Patrice Evra C – Nani A, Michael Carrick C, Anderson C, Ashley Young A – Wayne Rooney B, Danny Welbeck C – Subs: Phil Jones C, Jonny Evans C, Rafael C, Tom Cleverley B, Dimitar Berbatov (too cool for school)
Tom Cleverley has all the attributes for midfield success
With the greatest respect to Manchester United’s US tour opponents, it would difficult to draw any incisive conclusions from their four successive wins pre-Barcelona friendly – where they tallied an impressive 18 goals – because the opposition were simply abject and below standard. However, a match up against the side that they had been routinely beaten by in the Wembley final in May would be far more educative – and despite both teams not opting for full-strength, the level of quality on the pitch would have considerably improved to United’s previous games.
And so it is mildly encouraging – heck, very – that Sir Alex immediately labelled Tom Cleverley as “our best player tonight”, one who “physically, isn’t the strongest lad but he’s wily and has a great idea of the game.” It is still possible that United will add to their squad and invest in a new central midfielder, which would be logical as they’re currently lacking in options, but the consensus regardless is that Cleverley is finally ready for promotion into the first team squad. He should be a prominent figure even if there were to be a new addition to the side.
Yesterday, at the curiously named FedEx Field in Washington, the Basingstoke-born midfielder delivered as Manchester United triumphed 2-1. Cleverley’s performance suggested he had all the attributes to direct him to success and it was his wily interception from a Sergio Busquets pass – then assist – which allowed Michael Owen to net the winner. It was a moment of brilliance; he read the situation well and having won the ball, found Owen with a measured pass which he duly finished.
He was able to impose himself in the game, despite Barcelona monopolising the ball for large parts. Displaying his prowess, he made six tackles (winning four) more than any other player on the pitch but for all his sharp passing throughout, there were times where he did lack concentration and misplaced a few (According the OPTA, his pass completion rate was a decent 80%). Still, he was rightfully recognised as Man of the Match and this, as Fergie says, is “crucial because with Paul Scholes retiring and Darren Fletcher still recovering from his virus it’s an area we have to find a solution for.”
It might be a touch unfair to give him so much responsibility; indeed, many are quick to point out that not a single player would be capable of filling the void left by Scholes but that isn’t what Cleverley should be focusing on. They have their similarities but United have to make sure that Scholes isn’t missed and instead accept that they may need to adjust to a different shape in midfield rather than trying to mould another Scholes-like player. Certainly, he and Anderson showed yesterday that, in a two-man midfield, you don’t necessarily need a holding player or somebody who has been given a specific job. The duo shared the workload and found the perfect balance between defence and attack.
Unsurprisingly, Barcelona controlled the majority of possession; OPTA note that they made 61 more passes than in the Champions League final (838) but United’s midfield duopoly made sure it didn’t result in a drubbing this time around. And when United did have the ball, they were far more impressive. Ashley Young and Nani looked dangerous on either flank while Danny Welbeck looked assured behind Wayne Rooney. But it was Cleverley who stole the show: “His discipline was terrific, he’s a good passer, he has good eyes. He’s a big possibility to start for us at the start of the season,” Sir Alex added post-match. United have a player here who is not only tactically astute, but is robust in the challenge and can spot a pass. There are reasons to be excited.
Having spent time on loan at three different clubs in as many seasons, there would have surely been reasons for frustration – but now, he’s almost definitely ready. His loan spells at Leicester, Watford and Wigan have, however, seen him get progressively better and it was his most previous bout with the Latics which really caught the eye in the same way Jack Wilshere did for Bolton – before he went on to enjoy a magnificent season for Arsenal. Cleverley’s task this campaign is to do similar.
Manchester United defeated but not disgraced
Barcelona are synonymous with everything good. As they went to collect their winners’ medal, there was a shot of United’s players clapping as if they were resigned to defeat, as if this were an event of inevitability. Perhaps, it was. Indeed, they were outclassed – as many observers had predicted – by a team that are not destined for greatness, for they are already there. ‘Greatness’ is not on the agenda; ‘perfection’ is more apt for this side.
After Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Chelsea which virtually sealed their 19th league title, Jonathan Wilson wrote: “This was an annihilation, and in the rigor of its pressing, the pace and directness of its attacking, the intelligence of its movement, particularly in the opening half-hour, United looked a team that might perhaps be able to challenge Barcelona in the Champions league final.” But Wilson’s words could not reflect better on United’s opponents at Wembley, who themselves ‘annihilated’ the Red Devils, who themselves displayed pressing of the rigorous kind and whose movement dissected the United defence and with it, the very life of Sir Alex’s men. They witnessed a masterclass and were made to taste Barcelona’s humble paella. It was not a taste to savour.
It feels almost wrong to say Barcelona are invincible, but the gap between them and the second best team in Europe, which is United, is huge. While the standards of European football appears to be declining (look at the Serie A), Barca have emerged as the greatest team in living memory; even better than the Dream Team of Johan Cruyff or Brazil’s all-conquering side of the Seventies. Pep Guardiola, under the tutelage of Cruyff, has gone and done something unprecedented – overtake his mentor not by trophies won, (statistically, he has a trophy less than the Dutchman) but by infusing his ideology into his side and has appeared to have bettered everything he has done.
This is not to say Manchester United played badly; much like the final in Rome 2009, they started encouragingly and again Barcelona seemed to have been starstruck almost. However, the Catalan Giants are perennial slow-starters and this was nothing new; like an experienced batsman who sees off the swinging, new ball they gradually found their rhythm and punished the opposition.
Park ji-Sung started brightly, but perhaps overrun himself; even the man they call ‘three lungs’ cut an exhausted figure after 20 minutes. By then Barcelona were in the ascendancy. Xavi and Iniesta were playing pinball, while Javier Mascherano and Sergio Busquets formed a defensive barrier that required more than a spirited Wayne Rooney to breach. In fact, their only weakness appeared to be Victor Valdes, who was visibly shaken in the first quarter, huffing and puffing after a few instances of lapses in concentration. But creating chances to trouble him thereafter proved far too difficult. Javier Hernandez was isolated and suddenly the exclusion of Dimitar Berbatov seemed a mistake. However, even the delightful Bulgarian would not have prevented defeat.
When Pedro put Barcelona ahead, it was difficult to foresee an equaliser. Yet, it happened anyway. It was a moment of beauty and disbelief; Wayne Rooney scoring a goal that was even more magical than that acrobatic finish against City earlier this season. Rooney dispelled the myth that he wasn’t a big-game player and his goal, an excellent finish which saw intricate interplay beforehand, allowed United to go into half time with much belief. The Englishman has had somewhat of the clichéd rollercoaster season. After the intense media scrutiny in the first part of the season, Rooney has since come out and displayed the type of football that he is renown for; and again at Wembley, he tracked back and dropped deep trying his utmost to link up play. Make no mistake; Rooney is committed to Manchester United.
Hope was restored. 1-1, the scoreline read. Arsenal had already done the impossible and doggedly fought back in the first leg from 1-0 to win 2-1 in the last 16 of this competition. With all due respect, these were entirely different circumstances. Lionel Messi was the protagonist, as if there was going to be anybody else, and dribbled in such limited space, evoking memories of the great Garrincha and Maradona. He is a legend in the making. His goal, Barca’s second, typified and epitomised the Argentine wonder. A neat finish was followed by more dazzling with the ball, helping David Villa score the third and final goal which sealed United’s fate.
Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic will certainly look back and rue this night; but both had showed great determination and character. Edwin van der Sar, in his final game, was blameless – he might have been able to prevent the first goal when he was wrongfooted by Pedro’s strike, but made a string of saves that kept the scoreline at respectability. Old Trafford will be without him next year; and the trophy that all of Europe desire. However, La Orejas is with its rightful owners. Barcelona will dominate the continent for years to come, but who’s to say this Manchester United side, passionate, spirited and with the potential to get better, will not cross their path once more in the near future?
Manchester United can exploit Barcelona’s defensive weaknesses
It’s not often Manchester United go into a game, any game, as underdogs. But that evening in Rome still lives long in memory (Patrice Evra: “It hurt so much when we lost. We did the team pictures the following season. We had three trophies. But we were missing the one with the big ears.”) and the pain still remains. But United are adamant that they’ve learnt their lessons and that, on Saturday, there will be no such naivety on show this time around. Of course, words are just words.
However, the general perception is that this will be a more competitive final. Indeed, it will be – or at least, it should be. Despite inexplicably improving even more so since Rome 2009, the formidable Barcelona can be beaten and even without the aid of this. “Basically, Barcelona do not like being attacked or pressured,” says Rafael da Silva. “We need to make them feel uncomfortable.” They have weaknesses, and United must exploit them.
Of course, that’s easier said than done because Pep Guardiola has worked incessantly in his three years in charge to make Barcelona the ultimate footballing machine, perfect in every way and devoid of any weaknesses.
The Guardian journalist Paul Hayward suggested earlier this month that Gerard Piqué is Barcelona’s weak link (also noting how pressing Barca high up the pitch can stifle them): “According to Guillem Balague, the respected Spanish commentator, coaches in his homeland reckon the way to inconvenience Barcelona is to attack their “first line”, which means their centre-backs (principally Gerard Piqué), who start most of their forward moves.” However, Guardiola has anticipated this, even though those sides who have used the tactic have troubled Barcelona. He looks to spread the centre-backs wide across the pitch in the hope of evading the press as this means the opponents will have to cover more ground to try to get the ball off them. Yet by doing so, it comes at a risk because it leaves more space in the middle to exploit and if United get the ball back there, Barca will be in real trouble. Sergio Busquets is usually the man who drops in to make a three and allows them to spread with assurance but press him – that is, if you can – and Barca lose the man who starts off most of their moves.
<Figure 1> Barcelona opt to spread their centre-backs wide when in possession as they anticipate Manchester United, like many other teams who have they faced before them, press high up the pitch. By spreading the defenders it is hoped that closing them down will be more difficult as there is more space to cover. However, it comes at a risk because it leaves a massive gap if United can win the ball back in this area. Sergio Busquets will particularly be targeted as he is the man who plays the ball out so the duel between him and Rooney will be fascinating. (Image generated by The Arsenal Column).
(Another example of Barcelona’s tactic is displayed by Porto who use a similar strategy of spreading their centre-backs wide. Here, Fernando, the defensive midfielder, drops back to receive possession but is dispossessed, resulting in a great chance for Braga. Barcelona, though, are a different kettle of fish in possession.)
Barcelona’s key selection will be that of Eric Abidal at left-back or Carlos Puyol. Manchester United might hope the latter as Puyol will not be very comfortable at full-back getting forward and particularly using his left foot. United must not allow him the easy pass inside and can profit if they cut off the angles off his right boot. Pressing full-backs is an underused strategy as they are cramped for space to the side, even more so as Puyol is not on his “natural” side. Park Ji-Sung did this well against Branislav Ivanovic, forcing him centrally thus making play narrow. They will need him or Antonio Valencia to do the same again at Wembley regardless of who starts.
One player who needs no invitation to get forward is Dani Alves although he has hinted he may be more conservative in the final. Alves’ role is often understated simply because he is a full-back but he gets forward as much as a winger would and is key to helping Barcelona stretch the play. In a way, he sets the dynamics of the team’s movement forward, pinning opponents back. If he doesn’t play, Barcelona are less fluid as he is often their out-ball. Sir Alex Ferguson may want to exploit any space he leaves but is Park the correct man to do that? Valencia could be thought of doing likewise on the other side but if it’s Puyol he’s up against, he’s unlikely to get forward as much. Nevertheless, the left flank seems the most vulnerable side to exploit as David Villa will not track back as frequently bringing the energy of Fabio or Rafael into play.
In the season gone by, Manchester United finished with more headed goals than anybody else in the Premier League (they notched up 18 headed goals, three more than Newcastle in second) and although they have struggled to convert from set-pieces and corners in particular, their aerial threat is a key asset to their game and one that can ultimately see defeat for their opponents. Barcelona are not as bad as made out to be in the air, they are sometimes vulnerable.
“Ferguson is aware of the physical superiority of his team and knows that United’s best chances may be from mistakes and corners,” says Cesc Fabregas, who also recommends starting Fletcher in a 4-3-3. “This strategy is the key in the finals. A dead ball for [Nemanja] Vidic is dangerous. Rio Ferdinand does not go up all the time, but I think in the end he will when it matters. United are extremely combative.”
Barcelona come into Saturday’s game as overwhelming favourites – but they are beatable and United will know that. And, despite boasting some of the best defensive players in the world, their backline is an area that they have to, and can, breach. When it does happen, you’ve got to take your chances; you never know if you’ll get another one.
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