It must have been irritating, as well as troubling, for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to see Eric Bailly on a stretcher before halftime reached the Manchester United FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea.
No one could argue that United was playing well up to that point, away from that, but they kept the blue swarm at bay. It was 0-0 and Chelsea, while dominating the game, had not created a remarkable opportunity. They were facing.
And Solskjaer could argue with little justification that his three-man central defense was working; He just needed more incision and composure from his forwards on the counterattack and victory would still be within United’s reach. After all, United had ceded possession and territory for long periods in its three previous victories over Frank Lampard’s men this season. You could see Solskjaer’s logic in getting rid of 4-2-3-1 and allowing Chelsea to side with him.
However, as Solskjaer and Lampard said after the game, the pendulum swung even more in Chelsea’s favor after Bailly’s injury and Anthony Martial’s introduction, precipitating a return to that more offensive formation. United did not react well to the change.
“It had a huge impact on the game,” admitted Solskjaer. “Eric played well. Eric was a huge part of us without having any chance against us, really.
“Obviously, the long break was a great test and we didn’t get past it, because we lost concentration and conceded a goal before the break, which is disappointing.”
Lampard added: “In the early parts of the game I thought we were at the top, but when they changed the system, I think we played even better.”
Perhaps the delay shook the defense of United and David de Gea in particular, from whom another debate hangs entirely at the moment.
If they had somehow kept a scoreless score at halftime, the tactical change could have been discussed in more depth. Changing a game plan mid-game is never ideal, even if United really should know how to play 4-2-3-1, as they have been doing for most of the season.
However, it remains a big problem for this side to fight to dominate the games against other ‘big’ bandits. They may have achieved several key results against players like Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham this season, but they mostly came when they played five at the baseline and launched slow counterattacks. They have hardly ever passed an upper side of the park as they have in the past few weeks against Sheffield United, Bournemouth and Aston Villa.
The main reason for the deficiency seems obvious: that United does not have the added quality in a number of key areas. Brandon Williams did not admire the task on the left side against Chelsea, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are now United’s only high-ranking center-backs and seem to need additional help, while neither Fred nor Nemanja Matic thrived at the center base of countryside. Daniel James seemed lost in the attack.
Whether United can strengthen itself in all of these positions in the upcoming summer transfer window seems doubtful. But one or two signings should be a priority. They have already correctly prioritized the right wing and Jadon Sancho of Borussia Dortmund at the other end of the field to provide better quality than James.
And while it’s not correct to fully denounce United’s defense and claim it’s not fit for purpose, it lacks depth of quality. When Solskjaer shuffled his backpack, with Luke Shaw ruled out with an ankle injury, that was evident. Maguire, Lindelof and Wan-Bissaka seemed fatigued, but there were no credible alternatives on the United team.
Tactically, Solskjaer might want to consider a system other than the five-man backline as an alternative to 4-2-3-1. A diamond formation or a 4-3-3, something that allows him to pack his midfield against better sides can give United more control. Because even when Martial, Paul Pogba and the cavalry arrived during Chelsea’s game, the feeling of the competition did not change.
United was outplayed and Solskjaer was out of place for his opposite number Lampard, whom he seemed to have a spell on before this game.
United’s 19-game unbeaten streak has masked its need for improvement, which can be done through transfers and more tactical solutions.
No one thought that this united side was the finished article yet. But this is a clear reminder that they still have a little way to go.
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