United at home. The last time the Whites won at home against the Red Devils, it was 2009. If the last few home meetings are anything to go by, Fulham find yet another last-minute way to break black and white hearts on the Thames for the third time in four years. But I’m here to buck that trend. Here’s how “Fulham BEAT Manchester United.”
Exploiting United’s Weaknesses
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Last Sunday, almost all of the Gunners’ attacking joy came from exploiting the very setup Manchester United themselves deployed. Mikel Arteta used wide overloads on either wing to great effect. Let’s see how Arsenal did it – can Marco Silva do the same?
In the 3–4–2–1 Amorim favours, your wing-backs are often isolated, especially when you have a midfield as immobile as Man Utd’s. Arteta utilised Saka and Martinelli to pin back Dorgu and Dalot, whilst White or Calafiori advanced to create 2v1 opportunities in United’s most vulnerable point of the pitch – directly producing the move preceding Manchester United’s botched clearance for the game’s lone goal.
Whilst one full-back would push forward to create a wide overload, the adjacent full-back would tuck in to create a back three in possession, like this:
I have no doubt Silva will look to replicate Arteta’s doubling-up strategy come 4:30 this Sunday – and so he should. Given Kobbie Mainoo isn’t fancied by Rúben Amorim, Manchester United don’t have the physical assets to compensate for the isolation their high-flying wing-backs face defensively. His cameo last weekend hardly inspired me, but imagine Kenny Tete unlocking Adama Traore to capitalise on 2v1 opportunities down an especially weak United left side to devastating effect? Where do I sign, Mr. Amorim?
Fulham’s exposure of United’s weaknesses shouldn’t stop there. Luke Shaw’s revival into a left-sided centre-half in a back three should get Rodrigo Muniz’s juices flowing.
Sit Muniz on Shaw’s shoulder all game long, targeting Rodrigo as the outlet from Andersen’s searching long balls, goal kicks, and the aim from the crosses sparked from successfully pulled-off 2v1 opportunities. It sounds old-school, but sometimes old-school works. How do our chances sound taking a physical battle of Muniz and Adama up against Shaw and Dorgu? I like our chances. Don’t be afraid to take the outlet to Muniz, push for the wide overload, and flick it wide to an onrushing Adama.
The Midfield Battle
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Auxiliary false nine Mason Mount was the foil to the attacking talents of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. United’s midfield engine room? Mason Mount, despite his pseudo false-nine role, Mount covered 7.5KM of distance at Old Trafford as the primary source of legs in the Manchester United midfield. The former Cobham prodigy’s selection as a ‘false nine’ was designed to combat Arsenal’s industrious midfield duo of Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi from swamping United’s unathletic deeper-lying duo of Bruno and Casemiro.
Will the United boss do the same at the Cottage? I doubt it. The Old Trafford crowd will forgive the former Lisbon boss for making sacrifices against title-challenging Arsenal. Against little old Fulham, though? Not so much. The pressures that come with managing Man United, playing the swashbuckling ‘United way’ will likely force Amorim to give in to the clamour for new star striker, Benjamin Sesko, to start – subsequently dropping Mason Mount and leaving the Mancunians exposed in the middle of the park.
I’ll say this much: a paper-thin midfield duo of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro – or even Manuel Ugarte – doesn’t inspire confidence. If I was Marco, I’d be licking my lips. The midfield battle is where this game is won and lost.
Part of the reason why Arsenal submitted ta lot of transitional pressure to the Red Devils last weeks was United’s isolation of Martin Zubimendi. Zubimendi very isolated at the base of midfield. Zubimendi was outstanding, but he couldn’t do everything. The Spaniard found it difficult to deal with a United team in transition – with Mount, Bruno and Cunha all providing immediate central pressure, whilst Bryan Mbeumo stretched a once rigid Arsenal defence.
The moral of the story? Strength in numbers in the middle of the park is essential to dealing with a quickly becoming electric United attack. Have an out-and-out six at the base of midfield. Keep your midfield compact. It’s a simple numbers game, make sure Fulham have the advantage!
Mitigating United’s Strengths:
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That wing-back pinning, 2v1 strategy I’ve talked about – well, it comes with its risks. Pushing a full-back high to create said wide double-up, whilst holding the opposing full-back back back, tucking them inside to form an auxiliary back three, leaves Fulham vulnerable to United’s new-look attack in a four-on-three situation in transition.
How do Fulham mitigate this? Sander Berge should be ready to drop into centre-half when in possession out wide. If you’d then question that, that would then leave FFC weak in the middle of the park? I’d agree. That’s why I had to make my hardest realisation of the week: Silva may not see space for a diminutive number ten. Fulham’s game plan may not have space for Josh King.
King deserves to start – without him, I worry about Silva’s side’s ability to create centrally. Just look what happened at Brighton last weekend. When King came off in the 75th minute, Fulham didn’t create a single chance from central areas thereafter. I worry Sunday could be much more of the same.
If Silva feels as if King is physically able enough to sit in an eight-like role, partnering Sasa Lukic just ahead of Sander Berge, I’d love to see him play. Josh could sure do some damage with his underlapping runs we saw so much of at the Amex., when the Whites overlaid on the wings.
With that said, if Silva looked to combine a more physical presence with a player as able with the ball at his feet as King is – could Captain Cairney make his return to the Cottage for an 11th consecutive season?
How Fulham Should Line Up
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Alright people, I’m David Hamilton, with a slight tactical twist. Here’s how Fulham should line up Sunday afternoon. Let’s get into it. Cue Bolero…
Number one, Bernd Leno, shock.
Kenny Tete – Kenny’s motor is crucial in the massive role full-backs will play in Sunday’s fixture.
Number five, Joachim Andersen – defensive chief, back to his best in a buzz.
Jorge Cuenca – retaining his starting left centre-back role after yet another composed display.
Calvin Bassey – rounding out the back four after a left-back performance that leaves him perfect for a role to tuck into a back three in possession or provide overlapping support out wide.
Slight tactical tweak from Marco Silva – no archetypal Marco Silva 10. Think of this as more of a 4–3–3.
Sander Berge starts in a true number six role, utilising his physical frame to drop into the back four at times.
Sasa Lukic sits in partnership, with Berge, but slightly advanced of his Norwegian counterpart .
Josh King is started in a number eight role, aiming to kickstart FFC transitions with King’s ability to turn a man and make use of the half-space in deeper reaches of midfield.
Both wingers start on the wing of their strong foot in an effort to capitalise on any isolation and double-up opportunities out wide.
Adama Traore starts on the right.
Harry Wilson on the left.
Rounding out the lineup – and this article, fittingly so, if you ask me – Fulham’s number nine: Rodrigo Muniz!
Get that man on Luke Shaw. He’s hungry, he’s confident, he’s ready to get paid from the watching-on Tony Khan. Go get it, Rodri! Back us a United home win for the first time in nearly 16 years!