Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Manchester United had a confidence-inducing win against Atletico Madrid, and Michael Carrick will be delighted at having solved a major riddle.
The Man Utd side showed character and personality to turn the game on its head after they went down in the fifth minute.
Michael Carrick’s plan was clear, and the players executed it to perfection, starting with Mason Mount in defensive midfield.
The most pleasing thing is that Carrick has solved a Man Utd riddle that gobbled up the careers of two previous Man Utd managers.
Manchester United v Atletico de Madrid - Pre-Season Friendly
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Getty Images
Michael Carrick has got Man Utd pressing perfectly
This was United’s first test of this pre-season against a truly elite side that competes at the top end of European football consistently.
Moreover, the challenge posed by Atletico is unique to most elite sides, who like to impose themselves on the game.
In essence, Atletico are the final version of the style of play that troubled Carrick last season, as they sit in a deep block, look to transition, and play physically.
They do so with elite players, so they provided a perfect test for Carrick’s preparations.
The Man Utd manager has already got United playing on the front foot with the ball, and against Atletico, it was clear that he’s got United playing like an elite side off the ball as well.
United were unstoppable without the ball in how they approached the counter-press. Atletico were smartly guided to corner areas, where the players jumped the ball while some cut the passing lanes.
There was clear coherence in how this pressing scheme was deployed, as pressing zones and triggers were identifiable clearly.
Yoro moved up to engage the attacker on the right side, with Santos shifting between the centre-backs, while Dorgu led the press from the front on the left side.
It suffocated Atletico and they struggled to play out from the back, as United repeatedly regained possession deep in Atletico’s half to create chances.
Ruben Amorim and Erik ten Hag couldn’t manage this
Both Amorim and Erik ten Hag were hired as modern, progressive coaches who would implement a front-footed style of play at Old Trafford.
Getty Images
They both started with big ideas, but one fell on the sword of his ideas, while the other compromised so massively that he lost himself.
Ten Hag’s teams were found out for a lack of pattern and shape when they tried to press from the front, while Amorim’s teams never did it consistently in good areas.
Ultimately, Amorim never succeeded, while Ten Hag went back to a style of play familiar to his players to get some urgent results.
Carrick, in contrast, compromised last season to get the club into Europe, and he has managed to get United to press cohesively after just three pre-season games.
The litmus test for this development will come when competitive action begins, but the early signs look planned and sustainable.