When Rangnick was appointed there seemed to be a consensus that the pay-off would be long term and he'd need quite a lot of time to improve us significantly, not least because the system he plays places very different demands on players - tactically, cognitively, athletically - to the system deployed under Solskjaer. It requires a lot of coaching to get a team to *repeatedly throughout a game* pull off Rangnick ball, because the players individually and collectively need to execute moves and patterns that require a totally reprogrammed muscle memory. It also requires a lot of work on physical conditioning.
I thought we basically knew this. So what's with the apocalyptic vibe after one month in the job, during which he's lost about a third of his training time to a Covid outbreak?
A coach can make instant changes to a team's system. He can't magically make the players perform that system well and consistently unless they already have all the tools to do so. Tuchel was able to rapidly improve Chelsea because Lampard's Chelsea were already *trying* to play according to similar principles and had the right personnel for that system, only Lampard wasn't nearly as good as Tuchel. By appointing Rangnick, we've taken a decision to replace a reactive coach with a very proactive one. If we wanted an immediate turnaround, the best bet would have been a total pragmatist who had the ability to make the best of the players we had, supercharging them motivationally, and radically changing what they were asked to do tactically. Conte would have ticked that box. He probably wouldn't have led us to a long term future of playing progressive football for the next decade, and that's the choice we appear to have made.
We're all at liberty to agree with that decision or mourn it. We each have our views about the ownership and the strategic capability of the club as a whole. But none of us has any basis to see the big picture differently today to how it looked on 2nd December. Rangnick can change the formation and game plan overnight, but teaching these players to execute it to the best of their abilities will take a lot longer.
expectations
posted on 4/1/22
Which is fine, I’d still retain a similar shape as to if he were.
Like I said, some of it won’t be fixed until additional recruitment.
posted on 4/1/22
But then you aren’t really building the team around him, and there’s nobody else in the squad that can do that role. Plus Ronaldo is still a problem as he’s the most reliable forward we have.
For this reason I’m not expecting us to try to go too hard on the high pressing, the squad building just hasn’t allowed for it and evidently healing the dressing room is of more importance right now as getting the perfect tactical set up for the manager.
posted on 4/1/22
What I will say is that I don’t think 442 works with these players. We need to get Bruno back in the centre, especially with Pogba out as our creativity is being drained out of the side.
posted on 4/1/22
There’s a few that could play it. It’s more about how it enables the others around it more though. Ronaldo, i’d put in that role or not use him at all. I get his reliability in terms of individually getting goals but I don’t think it’s worth it. Your goals per match is way down.
I don’t think you’ll go too high on the pressing either, think too much is made of that too at times anyway. The most important thing is reduce the gaps in transition, then a pressing pattern can be worked out from there.
posted on 4/1/22
I think people expected some sort of reaction from the players, as well as some improve approach play and organisation.
5 games in and we somehow look worse.
posted on 4/1/22
Yeah I agree with that. I’m more concerned about the mental aspect of the squad. There’s a number of players that can, and should, be performing much better than they are regardless of how we set up.
posted on 4/1/22
comment by Jadon The King Sancho (U10026)
posted 1 minute ago
Yeah I agree with that. I’m more concerned about the mental aspect of the squad. There’s a number of players that can, and should, be performing much better than they are regardless of how we set up.
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Completely agree with that, that’d be the most worrying thing to me too.
posted on 4/1/22
It’s a problem we’ve suffered for years. It comes from the top I guess. There’s just not huge consequences for failure, that filters down. People talk about Phil Jones showing the most commitment yesterday, but why the fack is he even still at the club?
posted on 4/1/22
Think that’s an interesting debate too tbh, who should really be moved on.
posted on 4/1/22
Sorry to say but it's barely possible to list all the issues stopping United from being competitive at the top level.
The reality is, we desire to compete with clubs who (in pretty much every footballing regard) are superior with absolutely outstanding coaches.
It will takes a good few years to get to where we need to, and that's if we start doing most things right from top to bottom.
On the pitch, our group as a whole just don't seem to make passing options for each other effectively to progress the ball forward or keep the ball in the middle/final third. Most mid-table clubs are better at building play as a unit.
The issue could be a combination of the mentality of the players, the qualities of the players, team selection, tactics, coaching etc but it's painful to watch how easily supposedly lesser sides can work together as a team with and without the ball compared with United.
My hope is that Rangnick will prove to be part of the footballing solution for years to come in giving us some direction outside of day to day affairs (my preference for long term coach would be Ten Hag but we would have to be patient with him, unless he's a miracle worker).