Well it was tactically a poor game for both the sides. Manchester United lacked creativity and dropped two vital points in the title race. Swansea would be happy with the point as this is the first time they are tacking any points against Manchester United. Lets review the game tactically,
Static Midfield
Manchester United opted for a traditional 4-4-2 formation (a kind of 4-4-1-1) where Rooney and RVP swapping positions often. Swansea went with an extra man in midfield with a 4-5-1 with Michu as lone striker. Many believe Manchester United have a bad midfield but the truth is they have a pretty decent disciplined midfield. I term United’s midfield as a “Static Midfield.” It means United midfield’s job is just to link the defense and their attack and also to distribute passes to wide players. Static but effective! Rarely they make any mistake or lose possession. Carrick is a dark knight of United’s midfield and probably the most under rated player in the premier league. At the same time you rarely see United’s central midfielders trying any outrageous dribbles or game changing passes like what Cazorla or Silva does with their clubs. They stick to their static positions. As usual United’s midfield did their job flawlessly but it was their attacking players who was lackluster today.
False 18 Failure
Never heard of false 18 before??? Neither me as I framed the word just now. Manchester United played with two false nines Rooney and RVP both tracking back and interlinking with wingers. But it was one of nines who broke the flow of United’s gameplay and it was none other than Mr.Consistent Wayne Rooney himself. Very poor game for his usual high standards. RVP had a decent game and was the only real source of creativity in the whole squad today. Rooney’s failure reminds me of Ibramovic and Messi situation as some players play well only if they are given the main role in the attack. This false 18 did work for them in the previous games but not today. It’s better if Rooney play as a classic no 10 and takes the main creative responsibilities of the team.
Swansea: Beautiful Football??? Never Mind We Can Play Dirty Too
First half was comparatively better than the second as both the team enjoyed good possession and had their share of shots in opponents goal. Evra opened the scoring with a brave header while Michu equalized for the home side with a easy tap in. We all know Swansea can play a good brand of attacking football. But today they knew their limits and played the whole second half in a defensive mode. Michu rarely got any kind of support in the second half, but who cares? They showed the world that they can defend and grind out results too if they want. Ashley Williams was brilliant again in defense and did well against United’s both the false 9s. A well earned point for the home side in the end.
Verdict: Swansea…New Arsenal may be…
I will leave you guys with some stats of the game,
Swansea vs Manchester United Match Stats