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Champions League Analysis: Ferguson's Alterations Cost Manchester United Against Bayern Munich
Goal.com analyses where the tie was won and lost...
| Bet: | Returns: | Bayern £11.33 | Draw £70.00 | Kaiserslautern £210.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Bayern £11.40 | Draw £80.00 | Kaiserslautern £150.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Bayern £11.43 | Draw £75.00 | Kaiserslautern £130.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Bayern £11.40 | Draw £80.00 | Kaiserslautern £150.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Bayern £11.00 | Draw £75.00 | Kaiserslautern £172.50 |
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Mar 31, 2010 12:20:00 PM
By Peter Staunton
There is no long-term malaise to be encountered for Manchester United; it is very unlikely that Sir Alex Ferguson will interpret the 2-1 defeat against Bayern Munich as a red letter day and start anew with his European football philosophies, like he did after going out of the Champions League to Real Madrid in 2000.
Indeed, it was United who forced the greater amount of clear-cut chances in the game, often as a result of poor marking, but there was lacking a characteristic ruthlessness from 2008's champions, amongst other problems.
The Scot will have, no doubt, learned a thing or two about his team and indeed, even at the age of 68, himself, as a result of last night's reverse.
Ferguson did not pick the wrong team at the Allianz Arena. He simply could not fail to pick the right one. Against under-manned hosts, and with a full panel of his own from which to choose, the United manager sent out the best 11 for the job.
Ji-Sung Park and Darren Fletcher were to hassle and harry; Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick were to pass the ball; Nani was the man to provide width, while Wayne Rooney was expected to be Wayne Rooney. And for a minute, it all worked perfectly. Just another 89 to go.
The Mask Slips| Demichelis Gifted United Their Opener
Only Bayern Munich were simply not going to fit acquiescently in the tactical yoke that Ferguson had placed them. Whereas Andrea Pirlo was shackled comfortably by Park and Fletcher in San Siro, the likes of Mark van Bommel and Danijel Pranjic proved to be a more liquid problem for United's midfield.
With Bastian Schweinsteiger, Bayern's ball-magnet, out, the under-utilised Croatian and the combative captain split the ball retention duties between them, so the likes of Fletcher and Park had no direct adversary in the centre of the field. There was no apparent 'go to' player in red so the hosts were afforded a good share of possession, and high up the pitch too.
Likewise, on the right flank, Park would have been expected to piggy-back Arjen Robben all night had he started but faced a different prospect in Hamit. The Turk is more of a natural passer than the Dutchman and often popped up in the centre of FC Hollywood's attack, leaving the wing-roaming to the likes of Ivica Olic.
The poor showing from Patrice Evra in that sector was another bane for United. Usually the most dependable left-back in the business, he played nowhere close to his usual level. He seemed to be unschooled on the effervescence of Olic and could not afford to be dragged in field to follow Hamit when he went. Man-marking the tactically oblivious Robben would have been more of a physical test but less of a mental one for the French defender.
Ferguson, in this respect, appeared to send a side out to face Bayern's optimum line-up. The veteran coach is a master of changing his own shape in order to nullify the opposition and provide remedies for their strong points, but facing a depleted Bayern, he was left with limited targets at which to point his artillery.
Fletcher| Could Not Get His Teeth Into Bayern's Midfield
The Germans did not have to do anything spectacular in order to force United into their own territory and play off the back foot. Clean, accurate passing and plenty of it was the order of the day and in his squad, Louis van Gaal certainly has the players of the requisite technique to pull this off.
Conversely, the Red Devils' pass completion rate was way down; they could not make it stick at the business end, often leaving Rooney with no choice but to seek the ball of his own accord or to try to chase mistakes from Daniel van Buyten and Martin Demichelis on the turn. Nani provided neither the discipline nor the accuracy in his passing that United needed.
With his team heavily behind in terms of possession and territory, Ferguson had choices to make. He withdrew Michael Carrick and Park in favour of Antonio Valencia and Dimitar Berbatov. Clearly, the thinking was geared towards another goal on the counter-attack.
However, it did not work out so well for the Premier League side. While Valencia occupied the same space as Nani at least, the introduction of Berbatov meant more space through the centre of midfield for Bayern. The Bulgarian is not renowned for his work-rate and pressing abilities and so it proved.
Five minutes or so after his entrance, United were pegged back. 13 minutes later and they had lost the match. In hindsight, will Ferguson see the folly of withdrawing his most accuarate passer and his most industrious player for Valencia and the work-shy Berbatov?
Perhaps, with Schweinsteiger and Robben restored to the Bayern ranks, Ferguson will know better the animal with which he is dealing at Old Trafford. But last night exposed a flaw in his own tactical gameplan, as well as his troops' displays.
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Indeed, it was United who forced the greater amount of clear-cut chances in the game, often as a result of poor marking, but there was lacking a characteristic ruthlessness from 2008's champions, amongst other problems.
The Scot will have, no doubt, learned a thing or two about his team and indeed, even at the age of 68, himself, as a result of last night's reverse.
Ferguson did not pick the wrong team at the Allianz Arena. He simply could not fail to pick the right one. Against under-manned hosts, and with a full panel of his own from which to choose, the United manager sent out the best 11 for the job.
Ji-Sung Park and Darren Fletcher were to hassle and harry; Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick were to pass the ball; Nani was the man to provide width, while Wayne Rooney was expected to be Wayne Rooney. And for a minute, it all worked perfectly. Just another 89 to go.
The Mask Slips| Demichelis Gifted United Their Opener
Only Bayern Munich were simply not going to fit acquiescently in the tactical yoke that Ferguson had placed them. Whereas Andrea Pirlo was shackled comfortably by Park and Fletcher in San Siro, the likes of Mark van Bommel and Danijel Pranjic proved to be a more liquid problem for United's midfield.
With Bastian Schweinsteiger, Bayern's ball-magnet, out, the under-utilised Croatian and the combative captain split the ball retention duties between them, so the likes of Fletcher and Park had no direct adversary in the centre of the field. There was no apparent 'go to' player in red so the hosts were afforded a good share of possession, and high up the pitch too.
Likewise, on the right flank, Park would have been expected to piggy-back Arjen Robben all night had he started but faced a different prospect in Hamit. The Turk is more of a natural passer than the Dutchman and often popped up in the centre of FC Hollywood's attack, leaving the wing-roaming to the likes of Ivica Olic.
The poor showing from Patrice Evra in that sector was another bane for United. Usually the most dependable left-back in the business, he played nowhere close to his usual level. He seemed to be unschooled on the effervescence of Olic and could not afford to be dragged in field to follow Hamit when he went. Man-marking the tactically oblivious Robben would have been more of a physical test but less of a mental one for the French defender.
Ferguson, in this respect, appeared to send a side out to face Bayern's optimum line-up. The veteran coach is a master of changing his own shape in order to nullify the opposition and provide remedies for their strong points, but facing a depleted Bayern, he was left with limited targets at which to point his artillery.
Fletcher| Could Not Get His Teeth Into Bayern's Midfield
The Germans did not have to do anything spectacular in order to force United into their own territory and play off the back foot. Clean, accurate passing and plenty of it was the order of the day and in his squad, Louis van Gaal certainly has the players of the requisite technique to pull this off.
Conversely, the Red Devils' pass completion rate was way down; they could not make it stick at the business end, often leaving Rooney with no choice but to seek the ball of his own accord or to try to chase mistakes from Daniel van Buyten and Martin Demichelis on the turn. Nani provided neither the discipline nor the accuracy in his passing that United needed.
With his team heavily behind in terms of possession and territory, Ferguson had choices to make. He withdrew Michael Carrick and Park in favour of Antonio Valencia and Dimitar Berbatov. Clearly, the thinking was geared towards another goal on the counter-attack.
However, it did not work out so well for the Premier League side. While Valencia occupied the same space as Nani at least, the introduction of Berbatov meant more space through the centre of midfield for Bayern. The Bulgarian is not renowned for his work-rate and pressing abilities and so it proved.
Five minutes or so after his entrance, United were pegged back. 13 minutes later and they had lost the match. In hindsight, will Ferguson see the folly of withdrawing his most accuarate passer and his most industrious player for Valencia and the work-shy Berbatov?
Perhaps, with Schweinsteiger and Robben restored to the Bayern ranks, Ferguson will know better the animal with which he is dealing at Old Trafford. But last night exposed a flaw in his own tactical gameplan, as well as his troops' displays.
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