Shuffling the midfield
Midfield issues
During his time at Manchester United, manager Erik ten Hag has struggled to find the ideal midfield balance.
The most successful partnership under his reign was in his first season, with Casemiro and Christian Eriksen in a double pivot behind Bruno Fernandes.
This setup allowed Casemiro to simplify his role while Eriksen took responsibility for progressing the ball from deep.
However, with Kobbie Mainoo’s emergence, that balance has been disrupted.
Both Casemiro and Mainoo are not natural progressors, often leaving United stuck in their own third.
To unlock their potential, Manchester United need a solution that combines off-the-ball discipline with ball retention and progression.
Though Noussair Mazraoui has limited experience in midfield, he possesses all the attributes of a potential top deep-lying midfielder.
His press resistance, ability to evade pressure with his touch and sharp passing through the thirds are exactly what Manchester United’s midfield lacks.
Introducing Mazraoui into the midfield along with Manuel Ugarte could solve United’s buildup issues and provide Kobbie Mainoo with some needed rest.
But is ten Hag ready to take that gamble?
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