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Article Rating 3.67 Stars

Why did we stop pressing?

Pressing obviously isn't the only way to win a football match but for the first 10 minutes we pressed and Arsenal couldn't keep possession. Then we stopped pressing and they came back into the game. I understand that it is hard to chase the ball for 90 minutes but surely we can pressurise teams for more than 10 minutes?

It is clearly a conscious decision by the team and you have to assume that it Sir Alex is instructing the players to do so.

My question is, why?

posted on 3/11/12

Arsenal weren't creating anything, we could afford to let them keep the ball at times I think
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That's a good point, but we have done the same against a lot of other teams. Chelsea last week, City in the 6-1 defeat, both CL finals against Barca are just a few high profile examples.

posted on 3/11/12

I think sometimes it's dangerous to press teams, especially against teams like barca who have so much quality they can exploit the spaces opened up by the pressing, sometimes against teams of this calibre it is better to keep a rigid formation and try and make yourself hard to break down

posted on 3/11/12

I think sometimes it's dangerous to press teams, especially against teams like barca who have so much quality they can exploit the spaces opened up by the pressing, sometimes against teams of this calibre it is better to keep a rigid formation and try and make yourself hard to break down
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Agree.


But we do it every week. Start well, then ease off. We could at least press until we score, which we admittedly did today.

posted on 3/11/12

Great and brillient observation..you guys are pure idiots.utd play the game..press...then relax letting the opposition come onto us ...this is what counter attacking is about. Op is not a genius..my god you lot are such wafflers

posted on 3/11/12

STC is right. But we were afforded it today. In some of the bigger games we need to stop dropping off.

I also think it's hard to play a pressing game with Carrick in the middle as he's so slow. He reads the game well and can position himself in food positions, but his lack of pace leads to him sitting deeper and deeper and he cannot get back if he pushes up further.

It's a difficult one, because he is one of our better players, and offers a lot of improvements to our midfield, but he also causes it a lot of problems.

I am a big fan of Carrick, but I think that's a fair reflection of him defensively.

posted on 3/11/12

Great and brillient observation..you guys are pure idiots.utd play the game..press...then relax letting the opposition come onto us ...this is what counter attacking is about. Op is not a genius..my god you lot are such wafflers
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You are right. If anyone here is a genius, it is clearly you.

posted on 3/11/12

My point is utd always play this way.

posted on 3/11/12

comment by Resident Red (U15357)
posted 3 minutes ago
My point is utd always play this way.


always have, always will

posted on 3/11/12

we wouldve won the game if the ref allowed the correct amount of injury time

posted on 3/11/12

An I the only one that really worries about our defending when we drop so deep?

A few seasons ago we were great at it because our defensive unit was much better, so was our keeper, and our attackers were better at countering at pace and in fewer numbers.

Now though I worry we drop because the opponents just camp in our half and inevitably score.

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