Barring the games against Stoke and Burnley, there are a couple of things I've noticed in almost every one of our games so far, which were highlighted against Fenerbahce.
Players like Mata, who is our main creative outlet, needs people running in behind the opposition defense, stretching their back four and creating space. This absolutely does not happen with our team. Every once in a while I'll see Lingard or Rashford make a great run which goes unnoticed. Everyone wants the ball to his feet, and by the time we're attacking the opposition defense is compact and settled.
Our complete lack of width in some games is astounding. Darmian and Rashford were great at hugging the touchline against Burnley, but it was completely absent yesterday. It seems like all our players want to come inside, and with Ibrahimovic dropping deep, it leads to a lot of players in the same general area, and no creative play at all.
I absolutely hate to use these examples, but every time I see Liverpool or City play, the movement of their front four/three is really dynamic. If you look at Rooney's goal yesterday, it was fucking amazing, but every player around him was aimlessly drifting forward, with no real movement at all.
Why is it that after 3 years and 2 different managers (not counting Giggs) and spending a billion in transfers, we're still back at the same step? It hurts me to see managers like Conte and Guardiola doing good (so far) in their first season in the Premier League, and Klopp, who's completely transformed the way Liverpool play.
I'm not ranting or complaining. Just seriously concerned about the state of our club. Also, I die a little every time I see Ibrahimovic wave everyone off a 40-yard freekick just to smash it into the wall.
Thanks for reading.
ここには何もないようです