Last season, not one of Manchester United’s players ranked in the top 10 in the Premier League for interceptions. So far this season, three – Lisandro Martinez, Diogo Dalot and Kobbie Mainoo are all in the top five. What does this tell us about the season so far?
Manager Erik ten Hag’s strategy at United is to invite pressure and exploit transitions. This, to a large extent, means pressing high up the pitch, trying to win the ball back quickly and force what our American brethren might call a “turnover”.
When employed by the likes of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, transitional football looked exactly that; as an opponent, you have no time on the ball, your defence is put under pressure as the whole Liverpool team immediately closed in on you to win the ball back. But at United under Ten Hag, it looks more like the good old counter-attacking tactic than anything else.
This season, Ten Hag seems to have adjusted his style to play a slightly more possession-based game (average 52.5% possession vs 50.52% in 23/24). So in theory, shouldn’t the number of interceptions made by his players have decreased rather than increased?
(stats from The Premier League)
Another curious element to the stat is that Dalot and Martinez have both been playing on the left side of defence, while Mainoo tends also to operate predominantly on the left side of midfield, especially when out of possession. So what is going on down that left flank that is leading to so many United interceptions, and why the emphatic change compared to last season?
Due to the change in personnel at centre back this season, with Martinez and De Ligt often replacing slower stars such as Maguire, Lindelof and Evans last, a higher defensive line could be expected, which may account for the figure. But United’s line is only marginally higher up the pitch – 44.03 metres up in 24/25 compared to 43.54 in 23/24.
(stats from markstats.com)
One thing the figure might tell us is that opposition managers are targeting the left side of United’s defence, perhaps because Dalot is not a specialist in that position.
But it may also tell us how much pressure United are under generally. Looking at the stats for teams as a whole, United have made the most interceptions in the whole league (88) so far this season. Last season, they made the 11th most. They have also made the most tackles (156). Last season, they made the 12th most.
Ten Hag claims that United are making progress. In fact, many have argued that the poor performances of the defenders are the reason for United’s lowly 14th position in the league and that it is unfair to blame the manager. But these figures tell a different story. United’s defence are leading the league for interceptions and tackles, so where would their side be in the league table had they not been so successful in those defensive actions so often?
We have to ask, why are United under so much pressure? Why have United’s defenders had to make more than twice the number of tackles as those of Man City or Aston Villa? And why are these figures so much higher this season than they were last? And the bottom line: how on earth can this be a sign of progress?
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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