How Man United’s New Marcus Rashford Problem Has Been Fixed

A new era of Manchester United is upon us, but a friend from the past may still have something to offer. Carrick's United is slowly building, but their wide options still do look a little bit light. So, can Marcus Rashford return and make an impact for the Red Devils? Well, I'm Jacob Horsfall, 442's resident tactician, and this is how Manchester United's new midfield solves the Marcus Rashford problem. Last season, Michael Carrick made a gigantic difference for Manchester United. No team took more points from the top five than his side. However, as much as it was a gigantic success, I don't think we saw the final tactical form of Carrick ball at United. In build-up, we saw a 2-4 build-up shape, with the full-backs going very, very wide whilst the midfield and attack were extremely narrow. To open up those long passing and carry lanes for the centre-halves. They also went long against pretty much any team who press them in a remotely high-intensity fashion, which isn't really Michael Carrick. United averaged 51.8% possession last season. Over the three seasons that Carrick had at Borough, he averaged less than 55% just once. Now, the reason we're seeing a difference is largely because of this. Bruno Fernandes having to come deeper to try and progress the ball forwards for Manchester United last season. And then you see the wingers coming very, very narrow so that United still have a presence in zone 14 to try and make things happen. And for all Bruno's brilliance, ball retention isn't one of his star attributes. So he would be doing lots of beautiful progression and getting through the opposition's block, but he didn't give United a lot of security with the ball in those mid-third stages. However, with Santos and Tielemans coming in, that changes because Santos brings ball progression from deep, whilst Tielemans happily extends forward and can play from the second third of midfield. Meaning Bruno can push up next to Seshko and the two wingers don't always have to come so central. All in all, bringing these new ball progression avenues, well, it can quite literally transform Manchester United. Here, the middle of the pitch is pretty empty in regards to United players, and that is so they can stretch the opposition's defence and midfield to open up those passing lanes, which they can actually now exploit with their midfielders. Meaning this triplet of attackers that they previously had isn't a necessity in order for United to progress play into the final third, because they now have more avenues and more variety in how they get the ball up the pitch, which in turn gives room for Marcus Rashford to return and actually have some sort of impact at Manchester United once again. Bruno Fernandes finds himself as basically that second striker. That means the opposition will have both their centre backs occupied. If the left winger then looks to come inside every single time, it could jam up that central space. When both centre backs are pinned, Marcus Rashford instead can get 1v1 with the opponent's full back, and he has the ability to shift his body weight and go on the outside. And not only does Rashford have the ability to beat a man on the outside, he has that sort of consistency and relentlessness to brutally attack a full back over a 90 minute game. Only 16 players in the league attempted more take-ons than Rashford last season, which may feel like a decent few, but he only started 18 league games. So for Manchester United, it gives them some new dimensions in their attack, but it does definitely depend on game situations. If Dorgu is fit and firing, or a new left back potentially, then Matias Kunja shifting inside to create a double 10 situation with Bruno Fernandes would work really well. In fact, it would actually remind me of Michael Carrick's usage of Aaron Ramsey at Middlesbrough, where However, if Dorgu needs a rest, which he will do, or United don't get a left back who's 100% ready, then Luke Shaw tucking in to make a back three in possession will mean they do need a width holder. But for that width holder, there's a few things they need to be able to do. We need someone who can be really direct with and without the ball, thriving 1v1, and obviously has goals in their locker, which reminds me of Marcus Rashford, conveniently. Here, you see Dorgu in that wide position with the centre forward and right winger stretching the opposition's defence, leaving Dorgu in a 1v1, whilst Harry Amass looks to dart forward with an underlapping run. Now, Dorgu can certainly do that position where he's by the touchline, and then when he gets to the final third, he looks to come on the inside and arrive to the back post. But when he's actually on the ball in those positions, I think he does lack a little bit of variety. I mean, Michael himself said that he, Rashford, gives us something a little bit different, and that's because not only can Rashford, if you need him to, make those outside-inside runs and score at the back post, but he also does bring that ability to go either way. He can go on the left, he can go on the right, he can cut in, cut out, and that is something that is just valuable, whether you like him or not. When he squares defenders up, he acts quick to shift inside and then release his shot even quicker, which when you look at the left wingers at Man United, none of them are really isolated 1v1 threat and instead prefer quick bursts at the space like Patrick Dorgu, or potentially carrying at the space like Mateus Cunha, which would leave Rashford as an almost new and unique threat for Carrick to have at his disposal. And when we have Rashford who looks to force the action and then finish that action very, very quickly, then stuff happens. But Barcelona are a team who want high-value stuff, not just stuff, which is why it didn't necessarily work out perfectly for Rashford, someone who shoots early, someone who's not always looking for a high-value opportunity. But why will it be any different for Manchester United? Well, Barcelona play in a way that is largely orientated around high-value chances. 56.58% of his shots came inside the box, in positions he'd arrived onto the ball last season, which isn't Marcus Rashford. He's someone who's prone to pulling the trigger early, trying to finish moves, even if the high-quality top XG chance isn't the one that he takes. But in the Champions League, he averaged a goal contribution every 72 minutes, in comparison to his goal contribution every 117 minutes in the La Liga. And there's a reason for that. Barcelona play in that very idealistic, beautiful style of football sort of way, but in the Premier League and other European teams, right now, volume is almost just as important as quality. Rashford having that game-changing ball-striking can help Manchester United unlock games against teams that they would have previously struggled against. When you combine a profile like Marcus Rashford's with a born-and-bred creator like Bruno Fernandes, you end up with two players who can quite literally dictate the flow of a game, completely transform the game state. And that's so valuable for Manchester United. Now, don't get me wrong, Manchester United being able to pin the opposition inside their own half and having control is definitely a necessity, both in the Premier League and long-term for Michael Carrick's football. Which is why I don't think Marcus Rashford actually has to play all that much for United this season. He's someone who maybe doesn't fit into that sort of structure that well. But even if he plays 40% of the games off the bench, he can have a big impact. Certain game states will require Tielemans to extend high and slip an outside-inside run through on goal, which is something Marcus Rashford does extremely well. And Rashford opposes Cunha's more get-the-ball-and-carry-into-space approach. Instead, Rashford attacks a defender to create space that he can then attack, with pretty good end product as well. But we do need to mention the fact that things ended pretty sourly for Rashford when he left to go to Spain. So is he worth the hassle? Well, with this being the Man United squad, it does appear that they need a left winger, and probably someone in the Marcus Rashford mould. So, should they go and spend upwards of 40 million quid on someone like Rashford, with his quality, with his sort of characteristics? Or, should they keep the United born-and-bred lad who supports Manchester United? It doesn't cost them a penny, and he's already at the club. It feels like, to me, it could be worth just having him around, even until January, and re-evaluating his actual impact on United at that stage. But let me know, is Marcus Rashford worth the fuss to try and help Carrick and United build back to where they want to be this season? Or, should they just cash in and say goodbye?