Have Man Utd improved since last season? | OneFootball

Manchester United might have won the FA Cup last season, but their Premier League campaign was certainly one to forget.

Erik ten Hag’s side finished eighth in the league and with a minus goal difference, down largely to the fact that they scored just 57 goals – the joint fewest in the top-half of the table along with Crystal Palace.

This season has already had its ups and downs, beating Fulham and Southampton, drawing with Crystal Palace, and losing to Liverpool and Brighton in their opening five Premier League games. They also dropped points in their opening Europa League encounter with FC Twente, drawing 1-1.

It is still early days, but after a summer of spending, are there signs of progress at United or do still the same problems still remain?

Goalscoring

Perhaps United’s biggest issue last season, as mentioned, was goalscoring. Marcus Rashford’s dip in form and a lack of goals from elsewhere cost Erik ten Hag’s side plenty of points and they needed to find an answer to their problems this season.

But Joshua Zirkzee was the only attacker to arrive at the club this summer from Bologna, where he scored 11 league goals last season. He has so far scored once in the Premier League this season and while there are encouraging signs in his overall play, he looks unlikely to make a massive difference to United’s goalscoring numbers.

And the goalscoring struggles have continue for ten Hag’s side so far this season. They have netted just five times in the opening five games of the Premier League season, three of which came away at Southampton.

The underlying numbers are more encouraging and imply that it is not an issue of creating chances but in taking them, with United ranking third in the table for big chances created at 3.20 per 90 minutes. They have had the fourth highest number of shots on target per 90 minutes too. The goalless draw with Crystal Palace in particular showed United’s problem in taking chances.

ten Hag will hope the return of Rasmus Hojlund to the team will provide a more clinical edge in front of goal to help his side take their chances but at present, there is still concerns over whether United can score enough goals to get them back into Champions League qualification contention.

Defensive performance

One of the most stark statistics for United last season was the number of shots they faced – conceding the second highest number of shots in the league at 17.6 per 90 minutes which pointed to their lack of ability to control games. They also conceded a third worst 11.7 shots from inside the box.

The first five games of this season have seen an improvement. They have faced just ten shots per 90 minutes in the opening five games of campaign and 7.8 per 90 minutes inside the box, ranking tenth and ninth for these statistics respectively.

They have also won the third highest number of tackles in the Premier League this season and have made the most interceptions of anyone in the league at 11.8 per 90 minutes.

There has been a noticeable improvement in United’s ability to be more difficult to play against despite their mixed start to their campaign, as reflected in the statistics. The addition of Manuel Ugarte in midfield, once he is up to speed, should help them become a tougher opponent too.

Style of play

Much of the criticism aimed at ten Hag last season concerned his style of play, or his lack of one, which he refuted on numerous occasions. But there have been some noticeable signs of what United are trying to do this season.

They are clearly a team who wants to keep possession of the ball, averaging 56.6% possession in the Premier League this season which is the seventh highest in the division. ten Hag probably wants this number to be higher too.

United were also criticised for their pressing game last season but the number of interceptions they have made this season suggests that has improved, forcing opponents into mistakes and winning the ball back.

The transition game which has been successful for United in recent years is still there as well and they have shown a willingness to break quickly through their wide players when the opportunity presents itself. This was particularly effective against Southampton, where they should have scored more goals.

But one of the big issues is still individual mistakes and being caught out and badly organised when they give the ball away in their own half. The combination of the two has cost them already this season, most obviously against Liverpool through Casemiro but also against FC Twente when Christian Eriksen lost the ball.

Have they improved?

There are elements to United’s game which have looked strong this season but their big problem remains being able to do the most important thing – put the ball in the back of the net.

United do not have enough players that can take the chances that come their way, especially the sort of half-chances or fairly good opportunities other, stronger teams take, like Manchester City and Liverpool, whose attacking talent is significantly better than United’s, who are relying on younger players to deliver for them.

There is enough to suggest United are trending upwards, but without an improvement in finishing among the current group of players, ten Hag might have to look at adding to the attack in January.

United’s inability to do so enough in the summer, instead focusing on the defence and midfield, could cost them another season though.

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