Three suggested tactical adjustments Manchester United can make to improve

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Now under the stewardship of Ralf Rangnick, Manchester United’s attention to tactical details will increase four-fold.

The Reds looked tactically naïve under former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who took the club as he could before serious cracks started to show.

With Rangnick and his team of analysts now at the helm, United’s players are going to have to get use to being supplied with a lot of detail and working on several tactical ideologies.

The German coach is famed for his ‘gegenpressing’ style of play and he will eager to integrate that philosophy into this Manchester United.

However, there are other tactical areas that the 63-year-old can work on to make United improve…

Confident in playing out from the back

At times United’s desire to play out from the back has been very haphazard and it almost feels like because other teams have introduced it into their games, we will follow suit.

But unlike Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, who seemingly have players willing to take the ball in any situation, no matter how tightly they’re marked, there is an air of panic when United get hassled and harried in possession.

The likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Fred and Scott McTominay are not technicians with the ball at their feet and their hesitancy in possession can often see United get caught in possession and punished.

Unless all 11 of United’s players including David de Gea are comfortable and trust one and other in possession, it’s going to be hard to see United nailing down that part of the game.

Following the postponements against Brentford and Brighton, Rangnick has no doubt been working on this type of scenario in the build up to the Newcastle clash when Carrington re-opened.

Knitting two halves of the team together

There have been far too many occasions where United have looked a disjointed outfit with no clear understanding of how to play with one and other.

Under Solskjaer, it looked like the team was almost split into two sub teams, you have de Gea, the back four and the two central midfielders and then there was the attacking foursome.

But there was no clear method in how the two sub teams would connect with one and other. The back six struggled to get the ball into our attacking players and the front four didn’t contribute to the team’s defensive phases of play.

Rangnick will have to glue the team together and although the early signs are encouraging, his biggest tests are yet to come.

Support isolated Ronaldo

There is arguably still no better penalty area finisher in world football than the 36-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, if he gets the service, he will score the goals, it’s that simple.

Rangnick’s decision to favour the attack-minded full-backs of Alex Telles and Diogo Dalot will certainly benefit Ronaldo, whose explosive movement will benefit from inviting crosses into the box.

But Rangnick’s 4-2-2-2 formation also means that United’s number seven will always have a strike partner supporting him when it comes to pressing and when it comes to occupying opposition defenders too.

Marcus Rashford has been the man to partner Ronaldo in the first two Premier League matches of Rangnick’s reign, but with Edinson Cavani ready to return, the legendary strike duo could get more chances to play alongside one and other.

Under Solskjaer, there were several times where Ronaldo cut an isolated and often frustrated figure, but Rangnick wants his players to be closer together and the five-time Ballon d’Or winner could be the biggest beneficiary of this.

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