After a forgettable first year at Manchester United, Mason Mount now has a make or break season ahead of him at Old Trafford.
One issue Mason Mount has to answer is whether he is the right tactical fit for Manchester United. Paul Scholes made clear his doubts, and then, most frustratingly, a series of injury problems denied Mount the chance to positively contribute to the team.
A big season awaits Mount, who is one of the first United players returning for pre-season.
How Mason Mount can help Manchester United
The issue for the tactical profile of Mason Mount is that on the surface of the situation, he seems not to be someone who fits the Manchester United system.
His passing capabilities can be useful in the quick transitions that the team undertakes, but the rest of his skills would seemingly be wasted.
However, Erik Ten Hag is still in the process of rebuilding the team. There are many problematic areas, and Mason Mount is the type of midfielder he needs.
Mount is the type of midfielder the team need to deploy in the future, whereas the present style of play is held back by squad issues and, last season, injuries.
At Chelsea, Mount played a number of roles. He is tactically flexible and a very smart player. In fact, he has been the go to man for many different managers at Chelsea.
But for the Red Devils, he will be most useful as a “Box to Box” creative midfielder. He has the capabilities to break up play, create chances, and his tireless work ethic can see him able to help link defence, midfield and attack.
Concentrating on his 2021/22 season at Chelsea, when he showed the peak of talents, Mason Mount was one of the best pressing midfielders in world football.
His elite, top 4%, attacking 3rd tackles shows were coupled up with incredible distribution data, which showcased how important he was for getting the Blues playing on the front foot.
Also, Mason Mount can break the over-reliance on the creativity of Bruno Fernandes. Often, last season, he was the sole creator of the team.
Fernandes’ 23 Big Chances Created and 10.23 Expected Assists show were far above any other creative output from other players.
This is all something that Manchester United missed last season with their mid-table passing data and low number of goals scored – just one more than 16th placed Brentford.
Set Piece Specialist
One huge addition to the team when Mount is back to his best will be his world class delivery of dead balls.
During that 2021/22 season he was in the top 3% in Europe’s Top 5 Leagues for Shot Creating Actions from Dead-Ball Passes and in the top 1% for Goals Creating Actions from Dead-Ball Passes.
This is something Manchester United desperately needs to improve on. Last campaign the side scored just nine goals from set pieces, the sixth worst output in the league.
Mason Mount Injury Woes
Mason Mount has a somewhat jaded injury history, but his problems last season are a huge worry ahead.
The serious calf injury he picked up in November 2023 saw him ruled out for 110 days and 21 games.
Not only was this absence hugely costly to the team, but also potentially to his career.
The issue with gaining one calf issue is that it can then be more easily re-injured, but this is exacerbated by the length of time he has been out for.
The player will have to be carefully managed next season as he will have become de-conditioned, mentally and physically, with the time that he spent out.
But Mason Mount has a chance to bounce back. The fact he has not gone to Euro 2024 will allow him crucial time to recover properly and have a full pre-season with the side to gain a high level of base fitness.
As Erik Ten Hag looks to improve the profile of the squad and change the tactical style of the team, Mason Mount brings an array of skills that will help his plans.
His injury is somewhat worrying, but if managed carefully, this can be overcome in the upcoming season.
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