United Secure An Important 3 Points. Against Tottenham’s press, Jose Mourinho’s troops relied on a direct approach build up as one of their approach was to play a lot of deep passes to Lukaku and Rashford in the last line. The aim was simple, access the depth and make quick entries into the box at full speed. There were three common methods implemented by the home side to generate such play: Aerial balls to Lukaku and let the Belgium flick it on forward. Sometimes they directed it right from the back line, but on other occasions, United generated such a play by playing short combination between two or three players (triangle), in the below middle third, and made the final passing-combination by playing the ball to the player facing forward to release a float long ball right to the head of Lukaku. The second method was from the flank or half space, United’ players played a long ground pass to the last line to any forward who made a diagonal run toward the half space or flank. There was also a diamond within this half space play, in middle third. The diamond was usually established by half back (as the passer), near wing back, near central midfielder, and the ball side striker who provided vertical-depth as well as the passing target. The third one was using one forward to receive and make an immediate backward layoff to the wing back followed by a diagonal pass, by the receiving wing back himself, to the furthest player in the last line. The visitors pressed with a 5-1-2-2 basic shape. Son and Alli, in the 1st line, orientated to United’s first line. The two alternately swapped their pressing position. The ball side 8, either Eriksen or Sissoko, made an onward press to press the opponent’s near half back depending on the positioning of the ball and the positioning of the striker-duo as well. The cover for the press by any Tottenham’s 8 was taken by Winks. Once the press managed to deflect United’s circulation to the flank, Tottenham’s near forward had to put United’s ball side half back behind his cover shadow. Tottenham often managed turnovers in wide areas as United failed to bypass Tottenham’s touchline press. And as explained above, this also forced a lot of undesired aerial balls forward from United’s back line. But again, United’s gegenpressing made it hard for Tottenham to easily benefit from this, as, for example, the undesired long ball was cleared away by Dier but United’s compact structure enabled them to win the 2nd ball and recycled possession with help from the half back. When Tottenham managed to win the 2nd ball in the opponnent’s middle third, they often progressed the attack using Eriksen’s passing ablity to create chances. One typical chance creation method was the aerial diagonal ball from half space to the far side of the box-width. If the attacking development (after 2nd ball recovery) around the central area was unavailable, Tottenham used lateral passes towards the flank before cutting it back into the near half space for Eriksen to release the said diagonal ball. For full read, please visit this link http://outsideoftheboot.com/2017/10/29/tactical-analysis-manchester-united-1-0-tottenham-hotspur/