Analysis

Ryan Gravenberch's Liverpool displays only add to Casemiro's Man Utd woes - Premier League hits and misses

Plus: Erik ten Hag's pleas ring hollow after another disastrous Manchester United midfield display; Spurs come undone at Newcastle again; Chelsea's lack of a reliable No 9 is laid bare; Cheikh Doucoure reminds Crystal Palace what they were missing

Monday 2 September 2024 08:04, UK

Ten Hag's midfield anything but magic

Erik ten Hag claimed afterwards that he is 'not Harry Potter' and cannot magically make Manuel Ugarte fit and ready to solve Manchester United's midfield problems immediately after the international break - but it is structure not magic that is needed.

Casemiro's pitiful first-half display was so poor that he was put out of his misery at the interval - the look on his face throughout that 45 minutes telling the tale. But the fact that Kobbie Mainoo made a Casemiro-like error early in the second half was revealing.

Ugarte may well make a big difference but whoever lines up in that United midfield will surely face the same problem. They are isolated, with forwards far ahead of them and a defence that is too deep. Quality teams will continue to target those spaces.

Ten Hag is reluctant to acknowledge that these problems remain, frequently resorting to pointing to those two trophies in his first two seasons when pressed on the issue in a heated post-match press conference. One wonders whether it is the right response.

If Ten Hag were to admit that these tactical issues still require resolving, it would at least encourage supporters to believe that they will be addressed. Instead, in highlighting those two cup wins - flimsy evidence given their league form - hope of a solution fades.
Adam Bate

Breakout star Gravenberch only adds to Casemiro woes

Erik ten Hag's defensive post-match reaction was perhaps understandable. But no one is asking for magic - just some sense of progress will do. Ten Hag is in his third season now and they are trending downwards.

Ten Hag's pleas for time ring hollow in the context of the more than £600m United have spent on new players during his reign. Equally damning is the regression being experienced by so many of his squad.

Casemiro is a case in point. One of the standout midfielders of his generation, he now looks woefully out of his depth against elite opponents. At 32, age is a factor. But it's not like Casemiro's age was a secret United only discovered after they paid £70m for him two years ago.

The Brazilian's days in this team are surely numbered following Ugarte's arrival. He was run ragged - not least by Liverpool's own holding midfielder, Ryan Gravenberch. The Netherlands international struggled to work his way into Jurgen Klopp's side but looks a star in the making under Arne Slot.

Whether Gravenberch would have been handed his opportunity had Liverpool got their wish and signed a No 6 this summer is doubtful. But opportunity knocked - and he has taken it.

Credit to Slot for adapting to the circumstances, too. Unlike Ten Hag, he has spent next to nothing on players for his current squad since arriving in the Premier League (Federico Chiesa the only addition for this year) - and, just three games in, has already cast his magic over his new side.
Joe Shread

Spurs lack concentration to be effective away from home

Dominate possession, have plenty of shots, don't win. It's the same old story for Tottenham on the road.

Ange Postecoglou's side will be kicking themselves once again after defeat to Newcastle. They controlled the second half and it looked for all the world that they would get a second goal after they deservedly levelled through Dan Burn's own goal.

But while questions will be asked about their attackers - for scoring just once from 20 shots and 66 per cent of the ball - it is their sleepy defence which is costing them points.

At St James' Park, Spurs' defenders switched off at a quick Burn throw-in and failed to track Harvey Barnes' run for the opener. Then with Spurs in control, Cristian Romero was caught ball-watching, stepping up while his defence dropped deep to allow for Alexander Isak's winner.

Similar signs were there at Leicester for their first away trip of the season, when nobody marked Jamie Vardy for the Foxes' equaliser. Spurs just do not have the concentration levels to be effective in away games.

Four defeats in their last six away trips, just two wins in their 12 games in 2024. Tottenham's form on the road is nowhere near the levels required for a top-four push.
Sam Blitz

Newcastle see light after difficult summer

Newcastle have made an unconvincing start to the season after a testing transfer window yet are unbeaten with seven points - Eddie Howe's side is finding a way to win.

Add in a midweek Carabao Cup victory over Nottingham Forest on penalties and it has been a near-perfect start on paper but Howe knows they must play better. "To consistently win, we need to improve our levels," he said.

Performances have been inconsistent and Newcastle's usually solid foundations have been tested. Tottenham exposed them but failed in front of goal. To Newcastle's credit, they made sure to capitalise on Spurs' poor defending with two clinical goals.

Newcastle have won both of their first two home league matches in the Premier League since 2000/01 with their latest coming in front of Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the Newcastle chairman, who made a rare appearance at St James' Park.

"It's been a turbulent time for the club off the pitch throughout this last transfer window," said Howe.

"But that's shut now, so hopefully we can just concentrate on the football and get the players playing as well as they can."
David Richardson

Wasteful Chelsea made to regret missing out on striker

Chelsea won the xG battle in both halves against Crystal Palace but were taught a lesson in clinical finishing by the Eagles to end their 13-game winning streak against their London rivals.

It marks a curious contrast from pummelling Wolves 6-2 at Molineux a week ago. But their increasingly desperate search for a striker on Deadline Day suggests Enzo Maresca is already looking back on that as the exception rather than the norm.

In the end, neither Victor Osimhen nor Ivan Toney made the move to Stamford Bridge. Maresca has already hinted a third name may join in January, after watching his side blow a hatful of chances before half-time against Palace only for Eberechi Eze to make them pay after the break.

Nicolas Jackson took his second goal of the season well and did manage 14 last season, but he also had two of Chelsea's five other best chances - and missed both.

Chelsea have scored seven goals in their opening three games, but only one across two of those - despite creating enough chances in both, including against Man City, to have netted comfortably more.

Ironically for a team with enough players to fill two dressing rooms, a natural goalscorer still eludes them.
Ron Walker

Doucoure - remember him?

Crystal Palace lacked urgency, drive, tenacity and any forward momentum at Stamford Bridge for 50 minutes. Chelsea were 1-0 up and many observers would have been wondering how many more they'd get against what looked a very limited Palace outfit.

But then an old friend of the Palace fans sprung from the bench to replace Will Hughes. Cheick Doucoure was Crystal Palace's Player of the Year in 2022/23 and one the most outstanding central midfield players in the Premier League. Liverpool were even linked with a move.

However, a serious Achilles injury sustained in the 2-1 Premier League defeat vs Luton last November cost Palace one of their key men for the rest of the season.

But he is back now - that is for sure judged on his 40-minute cameo where he completely changed the way Palace hustled and harried Chelsea in midfield.

He set the tone for the improvement as they eventually were good value for a point based on their second-half showing.

Lewis Jones

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