Manchester United: What we can expect from the Red Devils when the season starts

It’s still early days, but Solskjaer and his Manchester United charges are already showing what they’ll be about come next season. If you haven’t watched the team play in pre-season, then you have no idea why the fans are pretty much optimistic about the team despite their failure to capture a big-name player in the market.

The team has already won the first three games of their tour, and though against underwhelming competition in the first two, there’s a quite a lot to be optimistic about. Already the style of play looks to be something that will not only get the fans excited but the players as well.

Many players look comfortable and playing to their strengths. If all that continue in the coming games and into the new season, Manchester United may end up having one of their best seasons in recent years.

Against Tottenham on Thursday, the team will face stiffer competition and it may just be a good time as any for the manager to assess the team. He’ll now start to see who’ll be in the starting XI come matchday one of the Premier League season.

Without further ado, let's take a look at what we can expect from the Red Devils during the season.

Also See : La Liga Transfer News, EPL Transfer News, Manchester united Transfer News.

#5 High Pressing Game

Marcus Rashford during the Manchester United v Leeds United friendly

It has already been established that United will play a pressing game next season from what we’ve seen in their pre-season friendlies. Ole Gunnar was clear about what he wanted and he’s gone into the transfer and gotten what he wanted. He wanted speedy and energetic players that help achieve his high pressing game plan.

Add that to what he already had last season, he’s looking like he’s close to the team he wants. With a few more signings looking likely to happen, and from all indications, Ole will require his charges to press opposition higher up the pitch. We already saw it in his first few games in charge before everything went to the dogs. It’s how he wants United to play under him.

He now has the team – not fully built yet, but almost there - and he can now begin implementing his game plan. In due time, he will see how far it will take his side.

#4 Marauding fullbacks

Luke Shaw during the Perth Glory v Manchester United game

With the fullbacks in United’s roster, the squad is shaping up to be one of those teams that keep their opposition very mindful of their fullbacks. With the capture of Wan-Bissaka, United now have a specialist right back to complement Shaw who was amazing on the left last season.

The team now has fullbacks that don’t require any invitation before bombing forward and joining attacks. The two full-backs will also compensate for the forward wingers who will likely be drifting inside. They will create natural width for United which was an area that the team looked to have ignored in some games last season.

Especially in tough games where the opponent will be compact and solid in defence, the fullbacks will give United another dimension in the final third. That is something that they seemed to lack towards the end of last season. With Shaw being named United's Player of the Season last campaign, the arrival of Wan-Bissaka couldn’t have come at a better time.

#3 A fluid attack

Manchester United played FC Internazionale in the 2019 International Champions Cup

United’s attack, from all indications, including their willingness to listen to offers on Romelu Lukaku, will be fluid. The manager doesn’t look like he’ll want a target man upfront during his tenure at Old Trafford. The attack is likely to be made up of versatile, speedy players who can work the channel and also put in a shift.

The front three, though not identified as yet, will consist of mobile players. They will be a trio who can pull defences in separate directions and drag their markers all over the pitch. They’ll also be technical and can easily beat their markers. In addition to that, they will set the bar for Ole’s pressing game.

With a game plan of having a fluid attack, Manchester United will be a menace to the opposition and a joy to watch for their fans, especially the ones that have been crying for the team to put more impetus on attacking.

#2 Counters will be devastating

If you haven’t seen it already, United will likely be playing with a lot of speed going forward next season. The signings that they have made and the one they’re still linked with are all indicating that speed will be crucial to how United play.

Manchester United already had a good number of speedy players and the recent additions will just enhance that. Couple that with the high pressing games they are likely to play, turning defence to attack will be a frequent occurrence.

With the players that they have and the ones that they are looking at, hard work and speed look crucial to Ole’s counter-plan. While most people may expect them to sit deep and wait for teams to come at them, the team already looks like it will be taking the game to the opponents. Counters will not mostly be started in their half as you may have expected but somewhere higher up the pitch.

#1 Building from the back

You can expect a lot of Manchester United plays next season to be built from the back. That’s how the manager wants them to play and it’s evident from the manager has been setting up his team in the three games they’ve played.

The central defenders are being encouraged to step into the midfield and even the keepers are trying to pass it from the back. David de Gea who is United’s undoubted number one choice goalkeeper and seemingly looking likely to stay will have to brush up his passing game.

When Sir Alex was recruiting him from Atletico, he talked up how de Gea was Van der Sar’s perfect replacements sighting his passing to be similar to that of the Dutch legend. Of late, that’s one aspect of his game that has been found wanting and he needs to build on it for the coming season.

If the star goalie can get his passing up to the high standards they were, United will build fluidly from the back in devastating fashion next season.

Edited by Nnanna Mba