Last season Sir Alex Ferguson got it mostly right at home to Real Madrid: stick Danny Welbeck on Xabi Alonso to prevent him dictating the play. Then, when United get the ball, get it quickly to Robin van Persie who can hold the ball up and then play in Welbeck sprinting past him.
Against Bayern Munich this season David Moyes, as Ferguson did, made Danny Welbeck the cornerstone of his plans, but in a different way. Welbeck was the furthest forward striker, shifting his position across the forward line based on where he could find the most space to surge into and disrupt a shaky Bayern defence. Behind him the ploy was to get the ball into space for Welbeck as quickly as possible, preferably through Wayne Rooney, before half of United's team run forward to join him.
It worked fairly well, but with a few caveats. These caveats however are things that can be rectified for the second leg, giving United a decent chance of progressing. Firstly, Shinji Kagawa simply has to start in Munich. His ball retention is arguably better than any other United player who played on Tuesday, bar perhaps Michael Carrick. This means when United do get the ball, they at least have a chance of building something incisive once Kagawa's involved. He was used to great effect in this regard at the Bernabeu last season.
Secondly, a stronger defence may enable Phil Jones to move into midfield in place of Marouane Fellaini. Despite Jones' sometimes clumsy play, anything and anyone would be an improvement of Fellaini's ball retention in the first leg. Furthermore, Jones is less likely to so weakly lose some the aerial battles that Fellaini did, whilst also arguably offering more determination and better defensive cover. Jones' energy should also enable him to take up some of the advanced positions that Fellaini did too.
The introduction of Patrice Evra at left-back may have no impact on United's defensive display; Buttner was solid on Tuesday. Nevertheless, Evra should be slightly more assured on the ball, giving United a better chance of building attacks.
There were some good signs from the first leg against Bayern and a template was established for getting a result against them. Concentration will have to be yet again as good if not better in the Allianz Arena, but a few simple personnel changes can give United real hope of progressing.
FURTHER POINTS:
4-4-1-1 to 4-5-1
United mostly set-up in a 4-4-1-1 that switched in true Moyes style to a 4-5-1 whilst defending. This worked a treat. In attack Welbeck drifted across the front line, supported by Rooney and Giggs slightly to the left. Fellaini also supported the attack with Valencia wide-right. In defensive transitions however, Carrick and Fellaini remained central with Valencia right, but then United showed some fluidity. Either Giggs would move left and Rooney deep centrally, or Welbeck would move left with Giggs centrally. This enabled decent defensive protection in midfield, but also a flexibility that allowed players to change shape depending on their starting position.
Full-backs
Bayern's full-backs were not given much attention defensively until the final third, but this worked well. It meant United focussed mainly on crowding on the central areas. Bayern meanwhile could switch the ball at will, but to little effect. Without an orthodox striker in the middle, good wide area work was not as dangerous as it may have been. United did well not to charge down the Bayern full-backs and expose themselves in the middle.
