Analysis: The New Manchester United Pass More, Cross Less

Last season Manchester United won the English Premier League and the European Champions League, but since that time they’ve changed how they play. Is their change in play for the better or worse?

The old Man Utd were, as Jose Mourinho recently assessed them, a great counter-attacking football club. Well, that was 2007-08; the 2008-09 Man Utd team plays differently, as illustrated by comparing their game against the Blackburn Rovers this last Saturday, February 2009 with the like match of April 2008.

By the Numbers:

April 2008 Blackburn Match 

• Manchester United
• Made 321 passes
• Attempted 399 passes
• 80% passing success

February 2009 Blackburn Match

• Manchester United
• Made 400 passes
• Attempted 470 passes
• 85% passing success

Manchester United completed 25% more passes against Blackburn in the most recent fixture and a graphical analysis makes it clear:  Man Utd are playing a short passing game further up the pitch, and more centrally in front of goal.  Last year there were more crosses coming in from the corners.

The short passing game is certainly a sophisticated approach, more Barcelona than West Ham, but will it prevail in their competitions? While this style of play provides for better possession and seeming control of the game, it presents a couple challenges:

1. This style of play provides more time for the opposing team to come back and settle into a tight defense in and around the penalty area, 11 men behind the ball.  United have found it tough to score this year – there is simply very little room to get a shot in with so many bodies in a tight space.  In the recent Fulham game, Rafael Da Silva had to hurdle Darren Gibson’s strike.
2. The speed of attack in the final third tends to be lower with the new approach, allowing more time for defense to organize and cover space.  One might note that the goal Man Utd got from field play in the February 2009 match was from a quick attack into the final third using longer passes, the short passing did not produce any goals.
3. The short passing game can leave the ptich more open behind for a good counter-attack from the other team. 

This might be the perfect style of play to play Barcelona with, which is a possible match-up later in the Champions League.  First there is a little matter of beating Inter Milan and cracking through their notoriously adept Italian defense.

Will Sir Alex Ferguson use this same style of play when he takes his team to the San Siro?