A friend sent me something interesting on Instagram and it had to do with big chances missed.
Sitting at the top of the list in the Premier League for this stat with 9 is Liverpool and Manchester United.
We’re on top of a table even if it is tied 🙌.
A win is a win 🤷♂️.
It obviously isn’t the table we want to be on top of but as I said, this may not look ideal to be missing so many good opportunities but at least we are creating them in the first place.
In pre-season, this was something that the manager pointed out as an area where he is ‘pleased’ with his team. Yes the goals aren’t coming but it’s better to be creating the opportunities than not creating them at all.
So what is the problem?
From that stat of United being the most wasteful up front, it would suggest we simply cannot finish our dinner more than anything else.
The 9 big chances missed were from:
Bruno Fernandes x2
Alejandro Garnacho x2
Joshua Zirkzee x2
Amad x1
Mason Mount x1
Lisandro Martinez x1
A lot of these came because of Erik ten Hag's new high press which caused Fulham in particular a lot of trouble. United in that game should've scored 3 more when looking at the chances created because of the pressing.
However, this is something to look at as it is a way for us to create better opportunities in front of goal.
This is an average of 3 big chances missed per game. United’s xG for the season so far is 4.64 ranking us 10th in the table for expected goals. Erik ten Hag has also been speaking about his side’s xG so far in the 24/25 campaign and how good it is.
Clear, huh?
No point having this impressive potential output if we don’t take our chances though.
Stats via Statmuse
This is probably part of the reason as to why we brought Ruud van Nistelrooy back to the club. Although he is an assistant coach rather than a striker coach, his prowess in front of goal during his playing career will no doubt mean that he is the sort of striking coach.
He is perfect for what we need in terms of getting better up front but at the moment, it doesn't seem to be working.
The attack is a necessary improvement as when looking at MUFC’s return last season, in the Premier League, Erik ten hag’s side struggled to find the back of the net. With a GD of -1, it was United’s first-ever PL campaign where they ended the season with more goals conceded (58) than scored (57). This also marks the lowest GD in the club’s PL history.
Obviously not something that Erik ten Hag wants associated with his name on top of all the other negative records he's broken.
Over the past season and the first three games of this, Man City have a GD of +69, Arsenal +66 and Liverpool +52. Ours is -4.
🙃.
But it’s hard to truly identify what the issue in attack is for United. Perhaps it’s confidence or concentration, two problems that we’ve known United have had for a while.
What these numbers also tell us is that defensively we’re not good enough.
We conceded quite a few chances to opposition’s last season with an average of around 20 a game. While that has improved somewhat this campaign, it isn’t amazing as both Brighton and Liverpool had an average of 12.5 shots in those two matches. Both those teams should’ve scored at least 2 more goals as well.
This goes back to that open midfield of United's as once again this season, there has been spaces aplenty for opposition's to exploit allowing for them to be in on our goal quite easily.
Andre Onana also doesn't fill me with confidence as every shot on target seems to go in. Bro can't even save a file at this point.
A lot of our defensive issues last season did have to do with injuries though. With Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw being injured almost all campaign, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans and Rapha Varane all picking up issues at some point in the season as well, it made things difficult for the manager to field a consistent back line. In his first season, United's defensive record was one of the best in the league. David de Gea won the PL Golden Glove with 17 clean sheets that season.
Most of the defence remained the same all of the 22/23 campaign. That wasn't the case last year. Attacks wins you games. Defences wins you titles.
With some new recruits at the back, Erik ten Hag will be hoping for some solidity in defence as even if his team aren't scoring, at least the opposition aren't scoring either.
Perhaps a similar approach to what he did in his first season where he sured up the defence and relied on the odd goal to get his side the win. This built up confidence and got some much needed points on the board.
We are in the same position only now, it is year three for the manager. Can he play that sort of negative style this around as well? INEOS have recently been reported to say that they want to see an improved style of play and that his "game model has to start impressing."
Whether we all want him to, ten Hag may have to for survival alone as his future hangs in the balance.
What do you think is the cause for United's issues up front? What should the manager do?
Background Image: Marcus Rashford has failed to register a shot at goal in the Premier League this season | Image credit: Getty Images via Goal