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Bruno Fernandes to Manchester United - an analysis thread:
First, some quality video analysis on the transfer and how he would fit in at Man Utd:
We think of attacking midfielders as on-ball creators who constantly find space in between the lines & dribble/thread passes into attackers
Bruno (alongside Dele & Van De Beek) is part of an emerging new sub-set of attacking midfielders who do a lot their good work off-the-ball:
Bruno (alongside Dele & Van De Beek) is part of an emerging new sub-set of attacking midfielders who do a lot their good work off-the-ball:
A) Interpret space very well & have excellent timing of runs into the box
B) Instinctive one touch link-up play & finishing in & around the box – meaning they improvise to do the right thing at the right moment,no matter how unconventional it is,e.g. Dele flick to Moura vs Ajax
B) Instinctive one touch link-up play & finishing in & around the box – meaning they improvise to do the right thing at the right moment,no matter how unconventional it is,e.g. Dele flick to Moura vs Ajax
Why is Bruno Fernandes a good fit for Man Utd?
1. Solskjaer settled on a 4-2-3-1 but he simply isn't getting enough attacking output from his number 10s:
•Mata,Lingard+Pereira have a goal/assist every 328 minutes in the league since the start of last season
•Bruno = 89 mins
1. Solskjaer settled on a 4-2-3-1 but he simply isn't getting enough attacking output from his number 10s:
•Mata,Lingard+Pereira have a goal/assist every 328 minutes in the league since the start of last season
•Bruno = 89 mins
•Even at a higher level in the Europa League, Bruno's record is 113 minutes per goal/assist
•And for Portugal, where he is often played as functional, hard-working central midfielders, it is still 210 minutes per goal/assist
•And for Portugal, where he is often played as functional, hard-working central midfielders, it is still 210 minutes per goal/assist
2. Balance to the Man Utd attack
•A lot of Man Utd's attacks come via the left with Martial & Rashford thriving in inside left positions
•Even tho he's mainly played as a 10 this season,Bruno has played a lot as a right-sided 8 for Sporting,so he enjoys occupying those zones.
•A lot of Man Utd's attacks come via the left with Martial & Rashford thriving in inside left positions
•Even tho he's mainly played as a 10 this season,Bruno has played a lot as a right-sided 8 for Sporting,so he enjoys occupying those zones.
3. Breaking down low blocks
Man Utd look very good vs top 6 as a counter-attacking side with teams who play a higher line with space left in behind them– 14 pts from 7 games (2nd best record) vs big 6 plus Leicester
But vs low blocks… 20 points from 16 games vs everybody else
Man Utd look very good vs top 6 as a counter-attacking side with teams who play a higher line with space left in behind them– 14 pts from 7 games (2nd best record) vs big 6 plus Leicester
But vs low blocks… 20 points from 16 games vs everybody else
A) Bruno's clinical finishing
Bruno has 28 goals and just 8 big chances missed in the league, since the start of last season (4292 mins)
Donny Van De Beek (similar type as explained above)– 15 goals and 13 big chances missed in the league, since the start of last season (3735)
Bruno has 28 goals and just 8 big chances missed in the league, since the start of last season (4292 mins)
Donny Van De Beek (similar type as explained above)– 15 goals and 13 big chances missed in the league, since the start of last season (3735)
B)Playmaking
i Combination play into box & one-twos
ii Thru balls when striker runs off shoulder of last man- more creative supplying quicker forwards (slow Dost replaced by Phellype)-9 big chances created last season,created 10 this season
Rashford+Martial will thrive off this
i Combination play into box & one-twos
ii Thru balls when striker runs off shoulder of last man- more creative supplying quicker forwards (slow Dost replaced by Phellype)-9 big chances created last season,created 10 this season
Rashford+Martial will thrive off this
(iii) Bruno ability to drift wide & put in dangerous crosses can provide solution to lack of creativity on right hand side of the pitch (KDB-esque)- 7 assists from crosses since start of 2017/18
(iv) Not rapid but has good feet on half-turn to evade marker - similar to Maddison
(iv) Not rapid but has good feet on half-turn to evade marker - similar to Maddison
C) Long shots
- 9 goals from outside the box since the start of the 2017/18 season. This is the same as KDB (who obviously did miss some games due to injury last season)
- 9 goals from outside the box since the start of the 2017/18 season. This is the same as KDB (who obviously did miss some games due to injury last season)
4.Defensive work rate & pressing
•Originates from time at Udinese where he was used as a ball-winning DM
•2.3 tackles per game - McTominay (a DM averages 2.2)
•Sacrificed attacking game for Portugal in Nations League KOs– playing an industrious role on right side of a diamond
•Originates from time at Udinese where he was used as a ball-winning DM
•2.3 tackles per game - McTominay (a DM averages 2.2)
•Sacrificed attacking game for Portugal in Nations League KOs– playing an industrious role on right side of a diamond
5. Build-up
•Involvement in build-up isn’t huge for Sporting – stays higher in and around the box
•Hence it may be necessary to upgrade Man Utd's double pivot or keep Pogba
•Involvement in build-up isn’t huge for Sporting – stays higher in and around the box
•Hence it may be necessary to upgrade Man Utd's double pivot or keep Pogba
•xG build-up p90:
Fred = 0.27 and McTominay = 0.25
Pogba = 0.47 - with Pogba enjoying deeper left-sided areas, him & Bruno enjoying more advanced right-sided areas, Pogba & Bruno could form a well-balanced midfield partnership
Fred = 0.27 and McTominay = 0.25
Pogba = 0.47 - with Pogba enjoying deeper left-sided areas, him & Bruno enjoying more advanced right-sided areas, Pogba & Bruno could form a well-balanced midfield partnership
6. Bruno's high shot volume
•3.65 shots per 90 since start of last season. Of those, 2.27 have been from outside the area
•This is where Solskjaer's has to be coaching him to shoot at the correct times.
•If Ole goes,then Pochettino has already shown he can do this with Dele.
•3.65 shots per 90 since start of last season. Of those, 2.27 have been from outside the area
•This is where Solskjaer's has to be coaching him to shoot at the correct times.
•If Ole goes,then Pochettino has already shown he can do this with Dele.
