The heavy defeat for Manchester United against Como revealed glaring issues in the team's defensive setup. The simplest reason behind Nico Pas's masterclass lies in the Red Devils' failure to apply proper pressure on him. In the build-up to the first goal, Harry Maguire left him unchallenged, allowing him a clear sight of goal, while Pas's assist for Tasos Douvikas only highlighted their shortcomings. Yet, mere proximity to opponents isn’t a comprehensive defensive approach.
Between a rock and a hard place: why marking Pas was such a challenge
The attacking midfielder for Como thrived in the spaces between midfield and defence. When a player positions themselves in these areas, man-marking quickly becomes a trap:
- If a defender or midfielder follows him too closely, they leave dangerous gaps behind.
- If the defensive line remains compact, Pas receives the ball facing the goal.
- If a holding midfielder drops deeper, it frees up the player delivering the pass to him.
In the first half, Pas was supported by Lucas Da Cuccia and Martin Baturina deeper in midfield, while Maximo Perrone and Luis Milya provided options further back. This setup forced United's midfielders into a constant dilemma between defending space behind them and applying pressure on the ball.
The role of short passes and loss of control
Creating time for a shot or pass involves more than just keeping distance from the defender. Como's quick exchanges forced Manchester United players to take unnecessary steps, pivoting in different directions and losing their positions.
- First goal: Maguire provided Pas with an alarming amount of space, allowing him to find the far corner without resistance. The lack of density during the ball's reception proved costly.
- Second goal: Pas sliced a pass through Matthijs de Ligt, setting up Douvikas for a one-on-one situation. United's defence struggled to put out the fire on the edge of the box whilst also trying to track back behind.
- Third goal: Pas capitalised on Carlos Baleba’s error in transition, showcasing his ability to punish opponents for mistakes in the build-up.
Why man-marking wouldn’t have solved anything
Simply assigning one player to mark Nico Pas wouldn’t have rectified Manchester United's issues. Such an approach would have left Como with open spaces elsewhere on the pitch, with the flanking runs of defenders (Couto and Valle) potentially causing further imbalance.
The crux of the Red Devils' problem lay in managing the movements of their opponent. Their defensive line appeared disjointed, turning each encounter into a mini-crisis requiring individual heroics to resolve. To contain players of Pas's calibre, a more collective spatial awareness is essential, rather than sporadic attempts to address issues after they’ve already occurred.
