Carrington's solution to Erik Ten Hag's biggest tactical headache
A tactical flaw seemingly without resolution became an all-too-familiar reoccurrence as teams of all levels cut through Manchester United’s midfield like butter last season.
Forwards pressed high and defenders sat deep (at risk of being left for dead by runners in behind), as United’s midfielders routinely found themselves engulfed by choppy seas of wide-open space. Opposition players could practically be seen salivating like dogs as the opportunity to advance goalward with little to no resistance presented itself before them.
This particular screenshot did the rounds on social media… I don’t think it requires any comment.
Erik Ten Hag’s apparent reluctance to address an issue that even the most hands-off fans could identify begged the question as to whether the problem was rooted in tactical indecision or personnel limitations.
United have already taken a huge step towards addressing this disturbing flaw in signing Leny Yoro - a player touted as his generation’s biggest defensive promise. The “Mbappe of centre-backs”, in the eyes of Real Madrid, who seemed the Frenchman’s inevitable destination. INEOS however, had other ideas.
Yoro’s suitability in the traditional sweeper role, similar to Raphaël Varane - a player the Lille academy product has earned frequent comparisons with, makes him an ideal counter-measure to the Red Devil’s reluctance, or inability, to play a high defensive line. Only an elite few of Europe’s top centre-backs possess the athletic qualities and defensive aptitude to contest an opposition attacker from behind once they’ve broken through on goal - Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk and Arsenal’s William Saliba come to mind - as does Leny Yoro. His blistering pace and spider-like legs allow for even the most unlikely defensive recoveries to be made.
That being said - an eighteen-year-old, regardless of any unprecedented ability and maturity, cannot be solely burdened by the defensive responsibilities of a club with Manchester United’s global reputation and stature. Injuries, mistakes and inconsistency must all be factored into the equation, forcing United’s hand to take further measures - such as identifying a #6 with both the engine required to occupy large spaces and the technical quality to provide adequate ball retention and progression in possession.
Ground coverage has become one of the most sought-after attributes in modern-day #6s - the type of pace and running power that allows a lone pivot to single-handedly stifle an opposition counter-attack. It’s why players like Declan Rice can command transfer fees upwards of £100M without excessive media pushback. It’s also something Ten Hag’s Reds desperately lacked last season.
Despite Mainoo’s many elite qualities - athleticism and running power certainly aren’t those you’d typically consider among his biggest strengths. The Stockport product’s true genius manifests when his team are in possession of the ball. Kobbie’s defensive anticipation and work rate go a long way in compensating for a lack of explosivity, though the truth remains that he’ll never be a Declan Rice when it comes to eating up ground and preventing transitional threat.
Mainoo’s natural ability alone dictates he’ll shine regardless of those around him, though the club would be well placed to ensure that a talent of his calibre is facilitated by complementary profiles conducive to minimising his weaknesses and expressing his unique skillset.
It’s this pertinent need for an expert midfield duel winner and transitional stopper that presents the latest of Unai Emery’s Aston Villa recruits - Amadou Onana as an obvious missed opportunity, especially given his accessible price point at £50M - not far from the rumoured fee discussed for alternate United midfield target, Manuel Ugarte.
Onana’s technical limitations (often accredited with United’s choice not to pursue a transfer) are for me overstated, perhaps symptomatic of Everton’s pragmatic approach under Sean Dyche - as opposed to any unmitigated weakness on the ball. Within a more possession-based framework - Belgium’s national team for example - the 195cm midfield giant is able to showcase the more technical side of his game, consistently offering his side’s defensive line a dependable first-phase outlet - receiving and turning with considerable reliability before progressing the ball through the thirds - illustrating the kind of press resistance and ball retention capabilities now considered prerequisites for modern-day #6s.
Mainoo’s physical shortcomings last campaign weren’t helped in the least by the sharp decline in athleticism and defensive prowess observed in Casemiro, as his first-season heroics turned to second-season woes. Carl Anka of the Athletic wrote a fantastic article delving into the Brazilian’s demise, emphasising that, “Casemiro has been dribbled past this season and exploited more by opponents. This is a problem for the side’s defence and attack. As he is no longer an effective counter-presser, United are leakier in and around their penalty area and less likely to work the ball towards the opposition’s one.” Anka also contextualised Casemiro’s fall-off with statistics illustrative of a sizeable decrease in tackles, fouls, clearances, blocks and overall defensive impact.
It’s clear that the once-great Real Madrid star is no longer up to the standard required, and that value-for-money market opportunities are few and far between, so who else can United turn to? I believe - as is often the case - that Carrington may hold the answer.
The academy has long underpinned virtually any success that comes Manchester United’s way - a theme that holds true even today; both of United’s scorers in last season’s FA Cup final - Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo - came through the famed Carrington youth setup after all. United’s youth production line seemingly always finds a way to unearth a gem when it’s needed most. This almost prophetic tendency could end the Red Devils' long search for a top-level defensive midfielder in the shape of Toby Collyer.
Signed from the Seagulls in March 2022 - having captained England’s under-16 and under-17 youth sides - Collyer joined United with a reputation as one of the country’s most prized young midfielders. The Red Devils were said to have faced significant competition from rival Premier League clubs for young Collyer’s signature.
Despite having spent two full seasons at the club, Toby remains somewhat of an unknown quality to even United’s most avid academy followers - at least relative to some of his under-18 peers that is - due to the PL2’s quite frankly puzzling broadcasting rules dictating that games overlapping with live Premier League fixtures cannot be streamed live.
Eagle-eyed fans following Manchester United’s historic FA Cup victory over Manchester City last season picked up on a detail that could provide a significant clue as to Erik Ten Hag’s valuation of Collyer. The Dutchman, amid the chaos of United’s on-field trophy celebrations, made a direct b-line toward Toby, sharing what appeared to be words of encouragement and belief in the midfielder's role in the club’s future successes and continued hopes of silverware. Parallels were soon drawn between this brief exchange, and an eerily similar instance between Ten Hag and Kobbie Mainoo noticed during United’s Carabao Cup celebrations in 2023. As was the case for Collyer, Ten Hag made a clear and deliberate approach to Mainoo amongst the frenzy of Red shirts rampant in revelry, where it has since been revealed by the breakthrough star that Ten Hag’s message to the then-seventeen-year-old was an approximation of: “Your day will come, we are going to win trophies together and your day is coming”. I’d be willing to bet that Erik’s exchange with Collyer communicated a very similar message.
So what is it about Collyer’s profile that Ten Hag seemingly values above his competitors within, and potentially even outside the club?
The most prominent factor distinguishing the former Brighton man from his peers is his physical profile. Collyer has benefited from a fortunate growth spurt over the last year or so, now standing at around 186cm (6’1), despite Google listing his height at a mere 175cm (5’7). A similar jump in stature was observed in Mainoo during the months leading up to his eventual breakthrough, which bodes well for Collyer’s chances of adapting quickly to the rigours of Premier League football.
A relatively slight, but solid frame, long legs and a compact torso make for top-level mobility in Collyer’s case, with quick and controlled changes of pace and direction and a small turning radius. These are qualities that can make a world difference both in and out of possession, whether it’s evading pressure in possession or contesting opposition players in ground duels - a mobile frame is an excellent foundation to build from. As well as being a nimble mover, Collyer displays impressive core strength when initiating contact, often coming out on top of physical battles against those several years his senior.
Collyer’s most prized asset without doubt however is his ability to eat up ground, the extent to which has only become fully apparent in his pre-season performances for United in recent weeks. Academy football doesn’t always allow a player’s full athletic capacities to be aptly illustrated. Coaches tend to prioritise individual freedom of expression over structural or tactical rigidity, therefore games are often more chaotic, resulting in smaller-feeling pitches, and fewer opportunities for top-speed foot races across long distances. This is part of the reason it’s so hard to predict first-team translatability from youth football in the majority of cases, and why some players have such surprising breakthroughs, as a result of their physical traits finally being utilised to their full capacities. Collyer’s straight-line sprint speed is quite possibly in the same bracket as Declan Rice and Amadou Onana, covering ground with amazing prolificacy and contributing enormously to United’s defensive efforts in the middle of the park. In a potential midfield three of Collyer, Mainoo and Fernandes, the latter two would be given far more freedom to push forward and contribute in the final third thanks to the increased defensive coverage Collyer brings compared to a Casemiro or McTominay.
The nineteen-year-old’s out-of-possession exploits aren’t limited purely to his pace - Collyer’s off-ball movement is illustrative of real intelligence and a strong understanding of space and timing. Toby is equally capable of recognising when to advance up the pitch as he is of knowing when to drop into space vacated by a teammate to maintain his side’s defensive structure. His constant circulating runs off the ball bring positive value to his side that cannot be overtly contextualised by statistics. Ten Hag has no doubt picked up on this - intelligent midfielders have historically shone in his teams, which famously demand a high level of tactical understanding and adaptability. Collyer’s proactive efforts to occupy spaces left open by teammates could prevent situations frequently observed last season in which acres of space are vacated by a lack of tactical cohesion amongst United’s midfielders, leaving them vulnerable to counter-attacks.
The youngster helps to maintain United’s pressing structure in the middle of the park, cutting off passing lanes and making close-range interceptions with particular efficacy. It’s this that makes him suitable to play in a deep two, though doesn’t rule out the potential for him to evolve into someone more capable of occupying the lone-six role.
The biggest question mark around Collyer’s suitability remains his quality on the ball. What he brings out of possession, as has been established, places him at the top of United’s crop, though to become a top-level holding midfielder, he’ll need to develop in a number of areas in possession.
While already adept on the half-turn, Collyer can be guilty of complacency when receiving the ball and could benefit from one extra scan before making contact, otherwise risks being dispossessed rather easily. This was seen once or twice for Untied against Rosenborg, who pressed intensely having already been half way through their domestic season at the time of playing Untied. Maybe this could be put down to rustiness on Toby’s part, though remains something worth working on for the young midfielder.
Ball progression and passing range are also areas that could be worked on for young Collyer, who has so far only displayed rather conservative tendencies with regard to pass selection and execution - often opting for the short, easy option - which isn’t necessarily a bad thing - but adding that increased range and creativity to his passing could take his game up a level or two. United have missed a world-class ball-playing anchor since the days of Michael Carrick, who has never truly been shown the respect of a worthy replacement. Jayce Fitzgerald - a second-year under-18 going into the new season, is a fine example of someone who already possesses a more refined skillset in this department. Jayce, who has been at the club since the age of seven, has already taken part in first-team training on several occasions and is thought to be highly regarded within United’s youth setup. Coming back from an injury which kept him out of action for a large portion of last season, he’s one worth keeping an eye on ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
But back to Collyer - his technical ability is certainly at a level which can be deemed adequate to play in United’s midfield, though isn’t yet exemplary. Increased tidiness on the ball, more reliable retention and scanning, and more adventurous ball-carrying attempts are things I’d like to see him work on, or showcase more evidently, as United’s pre-season tour continues in the USA.
In any case, with a loan all but ruled out, and the chances of United recruiting a starting #6 this summer looking increasingly slim, Collyer - who has just signed a new contract keeping him at the club until 2027 with an option for an extra year - looks set to figure prominently for United, who enter the new season with more promise and momentum behind them than any in recent memory.
Great and critical analysis. Maybe it would help such articles written about every young player.
Please tell us about the goalkeeper Vitek
Great write-up.