Manchester United are set to face AFC Bournemouth in their second match of the Premier League Summer Series.
Hoping to build on their 2-1 win over West Ham United, Man United will face the Cherries at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.
So long as manager Ruben Amorim makes sure to stick by certain principles, victory should be well within his team’s grasp.
Keep up the tempo
During their first pre-season match against Leeds United, Amorim’s side struggled to apply constant pressure to their opponents.
Despite taking 19 shots, United only showed intense attacking momentum near the end of the second half, proving to be too little too late as they settled for a goalless draw.
In contrast, United applied pressure to West Ham from kick-off, being rewarded for their efforts after just five minutes with an opening goal.
Seven minutes after the half-time break, United doubled their lead, yet again reaping the benefits of the constant pressure they placed on the Hammers.
Even though many shots were taken in both matches, United’s strategy against West Ham was far more effective, keeping up the attacking momentum until a breakthrough was found.
In contrast, they seemed complacent against Leeds, waiting until it was too late before frantically seeking a goal – a trend we saw all too often last season.
Should United wish to find a way past Bournemouth’s rigid defence, they will need to replicate the resolve they showed against West Ham.
Refrain from early changes
There really wasn’t a lot wrong with United’s performance against West Ham, apart from the momentary lapse in concentration that saw them concede.
One of the clear reasons for this was that Amorim allowed the same lineup to play together for the majority of the match, only switching out his entire team with little under 25 minutes to play.
This was a good idea, as while it is important to let as many players readjust to life on the pitch during the pre-season, switching out the entire team at half time, as Amorim has so often done, could have impacted the result.
In the Leeds game, the second-half team was far less threatening on the attack than their previous lineup. Still, one can’t blame them entirely, as they weren’t as acclimatised to the match as their opponents, who divided their substitutions over the course of the half.
Perhaps it would be best for Amorim to make only a handful of substitutions at a time, or perhaps only bring on a fresh lineup later in the game when United have a convincing lead.
Should he stick to these two tactics, United should have no problem disposing of Bournemouth as they continue their Premier League Summer Series campaign.
Featured image Michael Steele via Getty Images
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Mathew Cohen
A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.
