On the 2nd of December 2021, Manchester United appointed Ralf Rangnick as their Interim Manager until the end of the 2021/2022 season. Once the season has finished, he will then accept a consultancy role at the club for a further two years.
He took over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the Norwegians position at the club had become untenable, with the team only winning one of his last seven games conceding sixteen goals in the process. Solskjaer’s United were a team whose playing style lacked defensive structure, lacked any attacking principles, and relied too heavily on individual moments to win matches.
With United struggling to move forward and compete with a modern football strategy, Rangnick was brought in by the club to resolve that. His tactical style has previously been the epitome of organised collective football, he sets his teams to play a vertically quick purposeful style of football with a preference to counter-press high up the pitch and look to control the space the opposition plays to by creating pressing traps and setting pressing triggers. His remit whilst managing the club is to help create this identity and culture within their playing style, put the foundations in place to ensure continuity with their next managerial appointment and push them towards Champions League qualification
However, whilst there has been a notable improvement in their results winning 8 drawing 6 and losing 1 in the 15 games he has managed, he has been unable to instil the tactical principles his reputation resides against on a consistent basis.
In this tactical analysis, we will study the issues Ralf Rangnick has faced whilst trying to implement his tactics on this current Manchester United playing squad.
Initial Approach
As soon as he took charge Rangnick switched from the 4-2-3-1 that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer used in fourteen of the seventeen matches he managed this season. The German manager opted for his renowned 4-2-2-2 formation.
The reasoning behind the use of this formation is that it is better suited to Ralf Rangnicks style of play. The 4-2-2-2 provides compact vertical play. In possession, it offers multiple lines for progression during the build-up which offers a quicker transition. It offers the team rotation and flexibility in the attacking third, with the opportunity to create overloads centrally and out wide, and with the extra line of attack that the two attacking midfielders provide it allows the team to attempt to control the half-spaces. When you lose possession, you have 4 to 6 players in the oppositions half all counter-pressing with the intention of winning the ball back as close to the oppositions goals as possible.
In his first two league matches, Manchester United played Crystal Palace and Norwich and won each game 1-0. And though there were teething issues, there were indications within each of these games that the players understood Ralf Rangnicks approach and what is required for his principles of play and 4-2-2-2 to work.
In his first game, you can see the position the United players have taken up to win the ball immediately after losing it. As soon as the ball comes inside, Fred immediately presses the man in possession while the remaining players look to cut off all the other viable passing options available. Under pressure, Crystal Palace give the ball away and concede a throw-in deep in their own half.
In Rangnick’s second game against Norwich, you can see the shape the 4-2-2-2 presents in possession and how it allows you to play vertically. The two attacking midfielders are sitting narrow, in between the lines. By doing this they have created space out wide for the right back to attack, it allows Scott McTominay to play forward cutting out 2 Norwich players in the process and in this passage Marcus Rashford has dropped into space behind the midfield, pulling the defender with him. This rotation and movement creates a bigger space between the centre backs for the pass to play in behind. In this passage of play, United transitioned from the defensive third to the attacking third with 2 forward passes and within 8 seconds. A fundamental aspect of how Ralf Rangnick wants his teams to play.
