As the most expensive winter singing in 2020, Manchester United managed to complete their signing of Bruno Fernandes instead of Tottenham at a price of 55m Euros. The new No.18 of quickly started just a day after he signed in the game against Wolves, and he was one of the most eye-catching players on the pitch.
In this tactical analysis scout report, we will show you the tactics of Fernandes’s playing style and role in his United debut.
Positioning
In the first half, Fernandes started as an attacking midfielder, playing behind Anthony Martial. However, he was not a traditional attacking midfielder who was stuck at the centre (zone 11 and 14). Instead, he preferred to overload the wide-area with his teammates.
Below is the pass received map of the former Sporting CP man in the first half. He received 40 passes from his teammates and apart from the 11 that occurred in his own half, he also received 17 passes, (nearly half) on both flanks. As mentioned in our match analysis, he made things simpler, allowing his team to attack flanks with more creativity and inspirations.
Below is an example where there are two points worth mentioning. First, the three attacking players of United, Juan Mata, James, and Fernandes, all came to the left and stayed close. They created a passing triangle to play quick combinations down the flank, progressing the attack.
Another point to note was the smart positioning of the Portuguese international. When Mata sprinted between Diogo Jota and Matt Doherty, Fernandes was slightly dropping back. This movement had two benefits.
