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Manchester United must start planning for life without a certain man from Portugal.
No, not Diogo Dalot. United still rely heavily on Bruno Fernandes for almost every forward step.
Despite the creative burden, the 31-year-old continues to perform. However, the team continues to turn him into the solution to problems that the collective should solve.
United are often set up in a compact central block and allow specific opponents to have the ball. They then press certain triggers, such as an opponent getting a weaker foot or loose control from a heavy touch. Once they force the mistake, they immediately attack the space in transition.
Looking ahead
Transition play is where Cole Palmer thrives. He is able to receive passes between the lines, draw defenders towards him and then immediately punish the gaps they leave behind.
He is also capable of producing the spectacular. This season the top flight has brought back the long throws. As the game continues to evolve, we’ll see more and more mavericks appear on the field.
The 23-year-old constantly reinvents himself and assumes formlessness in the final third. He is therefore the kind of ‘United DNA’ player who could play a leading role in the redemption of Old Trafford.
Other option
Palmer can play as a number 10, operate from the right or drift left to overload central areas without the team losing its structure.
This flexibility is comparable to the adaptability that Bruno possesses. Both have the ability to change the shape of their respective sides mid-game, yet maintain fluidity in the final build-up phase.
In addition, the England international ensures that defenders play reactively. He feints, moves the ball to his favored foot and creates angles that simply don’t exist for most top players.
Furthermore, the former Manchester City man commits fouls in dangerous areas and is awarded penalties for inviting contact as soon as defenders panic.
He eventually demands the ball when the game gets messy. Talking about high agency. After all, the first habit of being an effective human being is proactivity, to paraphrase the great Stephen R. Covey.
The obstacle is the way
According to a recent report, Palmer is currently valued at £120 million. This reality does not make the idea meaningless; it merely sets the lofty goal United must achieve if they want a truly elite chance creator to succeed Bruno.
United cannot afford to replace the Portuguese maestro with an unproven player in the Premier League, albeit one with great potential and a high ceiling.
The English club must therefore enter the transfer market with courage if they really want a good reconstruction. Michael Carrick took risks with his tactics against Manchester City and Arsenal and it paid off. Funny enough, it’s about the principle, not the money.
If the Red Devils’ reported interest in Palmer becomes serious, they will need to act early rather than letting the race develop.
They say never let a good crisis go to waste. Although Carrick has improved the mood and the football virtually overnight, INEOS must already set its sights on the summer. Good things come to an end.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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