Ten Hag’s development strategy should go further this season. New additions at goalkeeper, center-forward, and central midfield should make it less necessary for the management to attempt and fit square pegs into round holes in order to achieve results.
Football that exhibits the dynamism that Ten Hag desires is one in which United are better at adjusting their in-game strategies in response to various in-game problems. United should improve its ability to keep possession, work against the ball when it is lost, and be more adept at scoring goals in the future.
In addition, Casemiro, the team’s lone defensive specialist midfielder and a player who has emerged as a revelation following years of the problematic Fred and Scott McTominay centre midfield combo, will be asked to do a lot.
The Importance of Casemiro-
Casemiro is more than just a physical wrecker; his work as the centre midfield pivot has strengthened the team’s defence and improved its offensive. He was a deceptively adept playmaker who fits in nicely with a United squad that led the Premier League in direct assaults last season. He was a crucial piece of equipment for defending against counterattacks and for applying pressure to opponents because of his ability to understand the game.
Casemiro frequently recovered the ball back when United lost it cheaply in enemy territory so the squad wouldn’t lose momentum. In the League Cup final, he persuaded Marcel Sabitzer that he did not need to drop deep into centre midfield, which won over United supporters. Casemiro knew what he was doing. Teammates remarked on his leadership qualities and the passion he brought to practise and important games.
Yes, Case 😎
🔴 @Casemiro #MUFC pic.twitter.com/iLmD1l4Qrl
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 3, 2023
For United, Casemiro accomplishes a lot. But how long can he keep up such impressive exploits at age 31? The defensive midfielder has played a tonne of club football over the last ten seasons. He accrued 3,903 minutes under Ten Hag in 2022–2023. He could have played more if not for his recurrent red card bans.
Madrid made the rare attempt to locate a replacement for the Brazilian, but Casemiro proved to be so indispensable to the team’s performance and so competent in his physical preparation and match preparation that any long-term replacement was unnecessary. Marcos Llorente was formerly thought of as Casemiro’s backup, but throughout the course of a two-year period from 2017 to 2019, he played little over 1,000 minutes. Eventually, Llorente relocated to Atletico Madrid, where he developed into the box-to-box midfielder we are all familiar with today.
Problems caused by Casemiro’s absence-
After that, when Casemiro wasn’t available, Real Madrid’s coaches decided to start Toni Kroos or Luka Modric at the base of the midfield. Real Madrid gave up after a while since it was difficult to match his enthusiastic performance with other players.
The issue United has is similar. As Ten Hag previously suggested, Casemiro wants to stay sharp by playing frequently as opposed to taking pauses. He is still a key player for his country’s squad and will try to lead Brazil to the Copa America title in 2024 in June. He may also play a role in three World Cup qualifiers this year.
There will come a moment when Ten Hag will need to begin considering Casemiro’s replacement. But the United boss might need to consider this summer who can effectively fill in for him.
Last year, Casemiro served a seven-game suspension. Against Arsenal, Ten Hag initially selected McTominay and Christian Eriksen as a central midfield duo. Then he tried out Sabitzer and Fred as a pair, McTominay and Sabitzer together, and McTominay playing with Bruno Fernandes in a match against Brentford. There were issues with every combination.
The Look for Casemiro’s Replacement-
McTominay is a committed United player who is ready to play in a variety of positions, but due to his deficiencies in and out of possession, he is better suited to play as an aggressive box-to-box midfielder for his club.
While Fred, like Casemiro, is a box-to-box player whose performance is sometimes unpredictable, he made progress in his games alongside Casemiro last season. After a lackluster loan at United, Sabitzer, another player who might be more effective farther up the pitch, has joined Borussia Dortmund.
The player who is able to guard against defensive leaks while keeping the offensive temperature up, Casemiro is United’s greatest bath plug. His backups were more effective than a sieve. If a suitable suitor and bid are discovered this summer, Fred and McTominay are regarded as being up for sale.
United’s Connection to Sofyan Amrabat-
It is understandable why Sofyan Amrabat, a 26-year-old midfielder for Fiorentina who has prior experience working with Ten Hag at Utrecht, has been strongly linked to United. However, no formal offer has yet been made, and any future incoming cash would need to be supplemented by money from any player sales before they could be used.
Kobbie Mainoo, a recent academy alum, has been a contender this preseason. He could be able to play next to Casemiro now while learning the finer elements of how to cover for the Brazilian in the future thanks to his cunning while playing on the half-turn and strong defensive moments, understudying Mount or Eriksen. The 18-year-old will only be absent for “the first part” of the new season, though, due to an ankle injury sustained during the exhibition match versus Real Madrid.
