{"id":630383,"date":"2023-10-05T15:03:07","date_gmt":"2023-10-05T19:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=630383"},"modified":"2023-10-05T15:03:07","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T19:03:07","slug":"man-utd-defence-rio-ferdinand-comments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2023\/10\/05\/man-utd-defence-rio-ferdinand-comments\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;There&#8217;s No Organisation Defensively&#8217;: Man Utd Legend Slams Defensive Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It was another example of the crisis that Man Utd are struggling to pull themselves out of as Galatasaray ran out 3-2 winners at Old Trafford with lapses in defence allowing the Turkish giants to record a first-ever win on English soil. Last Word on Football will look at the issues at the back and analyse if there is a way that Erik ten Hag can set up to make his side more difficult to break down in the coming weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">[metabet_core_side_odds_tile query=&#8221;soe\/manchester_united&#8221; size=&#8221;350&#215;300&#8243; site_id=&#8221;lastwordonsports&#8221;]<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Club Legend Highlights Man Utd Defence as Most Concerning Area<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Defensive Issues Plaguing Man Utd Progress<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It is now 18 goals conceded in ten games in all competitions. Three goals or more have now been conceded on four separate occasions this campaign as the Red Devils have struggled to field a settled back four. There have been injuries to several key defenders, and it has limited the manager&#8217;s options with Sofyan Amrabat, hailed as the answer to the problems in midfield, being played out of position at left-back.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Read More:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2023\/10\/04\/erik-ten-hag-records-man-utd\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Five Shocking Records Set by Erik ten Hag After Man Utd\u2019s 3-2 Loss to Galatasaray<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Rasmus Hojlund bagged a brace in the Champions League defeat, making it three goals in two in the competition, with optimism levels rising in the hope he can be the answer to the club&#8217;s centre-forward issues. Casemiro has hit form in recent weeks despite his red card in this game, while Christian Eriksen is starting to overcome his sluggish start to the season. Almost every area of the pitch has seen minor improvements as the fixtures have progressed, but there is always a nightmare showing around the corner from this United defence to halt any momentum.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Watch<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">: Manchester United&#8217;s SECRET Problem That Ten Hag CAN&#8217;T Fix<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Manchester United&#039;s SECRET Problem That Ten Hag CAN&#039;T Fix\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nsdrBsJsIG0?start=15&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Rio Ferdinand Highlights Defensive Organisational Problems<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Man Utd legend Ferdinand had scathing words for his former side on\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tntsports.co.uk\/football\/champions-league\/2023-2024\/rio-ferdinand-in-despair-after-manchester-united-defeat-against-galatasaray-in-champions-league_sto9822719\/story.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">TNT Sports<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0after yet another disappointing result at Old Trafford:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&#8220;I\u2019ve been on a rollercoaster of emotions tonight. One minute I\u2019m sitting here I\u2019m going, \u2018Well, we look like a team that showed potential and have something to be positive about\u2019 and all of a sudden I\u2019m sitting there with my head in my hands thinking there\u2019s an absolute lack of organisation at times.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cYou have experienced players through the middle of this team and there\u2019s no organisation defensively. We score goals and at that moment, you\u2019re told as a kid as well, that\u2019s when you\u2019re at your most vulnerable. That\u2019s where you\u2019ve got to be your most concentrated, and we go to sleep. We\u2019re being cut open like a hot knife through butter at times and it\u2019s embarrassing.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Ten Hag Should Look to Experienced Players in Defence<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A centre-back pairing of Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire would be ridiculed, but there is potential wisdom in selecting one of the two in the coming fixtures. Evans was excellent in his only start this season and has a wealth of experience in difficult situations, while Maguire was steady against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup victory. Both of United&#8217;s most recent victories featured one of the two in the starting lineup.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Read More:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2023\/10\/04\/manchester-united-jadon-sancho-transfer-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Journalist Drops Major Manchester United Transfer Hint Involving \u2018Exceptional\u2019 Player<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There is an issue with a lack of pace on the cover with the currently available players, and this would admittedly not be solved by adding either player to the United defence. Victor Lindelof has struggled for form this season and needs to be taken out of the limelight. The 29-year-old Swedish international is a solid backup option, but it is nonsensical to keep picking a player who has yet to play a good game thus far.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Balance of Midfield Still Not Correct<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The idea of playing Mason Mount in the centre of midfield is a gamble that has not paid off as his lack of defensive instincts has adversely affected the balance and this resulted in midfield runners not being picked up, leaving the defence exposed. Casemiro is expected to fill this role, but his range of passing and important goals have become a vital part of the creativity of this side.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Read More:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2023\/10\/01\/manchester-united-transfer-defender-top-targets\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u2018Next Top Signing\u2019: Manchester United Identify Top Targets Including \u2018Monster\u2019 Player to Bolster Defence<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There is a simple solution here with Scott McTominay more suitable to playing alongside the Brazil international. Amrabat would be the ideal scenario, but with the injury crisis at left-back, he is filling that role. The Scotland international brings a physicality to the middle of the park that Mount does not provide and is more willing to sit in and track runners, whereas the former Chelsea man has never been this type of player.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It may seem like a backwards step for the manager to drop his new \u00a360 million signing, but this side looks far too open and vulnerable, and he must be practical with his selections in the coming weeks if he is to save his job.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It was another example of the crisis that Man Utd are struggling to pull themselves out of as Galatasaray ran out 3-2 winners at Old Trafford with lapses in defence allowing the Turkish giants to record a first-ever win on English soil. Last Word on Football will look at the issues at the back and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4692,"featured_media":629508,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18,378,3],"tags":[3626,4315,9778,2915],"class_list":["post-630383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-manchester-united","category-champions-league","category-premier-league","tag-analysis","tag-erik-ten-hag","tag-harry-macguire","tag-mason-mount"],"modified_by":"Ricky Carroll, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4692"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=630383"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/630383\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/629508"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=630383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=630383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=630383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}