TEN HAG COULD PLAY CASEMIRO IN NEW ROLE BY STARTING MAN UTD FRINGE PLAYER
Today, Manchester United travel to Wembley Stadium, where they’ll look to defeat Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-final.
Should the Red Devils progress, awaiting them will be Manchester City, making it a repeat of the 2023 final.
Nonetheless, despite having an eye on the potential derby, the focus will be on Sunday afternoon's clash, which is set to be a challenge given their recent form.
Yet, the biggest task on Erik ten Hag’s mind is how to get the best out of his players as individuals and, more importantly, as a team, which could force his hand into playing Casemiro in a new role and unleashing another star in midfield.
Casemiro's new role
Injuries have completely disrupted Man United’s season so far, but the department that’s been hit the hardest is the defence.
The latest player that’s reported to have an injury is young defender Willy Kambwala, who wasn’t spotted travelling with the squad.
The solution to this problem could be Casemiro, who’s obviously a defensive midfielder by trade, but he does have the skillset that would enable him to successfully operate at the heart of the United backline.
Real Madrid’s former ace has actually previously played in this role just once under Ten Hag, when he thrived in a 2-0 EFL Cup victory over Burnley last season, notably having a mammoth 125 touches and winning 100% of his ground duels.
Given his decreased athleticism and ability to cover ground, a centre-back role may suit the Brazilian more than a midfield role would due to his quality defensive ability, as shown by his 3.1 tackles per game in the league, the most in the United squad.
The man to replace Casemiro in midfield
Last season, Christian Eriksen was a mainstay in the United midfield, with the Dutch boss relying heavily on the midfielder across the campaign.
Yet, with the rise of Kobbie Mainoo and Scott McTominay’s goal-scoring hot streak, the Dane’s minutes have significantly decreased, having started just nine times in the Premier League.
This lack of game time has led to the former Ajax ace becoming unhappy, with an exit reportedly pending this summer, but he still has one huge role to play before his new adventure.
Casemiro playing at the back obviously leaves a space available in the middle of the park alongside Mainoo, but luckily, Eriksen will be ready to step up to the occasion.
| Eriksen vs Fulham | |
|---|---|
| Stats | Eriksen |
| Minutes | 37 |
| xA | 0.59 |
| Big chances created | 1 |
| Key passes | 4 |
| Touches | 58 |
| Pass accuracy | 88% |
| Accurate long balls | 4/4 |
| Via Sofascore |
Against a lower opposition where the demand is on United, the Red Devils should have the majority of possession, which is the type of game state where the 32-year-old thrives, as you can see in the table above from his latest Premier League appearance.
Eriksen is an extremely technical player who has immense vision and an excellent passing range, while his understanding of the game will enable United to gain more control and, in turn, assert more dominance.
On the flip side, the attacking midfielder by trade isn’t afraid to display his creativity, and he could hold the key to unlocking the stubborn Championship defence, as shown by his four key passes as well as the fact he registered eight Premier League assists last season.
The ex-Tottenham Hotspur man will be in charge of the tempo, and it’s important that possession isn’t overturned cheaply, as that’s how Coventry will find joy.
Another aspect that will make the number 14 extremely valuable is purely his experience, especially considering he would partner the recently turned 19-year-old.
Overall, the “underrated” ace, as dubbed by football creator Liam Canning, could just become United’s saviour with Ten Hag forced to juggle his squad once again.
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