2 years ago
Man United: Lisandro Martinez offers Erik ten Hag a lot of choices
After a fairly languid beginning, the main period of Erik ten Hag's Manchester United unrest is at long last building up speed.
The new chief will feel far improved to help a few new faces through the entryway at Old Trafford, with Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen guaranteed.
What's more, the most recent procurement sees Lisandro Martinez roll in from Ten Hag's previous club Ajax, in an arrangement that will at last cost United £55.3million.
It's a savvy move. Not exclusively is the Argentina global all around acclimated with the requests of Ten Hag from their time together in Amsterdam, he offers United a lot of flexibility.
Martinez, 24, can play as a focal protector, a left-back or as a cautious midfielder, with experience of playing in the 4-3-3 or 3-5-2 developments that the mentor favors.
Ten Hag knew when he began the work that focal protection and cautious midfield were the most squeezing issues to tackle in a United group that performed well beneath the normal guidelines last season.
Martinez may not fix all ills but rather Ten Hag will feel improved to have him ready. It's probably not going to change what is happening with Frenkie de Jong, be that as it may, who was generally his No 1 objective for the late spring.
Albeit United and Barcelona have concurred a £71.5m expense for the Dutch midfielder, De Jong is hesitant to surrender Champions League football at the Nou Camp, in any event, while being shunted towards the leave entryway.
So where will Martinez fit into Ten Hag's arrangements for United and what will the new kid offer them?
NEW PARTNER FOR MAGUIRE OR VARANE AT Center-HALF
The most probable situation is that Martinez joins United's pool of focus parts.
Ten Hag ordinarily sent a 4-3-3 shape during his time overseeing Ajax, with Martinez banding together Jurrien Timber, one more United focus on this late spring, at focus back in most of games.
However, the proof of United's two pre-season friendlies so far is that Ten Hag will set them out in their natural 4-2-3-1 and considering this has conveyed 4-0 and 4-1 successes, it isn't probably going to change soon.
So Martinez is probably going to be matched with either chief Harry Maguire or Raphael Varane at the back.
Those three will be the leaned toward focus backs, in whatever blend, with Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly dropping down the cautious food chain given waiting questions about their capacities.
Varane's different physical issue issues forestalled him playing however much he would have preferred during his most memorable season at United yet there were a few empowering signs when he played close by Maguire.
However, one of them would need to clear a path for Martinez to come in, with the fresh debut offering a mark of contrast in that he's left-footed.
Martinez is agreeable ready and adroit at dropping of safeguard, abilities that were compulsory at Ten Hag's Ajax, and regardless of being just 5ft 9in is areas of strength for exceptionally.
He is the sort of character who will savor the actual fights that are essential for the set of working responsibilities in English football and knows precisely exact thing his director will be requesting of him.
The key inquiry is who clears a path to oblige Martinez. Ten Hag has proactively clarified his confidence in Maguire as his chief notwithstanding the England safeguard's unfortunate structure last season.
Maguire additionally as a rule plays on the left of the two, with Varane or Lindelof on the right, and that is where Martinez would need to be.
Nonetheless, in Friday's amicable win over Melbourne Victory, Maguire and Lindelof traded positions. It very well may be an unobtrusive clue from Ten Hag that Martinez will arrange close by Maguire as the best option matching.
That will most likely disturb Varane, who didn't get opportunity to show his class during a tempestuous first season completely.
Be that as it may, in all actuality, all will get a lot of chances given the unavoidable wounds and suspensions, also the sheer weight of games with United toiling through the Europa League again in the season ahead.
THREE'S A CROWD AT THE BACK?
This raises the chance of Ten Hag setting United up with three focal safeguards, accounting for Martinez, Maguire and Varane in whatever mix.
It's not something he inclined toward at Ajax yet might be thought of in the event that United make a languid beginning to the Premier League season or essentially as a contingency plan.
It would include reusing Luke Shaw as a left wing-back - as he played for England during some of Euro 2020 - or playing new kid Malacia in the job, and getting additional going after gains out of Aaron Wan-Bissaka or Diogo Dalot.
Such a move would offer consolation for Maguire, who is accustomed to playing that way for England and furthermore would have the protection of two different protectors if he had any desire to spill the ba
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