Sedikit ulasan tentang duet Smalling Evans semalem... Aku ambil bagian yang ada hubungannya dengan pertandingan semalem. Untuk artikel lengkap bisa dilihat di link bawah (atau ada yang mau posting di thread yang berkaitan).
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/jan/23/manchester-united-arsenal-football-tactics
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Manchester United look to the future with Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans
Manchester United's eighth centre-back pairing of season may turn out to be the long-term solution
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However, when fielded against Robin van Persie, the best forward in the country this season but a player who drops deep rather than uses physical or aerial ability, they did quite well. It didn't go perfectly – Evans should have got tighter for the goal, although he was a little unfortunate the ball sneaked through his legs, past Anders Lindegaard's glove and in off a post – but he didn't leave much more than the width of a ball for Van Persie to aim at. Smalling was nearly embarrassed when Tomas Rosicky capitalised on his slip and squared to Van Persie, who contrived to miss from 10 yards, but such a slip is hardly indicative of a major flaw in his defending.
Otherwise, Van Persie had one of his quietest games all season. Those were his only attempts at goal – he averages 4.5 shots a game, the most in the league this campaign.
He usually completes 77% of passes – here he had a wretched 44% completion ratio.
Arsenal's own sloppiness contributed, of course, but Evans and Smalling played against Van Persie intelligently. They tracked at the right time, and stood off when necessary. They communicated well and passed responsibilities on when he drifted across the pitch. They didn't let Van Persie win a single aerial duel. They were disciplined too, not conceding a free-kick in the entire game.
In fact, Patrice Evra's awkward challenge on Theo Walcott in the final minute, for which he collected a yellow card and a bang on the head, was the only free-kick United conceded in their own half. And when that was launched into the box, Smalling rose highest in a packed penalty box to clear. The one final bit of danger, in the 93rd minute, saw Evans in the right place to make a block.
Scrappy, last-ditch defending – hardly the sort of thing these modern centre-backs should be doing.
But the first spell of sustained pressure United had to cope with was in the final minutes, when Arsenal sent 6ft 6in Per Mertesacker up front to be their targetman. It highlights the type of threat this centre-back combination will be vulnerable to.
For the rest of the game, Evans and Smalling did what Ferdinand and Vidic can no longer do; they defended high up the pitch, pushing Arsenal away from goal. United didn't set out anything like as deep as they are accustomed to at the Emirates – it meant their pressure on the Arsenal full-backs was continual rather than sporadic, on the break. Their approach against lumbering centre-forwards in future will be similar – control the space, force them away from the penalty box.
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nb : klo ternyata aku motong artikelnya malah bikin bingung ntar aku edit