Pranav Nair
A look at how Manchester United can deploy Jadon Sancho
After a year of twists and turns, Manchester United have finally landed Jadon Sancho.
The 21-year-old is one of the most dynamic young attackers in the game and has emerged as a consistent performer at Borussia Dortmund. The club today confirmed that the player is on his way to Old Trafford pending a medical.
His arrival opens up a world of possibilities for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of next season. Capable of playing on either flank and also as an attacking midfielder. Sancho’s versatility is something that the Norwegian can exploit to maximum impact.
There are a number of different ways in which Solskjaer could make use of Sancho’s pace and dynamism. We explore a few of them below.
The ‘right’ player in the ‘right’ position
Manchester United have lacked a dominant player on the right-wing ever since Cristiano Ronaldo left for Real Madrid in 2009. While the likes of Antonio Valencia among others have done a job, they have all failed to reach the levels of their predecessor.
Sancho’s arrival changes all that. A natural right-winger, the 21-year-old has played the majority of his games for Dortmund in that position. With 24 goals and 36 assists in just 70 games, Sancho averages an incredible 0.86 goal contributions per game when he starts on the right. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Having him continue on the right will give us another threat in the attack that can link up well with Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford. It also allows the latter two players to start centrally and on the left where they are naturally effective. With Bruno Fernandes playing the attacking midfield role, Sancho’s pace could be utilized to run into channels and open up the opposition defence.
Equally good on the left flank!
Sancho’s versatility also allows him to be deployed on the left flank with great effect. He in fact averages nearly 0.96 goal contributions a game starting on the left. Given that Marcus Rashford could be set for surgery after the Euros, it will serve United well to ensure the Englishman is properly rested before being thrown into action.
Rashford has suffered from various nicks and injuries the last two seasons and has been afforded close to no rest to recover. This has often seen him fall away in the business end of the season. Having Sancho available should help Solskjaer manage the player better, without having to compromise on quality. If anything, Sancho’s versatility could very well extend Rashford’s career at the top level.
With Mason Greenwood and even Anthony martial capable of playing on the right, United will still possess a dual-threat down the flanks sans Rashford. Replacing Cavani with Greenwood will give the United attack a comparatively fluid outlook brimming with power and pace.
A ‘central’ figure
While Sancho has not played much in a central attacking position, he still averages 0.47 goal contributions a game. It is a tally that is bettered in a similar position by Bruno Fernandes and comparable to that of Paul Pogba.
There is no reason for Solskjaer to start Sancho ahead of Fernandes and Pogba. Both have proven themselves to be susceptible to fatigue and injury. With another option now available, squad management should prove much easier.
The price for being clinical?
More of an experimental position, the 21-year-old is capable of also playing up front if need be. That could be something that could be explored if we fail to bring in another striker.
Given his pace, there is every chance that he could thrive playing off the last man’s shoulder. His acceleration coupled with clinical finishing could prove to be a gamechanger against certain defences. With Fernandes pulling strings behind him, he could score bucket loads of goals next season.
The all out attack!
When in need, United could shift Sancho to the right and play Greenwood upfront alongside Cavani. With Rashford coming in from the left and Fernandes pushing in from behind, there is every chance that the United frontline can be quite fluid in nature.
It brings together the best elements of having a target man in Cavani coupled with the fluid nature of the players around him. A lot of how the system functions will depend on McTominay’s ability to compete in the middle of the park. Pogba’s lack of defensive contributions all but rules him out of the role.
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The dream window!
Perhaps one way to get the best out of Sancho is to play him on the right in front of an attacking right-back such as Kieran Trippier. The 21-year-old thrived alongside Achraf Hakimi during their time at Dortmund and the same template can be made use of at United.
Add to it the potential additions of Declan Rice and Raphael Varane and United have a dynamic starting XI capable of matching the best teams from across Europe. While the formation does offer us more fluidity in attack, it may need to be adjusted to compensate for teams that make use of more bodies in midfield.
Rice’s ability to keep hold of the ball and also drop back into defence if needed does offer some versatility to the backline. This could free up the likes of Shaw and Trippier to push on and join the attack. This is certainly something that could be explored against teams that shut up shop in their own half.
