Manchester United are set to face Athletic Bilbao in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals this upcoming midweek, and there will be a lot of headaches for Ruben Amorim to determine who to start at San Mames on Thursday, and one of those head-scratchers is for a place between Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho.
We at WAFU feel that Amorim should start Mainoo instead of the Argentine wide forward, given how his maturity on the ball and in his movements, complemented by his ability to control the midfield, will prove to be important in speaking to the early pressure that Athletic Bilbao will try to put on the Premier League giants. So all in all, the benefits of starting Mainoo over Garnacho have a lot of positive tactical impact.
Moreover, the fact that Mainoo was substituted in the 65th minute against Bournemouth looks like a move from Amorim to get him refreshed and managed, as he will need all of that preserved energy when he plays against Athletic Bilbao.
Let’s talk a bit tactically
So San Mamés will deploy a nutritious atmosphere when United line up this Thursday, and their Spanish counterpart will be looking to put in an aggressive press and launch vertical passes. If Ruben Amorim’s side were to lose control early, it would leave the defence overexposed.
Andy with Mainoo, he brings that ball retention ability complemented by his press resistance given how he dribbles and feints through his markers. While for Garnacho, he will not influence this midfield control, and his services can only be deployed when United are trying to exploit transitional situations once they have some stability in the game.
Moreover, Athletic Bilbao have some high-flair forwards, and they will be looking to create chaos in the middle of the park to gain some space leverage in the final third. And while Garnacho is an asset in the offensive situations, the Argentine will increase United’s volatility early in the game given how he likes to be direct with his dribbles, and it will be dangerous, especially if United are trying to ride the first wave at San Mamés. For Mainoo, despite his young age, he possesses positional awareness and understanding of cover space to ride the initial storm. Moreover, his ability to link defence with attack without overcommitting will also be crucial.
How can Dalot’s absence push Mainoo to start?
With Diogo Dalot out of the tie with injury, there will be extra pressure on United’s defensive line, and Mainoo can drop into wide zones a bit naturally, then Garnacho can. This way he can not only support the wingback but also help against Bilbao’s second-ball threats. Moreover, his ability to turn defensive situations into offensive ones without risking vertical passes will be helpful for United to find a way around Bilbao’s counterpress.
And lastly, Garnacho is more emotional and has a high-risk playing style and can end up costing United in the initial stages of the game.
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Author Opinion
Garnacho should be kept for the second half when the game is more open, and Ruben Amorim should start Kobbie Mainoo from the get-go this Thursday.
Do you think Garnacho can make an impact from the bench against Bilbao? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.