Manchester United’s attack produced 21 shots against Hull City, but the headline number disguises just how little Michael Carrick’s side created during their disastrous 2-0 defeat.
United generated only 1.83 expected goals from those 21 attempts, an average of just 0.087 xG per shot. Carrick therefore has more to fix than simply asking his forwards to shoot more when Ipswich Town visit Old Trafford.
Man Utd attack struggled to create quality chances
United controlled 72% of the possession at the MKM Stadium, but possession rarely translated into sustained danger.
The Guardian’s analysis of the defeat highlighted the contrast between United’s shot volume and the quality of those opportunities. Hull’s defensive shape regularly forced Carrick’s players towards lower-value attempts instead of allowing them to attack the central areas they wanted.
Twenty-one shots can make a performance look considerably more threatening on paper than it actually was.
United’s 1.83 xG works out at fewer than 0.09 expected goals per attempt. They kept reaching shooting positions without consistently creating the kind of chances that should produce goals.
That fits with what Owen Hargreaves identified after the Hull defeat.
Hargreaves argued that United had looked most dangerous under Carrick when opponents left space for them to attack. Hull refused to provide it.
Hull found a way to frustrate Michael Carrick
Sergej Jakirovic’s team defended with numbers and protected the middle of the pitch.
That presented United with a problem they will encounter repeatedly this season.
Sides facing Carrick’s team at Old Trafford are unlikely to consistently offer the transitional spaces in which United can attack quickly. United therefore need a reliable method of breaking opponents down when they sit deeper.
Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha struggled to consistently turn possession into clear opportunities against Hull, while Bruno Fernandes became increasingly involved deeper in the build-up as United searched for a route back into the game.
The issue was not simply an individual attacker having a poor afternoon.
United lacked enough movement to disrupt Hull’s defensive structure and regularly ended attacks without getting into the most dangerous areas.
ReadManUtd’s match report reflected the same problem. United enjoyed plenty of second-half possession but never built the pressure expected from a team chasing a two-goal deficit.
Reuters also noted that United dominated the ball while failing to create enough meaningful chances in Carrick’s first Premier League game of the season.
Benjamin Sesko could give United a different solution
Carrick does at least have options before Ipswich.
Benjamin Sesko came from the bench at Hull and offers a more natural focal point through the middle than United had for much of Saturday’s game.
Starting Sesko would not automatically solve the problem, but his presence could alter how United construct their attacks.
Carrick could use the striker to occupy central defenders and create more space around the penalty area for Fernandes, Mbeumo and Cunha.
The bigger challenge is structural.
United cannot rely on opponents allowing them to counter-attack. Their 21 shots at Hull demonstrate that they can generate volume, but Carrick now needs his side to manufacture much better opportunities from that possession.
Ipswich could provide an immediate examination of whether he has found an answer.
