IT was not supposed to be like this.
At the start of this season, there was optimism around Manchester United after what was seen as a successful summer transfer window.
Lisandro Martinez is returning from four months out with a foot injuryGetty
Erik ten Hag will be relieved to see the Argentine defender back availableGetty
The signings of Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount were thought to have fixed some of the glaring weaknesses in the squad and Champions League football was returning to Old Trafford once again.
But, as of January, Man Utd are in the middle of another disappointing campaign.
They crashed out of the Champions League in the group stage and are sitting eighth in the Premier League with a goal difference of -5 – the worst of any team in the top half of the table.
Defensively so far this season United have been poor and this has led to considerable criticism of keeper Andre Onana.
But while the Cameroonian international has made mistakes, Man Utd’s poor defensive record cannot be attributed solely to him.
Instead, we have to look at the performance of the defensive unit as a whole and to the injury issues that United have suffered in this area of the pitch.
So far this season United have suffered two key injuries in defence in the shape of Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez.
And while the loss of Shaw was a problem, it was the injury to Martinez in September that has had a much more negative impact.
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Martinez was an integral part of Man Utd’s team last season
Martinez made his comeback against Spurs earlier this month and the reaction of the Old Trafford crowd spoke volumes about his importance to the team.
In this article, we will look in depth at what the return of Martinez means for United.
Progressive passing from the back
When Martinez first signed for United in 2022, there was a lot of talk about his height – with the South American standing at 5ft 10in.
But it did not take long for Martinez to show he was more than capable of performing at the top level.
He is a central defender who shows excellent timing, anticipation and athleticism and this allows him to compete in the air.
But this is not the only strength he has to his game.
Indeed, having played for Ajax, a team who like to build from the back, Martinez was actually underrated as a progressive passer.
This is an area United have struggled in recent weeks with the likes of Jonny Evans, Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane attempting to play out.
Having a central defender like Martinez, who is naturally left-footed, allows United to more effectively progress the ball from the back with more balance.
Martinez has the quality on the ball to see the passing lane and break the press as Man Utd’s deepest player
When he was out injured, we saw United use right-footed players on this side.
And when they were building out from the back, this negatively affected the balance and angles of their play.
Martinez is more natural at receiving the ball and opening his body to pass through the lines into midfield.
Having a central defender who is more capable with the ball at his feet also puts less emphasis on the United midfield to take responsibility for progressing up the pitch
This should, in turn, take pressure off the likes of Casemiro and allow the Brazilian to do what he does best – closing space and controlling central areas.
Evans is more risk averse than Martinez – demonstrated here when he opts to play the ball back to Onana rather than breaking the pressing line
Now, with Martinez coming back to fitness, United will have a central defender who can receive the ball from the keeper and play into midfield without being pressured or forced back.
This will help United to build attacks but also improve the structure of their midfield.
Defending with aggression
While Martinez’s ability to play out from the back may have been a surprise to United, the defender’s aggression was no revelation.
Martinez has a lot of traits that we see from many top Argentinian players.
He has the determination that we may come to expect but this extends to having an aggressive streak when defending.
This is something that United have been missing in Martinez’s absence as the likes of Varane, Maguire and Evans can all be described as back-foot or reactive central defenders.
They are more cautious off the ball and less likely to try to regain possession higher up the pitch.
Martinez is very much the opposite of that.
He is a front-foot, proactive defender who will act aggressively in trying to engage and win the ball back.
Tottenham try to play into Richarlison but Martinez is quick to engage as he prevents the Brazilian from receiving it
Of course, this come with its own risks as Martinez can leave space in behind that the opposition can exploit.
But Martinez’s speed means he can engage high, before swiftly dropping back to his defensive position.
This also allows Man Utd’s midfield to be less stretched.
As Man Utd drop deep and leave space, Luke Shaw comes across to close down and leaves his man free out wide
One of the biggest criticisms of United so far this season is that they have been too easy to get at because their defensive line has been so passive.
Now, with Martinez back, United will be more difficult to play against as they will be more compact and aggressive.
This should have a notable impact on the United midfield.
Defending the area
The aggressive nature of Martinez will extend to helping United more effectively defend the penalty area.
While Onana has had criticism for his performances, he has also faced a lot of shots that could have been avoided with a more effective defence.
Martinez reads the game extremely well – his anticipation and positioning making him effective at defending the penalty area from crosses.
Martinez reads the threat of the ball into the box and and moves quickly to clear it away
And he is more likely to attack the ball with aggression when the opposition look to work it into the area.
The likes of Varane, Maguire and Evans are more likely to stick to their man as opposed to moving towards the ball.
Martinez may have a natural disadvantage when it comes to his height, but opposition strikers are still outwitted by him in the penalty area due to his astute positioning.
Both Shaw and Harry Maguire fail to read the cross and pick up Dominic Solanke, before the Bournemouth No9 tucks home
One of the key duties for a central defender in the modern game is to defend the area and prevent the opposition from creating shooting opportunities.
Without Martinez, we have seen United struggle to do this.
They have been too passive and weak around the area which has led to them conceding goals.
Conclusion
The return of Martinez will not only have been welcomed warmly by the Man Utd fanbase, but also by his teammates.
His comeback from injury will improve United by ensuring they give away fewer chances and restrict opposition teams from easily building attacks.
This will, in turn, also take the pressure off Onana.
Now the key for Man Utd will be to ensure they keep Martinez fit for the remainder of the season.
Man Utd’s next five games in all competitions
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