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#168: United Lose to Hull City

53:54 recording · EN · 1 speaker

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Brief overview

United's 2-0 defeat at Hull exposed Carrick's structural, athletic and set-piece weaknesses, but not panic-worthy.

  1. Hull's block exposed United's lack of width and depthWith Hull in a back five and no target man, United were reduced to speculative balls into the box.
  2. Both goals came from set-piece failuresThe first was structural collapse towards the ball, the second individual physical losses at the back post.
  3. Technicality over physicality is the persistent worryCarrick's selections lowered the team's athleticism in the press and at set pieces as the league got more physical.
Executive Summary AI
  • Hosting solo because co-host Aaron Moniz was away, Kees van Hemmen recaps United losing 2-0 at Hull City in the Premier League opener, with Hull sitting deep in a back three or five and United unable to create width or depth without Ahmad Diallo and Sesco.2:24
  • Both Hull goals came from set pieces: on the first, which he reviewed with frequent guest Jake Fox, United's whole defensive structure collapsed towards the ball before contact and the back post was left unmarked, while the second, just before half-time, he calls an execution and physicality failure with Luke Shaw bullied deep alongside Andre Santos and Masraoui.7:26
  • Answering Reddit user TMG80 on tactics versus personnel, he sets out a three-question framework — what is the tactical approach, is it coherent for the league and opponent, and are the players suited to purpose — and concludes this match was both, while saying it is hard to condemn Carrick with Amad Diallo and Cesco unavailable.13:56
  • On fitness he argues Carrick's selection preferences have made the team less athletic — Mainu for Sesko, Tielemans replacing Casemiro via Andre Santos, Lissandro Martinez locked in at centre-back — creating vulnerability in the press and at set pieces just as the league has gone the other way.38:12
  • He closes by listing the failure modes the match revealed — defensive transition without Carlos Baleba, teams defending deep without Sesko and Diallo, no pressure when trailing, and a set-piece deficit likely to last the season — while still saying he is fairly optimistic and nobody should panic.50:11
Key Quote
“I think there was a lot of hysteria online about what this result meant.”
— Kees van Hemmen2:38
Key Quote
“And United sort of fall back into their old patterns.”
— Kees van Hemmen7:50
Key Quote
“So I don't think it's time to push the panic button.”
— Kees van Hemmen22:15