What Julian Nagelsmann has previously said about man-to-man pressing after Bruno Fernandes complaints

Manchester United lost 4-1 to Como on Wednesday evening in what may well go down as the worst display of the Michael Carrick era.

Simply put, United were all over the place against Como, they were outclassed, out-fought and out-thought all over the pitch.

The inquest is well and truly underway after this game, and it didn’t take long for Bruno Fernandes to make his voice heard on this matter.

Fernandes was critical of Carrick and his staff after the game, pointing out the way the team pressed as a major issue:

“Conceding early makes us go into game with a mood of defeat, it’s difficult to get out of that, trying to be brave, to have the ball and make something happen. If we are not able to do that, it is going to be very difficult to get out of this situation,” Fernandes said.

“It’s a decision from the staff to not press man to man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, wait for them, but sometimes when you give space to these teams they get confidence.”

Fernandes clearly has an issue with the way United pressed, and interestingly, the Red Devils could now hire a manager who is very keen on precise pressing systems.

What Julian Nagelsmann has said about man-to-man pressing

According to The Telegraph, Julian Nagelsmann is a leading contender for the United job should Michael Carrick be removed from his post.

Interestingly, after Fernandes’ complaints, Nagelsmann is a manager with a clear view on how a team should press.

During his time as Bayern Munich manager he noted that his team needs to press relentlessly if they are to be successful.

“Our counter-pressing is what worries me most. We need to get a better handle on that. The counter-pressing simply has to be relentlessly effective and very powerful,” Nagelsmann said, via FC Bayern Insider.

Meanwhile, Nagelsmann noted in an interview with The Guardian that pressing is key to his team’s structure, claiming that he much prefers to pressure his opponents into mistakes rather than making tackles.

“I am not too keen on tackles. I much prefer us to win the ball by pressuring the opponent into a mistake, that we cut off his angles so that he makes a mistake when he tries to find a team-mate with a difficult pass. And then, when we get the ball, we need to be quick in order to be able to create a chance and then it’s better and the player is fresher when he hasn’t had to make five tackles before starting an attack,” Nagelsmann said.

The cherry on the cake may well be Nagelsmann’s past comments on playing man-to-man and how that works.

The German was very clear that a man-to-man system can’t work unless every player is giving 100% – a sentiment that United fans may find familiar after Michael Carrick’s comments post-Como.

“If you’re playing man-to-man and individual players aren’t giving 100 percent, aren’t pressing, then you’re outnumbered,” Nagelsmann said, via Bavarian Football Works.

Fernandes would get what he wants if United hired Nagelsmann – a manager who puts a huge emphasis on how a team presses and playing man-to-man, but as both Nagelsmann and Carrick say, that will only work if every player gives their all, and, at the moment, it’s hard to argue that every member of the United squad is doing that.