Jose Mourinho looking to complete his favourite ‘trivote’ system
By Nhan Doan
Love him or hate him for his approach, it can’t be denied the ‘trivote’ is one of the best tactical innovations of Jose Mourinho’s career.
The trivote is composed of three aggressive, hard-tackling midfielders who could either win the ball high up the pitch or offer an impenetrable block in front of the defensive four.
With every club he has managed, trivote is Mourinho’s secret weapon for the big matches. He led Inter Milan in completing the treble thanks to the combination of Dejan Stankovic – Esteban Cambiasso – Thiago Motta in the midfield.
Relocating to Spain, his negative tactics caused heated deliberation among fans. He opted for Lassana Diarra – Xabi Alonso – Sami Khedira in the midfield while using Pepe as a de facto destroyer in El Classico outings.
In his brief homecoming to Stamford Bridge, Mourinho again sparked controversies. He left out two-time player of the year Juan Mata for Oscar, whom he advocated for his defensive work rate.
Surprisingly, Mata has now earned the manager favor the past season, but Mourinho again created a lot of talking points for his squad selection for his latest club for backing Marouane Fellaini, a defensive-ish player whose form is nervy at best.
Considering the players available, United fans should get used to another Mourinho’s trivote.
Manchester United is packed with wingers who prefer to penetrate and cut inside, but the team lacks a true playmaker. Juan Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are players are not the best option in this case. In truth, they are more comfortable to play at the flanks, looking to score goals rather than picking out their striker.
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This leaves Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba as the two main sources of creativity in the midfield. They also process great physical abilities and determination to play defensively. However, they were often required to stay deep in their own half, hindering their playmaking skills.
The past season, United had Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the squad, who vastly developed his playmaking skills later in his career. The Swedish is a complete striker, who utilizes his strength to win aerial duels before picking out passes to the half-spaces.
United has entrusted Romelu Lukaku as the Swedish’s replacement, who was released at the end of the season because of injury. However, his bad first-touch and his playing trait as a lone striker might disrupt the attacking rhythm. United needs more creativity from the midfield to comply with Lukaku’s weaknesses, which Herrera and Pogba should be discharged from defensive duty.
Mourinho was hailed for his tactical masterclass in the 2-0 victory against Ajax in the UEFA Europa League Final. The Portuguese manager opted for Marouane Fellaini, Herrera and Pogba in the midfield, who outmuscled the opposing central midfielders. United fans should get used to a cautious approach heading into the big matches the next season.
In the football scene which requires players to be confident when the ball is on their feet, Mourinho can’t rely on a pure destroyer. Fellaini’s distribution is nervy, and at times he finds himself at the wrong place at the wrong time. United needs a defensive midfielder who is strong at passing, which Nemanja Matic, Fabinho and Tiemoue Bakayoko process. Unsurprisingly, United is heavily linked to two of those three.
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Mourinho has cited the need for two to four new players. With Lukaku and Victor Lindelof, United has finished half of its assignments. While the team can be hesitant for a new winger, a defensive midfielder who is decent at passing is crucial to its manager’s system.