Ralf Ragnick might not have a very impressive resume when it comes to managing some of the biggest clubs in Europe, but he is one of the philosophers of the modern game.
He has his legacy in the creation of a brand of football that has been conquering Europe, especially in the recent past. The gegenpressing school is the most dominant in world football at this moment with Klopp, Tuchel, Nagelsmann and Flick, all being influenced by Ragnick.
Hence, naturally, his transfer to Manchester United was believed by experts to be a new beginning for the team which was quite essential after the last few days of Ole.
But has he really influenced Manchester United in a positive way? Or does the team play the same brand of football as they used to play in the past?
With results being not what Manchester United fans expected, one might simply wonder whether Ragnick really deserves the hype that he is getting at this moment. But the nuances of the game are to be properly analysed to understand the proceedings.
Formations
Ragnick has largely moved away from Ole's 4-5-1 and has deployed 4-2-2-2 in some matches. This formation was utilised in order to have an advantage while counter-pressing. Although results have not yet come due to the players not being able to adapt to the system yet, United's pressing has gotten a lot better than what it used to be.
Partnering Ronaldo up
Ole was severely criticised for using Ronaldo as a solitary striker which was never his favourite position and which impacted Ronaldo's game a bit, despite the goals being abundant as always.
Ragnick's attacking quartet has enabled Ronaldo to play his natural game so far and with time this is going to be more effective.
Defensive priority
Ragnick seems to have prioritised the United defence, but that has not been effective so far due to the lack of defenders who are capable of functioning in his system. As someone who wants to have absolute control over his team, it would take some time for Ragnick to have an edge in this very area.
Change in Training
Manchester United have undergone a completely new dimension in training as admitted by Marcus Rashford since Ragnick's pedantic approach ensures every player gets to train according to his strengths and weaknesses. Although it has not paid off immediately, the impacts will start being visible in the upcoming days.
With a 1-1 draw against Newcastle, many are already doubtful about Ragnick. But the positives have outnumbered the negatives so far and Manchester United will start experiencing that soon, once the deadwood is gotten rid of.
