The second, slightly smaller elephant in the room

[Mad Winger]

So we all know that our defence is the elephant in the room. There's no secret that this is the area that we need to strengthen first.

But there's a second elephant in the room that's only slightly smaller, and therefore almost equally important to address: our lack of pace and flair on the wings(i.e. proper wingers).

We only have two decent options for the wings: Di Maria and Januzaj. But the former is much better centrally in a midfield 3, and the latter is an inconsistent kid. So in reality, we don't really have wingers. And because of this, we've been forced to play all sorts of crazy formations. 5 at the back or the diamond formation, does not seem to be the way to go.

The ability to take on a man and carry the ball for long distances, is crucial in modern football. Every true top team seem to have 1 or 2 wingers in their starting XI capable of doing this. Everyone but us. We don't have a Reus, Robben, Hazard, Silva, Ronaldo, Bale, Neymar, Ribery, Aubameyang, Sanchez, or even Sterling. And that will cost us long term. Especially seeing as our strikers(apart from Rooney) aren't particularly pacy or explosive.

Ideally, we want Rooney to be our target man, flanked by two proper wingers. In midfield, we could then play Blind, Herrera, Di Maria, with Carrick, Fellaini and Mata as top class backup players. I don't think we'll be able to compete with the best teams in the world until we have a setup like this.

Or am I overestimating the power of pace and flair on the flanks?

 

[jem]

I'd love to see Nani back on the wing next season (not optimistic, but I'd be happy to see it.)

 

[bosnian_red]

Not a big deal, Di maria and januzaj can be very good out wide if need be, as can mata, but the one big main issue we have is obviously the constant injuries and the defence. Nobody can get any consistency as everyone gets injured all the time.

 

[Godfather]

The lack of pace all over the pitch is a huge problem in our team I feel.

 

[Eboue]

What is the difference between options three and four?

 

[Dreaded]

I don't think a midfield 3 of Herrera, Blind and Di Maria would work in a 433 with two attacking wingers.

 

[Sam]

I think the fact that LVG choose to play Di Maria up top tells you everything you need to know.

We need some pace up top, and we need it desperately.

 

[Sir A1ex]

I think this poll needs more options.

 

[Pexbo]

Couldn't care less about "the wings". RVP being so sluggish is hurting us upfront which is obviously why Di Maria was put there too. We would look a different team with a more mobile striker, be that Wilson with his pace or Falcao with his intelligent movement.

 

[Brightonian]

No. If we would just play our best players in their best positions, this is not a side that need 'proper wingers'. They were attacking perfectly well without them earlier in the season, but the defensive issues seem to have caused LVG to lose his nerve, and now he refuses to play all his best attackers at the same time. We don't need wingers, we need Herrera and Mata on the pitch and RVP on the bench.

 

[Raw]

I think Rafael/Valencia and Shaw can offer that pace on the wings. Not as much flair as you'd like though.

Our defensive issues MUST get sorted out before the attacking issues. We first need some consistency in defence before finding out what our best set of attackers are.

 

[charlenefan]

Firstly I don't think we lack pace, Di Maria has added that and it doesn't matter if he's played centrally or on the wings he'll still provide that
Secondly if a switch to wingers is done I have no problems with Januzaj either

The real problem is the lack of quality on the right wing, Januzaj is 100% better on the left, Di Maria is better centrally yes but he's also a lot better on the left than he is on the right so what we really need is a right sided winger but who is there? The best ones are actually left footed who have adapted their game so much so that it's not a limitation but even left footed wingers who have adapted their game are unreachable targets

 

[Mad Winger]

Not a big deal, Di maria and januzaj can be very good out wide if need be, as can mata, but the one big main issue we have is obviously the constant injuries and the defence. Nobody can get any consistency as everyone gets injured all the time.

Most Real Madrid supporters seem to think that Di Maria shouldn't be used on the wing because of his inconsistency and because he's so much better centrally. I don't think it will be any different for us. Januzaj is not good enough to play week in week out, imo. Mata is one of the slowest attacking midfielders in the game, and he can't beat a man. I wouldn't play him on the wing, unless it was an emergency.

I don't think a midfield 3 of Herrera, Blind and Di Maria would work in a 433 with two attacking wingers.

But we've played with those 3, plus Mata, Rooney and RVP/Falcao. I don't think that's any less attacking.

 

[SirBobbysCombover]

How big is this room to fit not one, but two elephants in, a pen or holding enclosure would be far more suited to their requirements.

 

[bosnian_red]

Most Real Madrid supporters seem to think that Di Maria shouldn't be used on the wing because of his inconsistency and because he's so much better centrally. I don't think it will be any different for us. Januzaj is not good enough to play week in week out, imo. Mata is one of the slowest attacking midfielders in the game, and he can't beat a man. I wouldn't play him on the wing, unless it was an emergency.



But we've played with those 3, plus Mata, Rooney and RVP/Falcao. I don't think that's any less attacking.

Well obviously it can be better, but I mean it can do for now and its not a disaster waiting to happen or something like that. Add in 1 top winger so di maria can start in the muddle and it'd be fine basically.

Bigger issues are center backs and injuries everywhere.

 

[Mersault]

I wouldn't say it's as serious, as having a solid defense is absolutely key, and we haven't had that. But having one other outlet like Di Maria, instead of clumping in loads of slow strikers up top would really take us to another level.

But despite dropping 17 points from 36, we're in fourth. mad. We can still address this in January.

 

[Señor]

I wanted to vote for Yes, but not as serious as our defensive problems but there was no option for that so had to vote for Yes, but not nearly as serious as our defensive problems.

 

[Kazi]

We haven't played with wingers in most matches this season so it's not really a problem yet, until we stick with a formation that needs wingers.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

What's with the lack of "Eboue" options in these polls of late?

A sign of decay, I'd say.

 

[ivaldo]

Its like saying is our lack of a sweeper concerning? No because we don't line up with one. We don't like we wingers so its not a problem.

 

[Phil]

What's with the lack of "Eboue" options in these polls of late?

A sign of decay, I'd say.

This.

This is the real elephant in the Cafe.

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

Options 3 & 4 and options 5 & 6.

 

[TheRedDevil'sAdvocate]

The biggest elephant in the room is our off the ball movement or more likely the lack of it. We have many players who just wait for the ball to come to them and do very little to create space for others and not just for themselves. When you're a counter attacking side the quality of the counters can make up for that but when you're a team that wants to play possession football it is a big issue.

 

[Mad Winger]

Options 3 & 4 and options 5 & 6.

I shouldn't have started a poll after drinking

 

[Red Devil 26]

What's with the lack of "Eboue" options in these polls of late?

A sign of decay, I'd say.

We're losing our identity.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Just get Shaqiri and the problem is solved.

 

[Ibi Dreams]

Our wings aren't even necessarily an issue. We've played our best football this season playing a diamond, playing through the middle. In that formation Di Maria basically plays two positions, midfield with the license to get out wide left when the space is there. Our lack of options on the wing may be an issue if that's how we aim to play, but given that our best play has come without even using wingers I wouldn't say it is that much of a problem.

 

[Roboc7]

Yes it is a huge problem and is further compounded by a lack of pace throughout the team, we have too many players who are too slow and need pace around them in order to be effective mata being a prime example but we just don't have it.

The big advantage to having pace is it effects how the other team can defend,they either have to drop off and give midfield more space or gamble that you can't get in behind them. At times we are too easy to defend against and have no threat on the counter because of the lack of pace up front or out wide.

 

[acnumber9]

Where's the Kagawa option?

 

[Mad Winger]

Where's the Kagawa option?

That's the third elephant in the room

 

[Tarrou]

We've only conceded 3 in our 4 last four. Considering the injuries, the defence is coping quite well. I think the attack will improve once our defence settles, and LVG feels he can field a more offensive line-up. RVP>Falcao is surely going to add something too.

 

[Pexbo]

We've only conceded 3 in our 4 last four. Considering the injuries, the defence is coping quite well. I think the attack will improve once our defence settles, and LVG feels he can field a more offensive line-up. RVP>Falcao is surely going to add something too.

We've conceded 3 in our last 4 but only scored 4. The reason our defense is coping better despite all the injuries is because our play has become a lot more pragmatic. Van Gaal has accepted we have to be more cautious in attack and the midfield has to stay a bit deeper and cover more. It's the reason we're playing Fellaini instead of Herrera, Rooney instead of Mata (and not as a striker instead of the woeful RVP) and playing Di Maria either wide or forward.

The fact is that:

RB - CB - CB - LB
Carrick - Fellaini
Januzaj - Rooney - Di Maria
Van Persie
​

Is a lot more defensively sound, physical and robust than:

RB - CB - CB - LB
Carrick
Herrera - Di Maria
Mata
Van Persie - Rooney
​

Given our best back line that has played at least 10 games together and is hitting some form and communicating better and the second team would be fine. You'd fancy it to dominate possession and hit 2 or 3 goals. The trouble is that with a poor back line like we have now, you can't trust it when it comes to pushing up, using territory and playing a high back line. Teams just counter attack us for fun.

 

[one340]

we had Valencia and Young operating defensively on the wings today so we should keep that in mind.

 

[Devil may care]

It needn't be an out and out winger, but I definitely think we could do with another fast, versatile forward and another CM that can drive the ball out.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Another winger and Di Maria flanking Rooney.

 

[GloryHunter07]

What about lack of pace upfront?

 

[FC Ronaldo]

Just get Shaqiri and the problem is solved.

One of the greediest and most selfish players I have ever seen in the flesh. The further away from United he can be, the better. We don't need him.

 

[FromTheBench]

One of the greediest and most selfish players I have ever seen in the flesh. The further away from United he can be, the better. We don't need him.

Yeah, plus he isn't really elite level good and more of a inside forward anyway.



We do need wide players though especially if LVG's preference for 4-3-3 stays. He's not fully ready yet but Depay seems the most option to me right now in terms of atleast 1 addition.

How's Cuadrado been doing this season ?

 

[GloryHunter07]

We've conceded 3 in our last 4 but only scored 4. The reason our defense is coping better despite all the injuries is because our play has become a lot more pragmatic. Van Gaal has accepted we have to be more cautious in attack and the midfield has to stay a bit deeper and cover more. It's the reason we're playing Fellaini instead of Herrera, Rooney instead of Mata (and not as a striker instead of the woeful RVP) and playing Di Maria either wide or forward.

The fact is that:

RB - CB - CB - LB
Carrick - Fellaini
Januzaj - Rooney - Di Maria
Van Persie
​

Is a lot more defensively sound, physical and robust than:

RB - CB - CB - LB
Carrick
Herrera - Di Maria
Mata
Van Persie - Rooney
​

Given our best back line that has played at least 10 games together and is hitting some form and communicating better and the second team would be fine. You'd fancy it to dominate possession and hit 2 or 3 goals. The trouble is that with a poor back line like we have now, you can't trust it when it comes to pushing up, using territory and playing a high back line. Teams just counter attack us for fun.

I wouldn't mind seeing:

Defence

Carrick
Herrera - Fellaini

Adnan - Rooney - ADM

Perhaps Mata or Blind could come in to fine tune the balance

 

[devilish]

First things first. We had kind of sorted the CM, now we focus on the defense and then we check the wings.

In my opinion signing Falcao would be madness. Even if he scores 40 goals this season, we shouldn't spend 40m on a 29 year old striker.