Time to go with 3 at the back

[shabz]

It's been an awful start to the season for us and we have had an even worse transfer window. We havent been able to sign any of our first targets and are the team performances and morale are rock bottom.

It's clear our defence and defensive play all over the field has contributed to this massively and from having one of the best in Europe statistically last season we are now one of the worst. We have been stretched and pulled apart and our defensive structure is non existent. Our midfield and attackers are having to track back all the time, so when we finally do get an opportunity to break we aren't in a position to do this effectively.

Three at the back will allow are full backs to venture forward in the knowledge that we have more coverage across the box and should hopefully stop our CMs running back uneccesarily and giving away fouls/penalties as they are so out of position(Fernandes and Bruno).

I would prefer 3 4 3 over 3 5 2 as we still have some creativity in wider positions but these wingers can also invert quite easily when there is an overlap from our full backs.

We can't go on the way we are playing especially with fixtures we have over the next six weeks and I dread to think how messy this can get if we carry on producing the performances we have done.

 

[meamth]

Nah.

we're short in numbers at the back. Playing consistently 3 at the back with just 5 senior centerbacks will bite us in the arse.

More importantly, we signed 2 RWs and I bet Ole will stick with 4-2-3-1 for many matches to come.

 

[ChaddyP]

Nah.

we're short in numbers at the back. Playing consistently 3 at the back with just 5 senior centerbacks will bite us in the arse.

More importantly, we signed 2 RWs and I bet Ole will stick with 4-2-3-1 for many matches to come.

One of those right wings wont be here for a couple months and the other I don't even know if the club Is sure he's ready for first team football

 

[sp_107]

It's been an awful start to the season for us and we have had an even worse transfer window. We havent been able to sign any of our first targets and are the team performances and morale are rock bottom.

It's clear our defence and defensive play all over the field has contributed to this massively and from having one of the best in Europe statistically last season we are now one of the worst. We have been stretched and pulled apart and our defensive structure is non existent. Our midfield and attackers are having to track back all the time, so when we finally do get an opportunity to break we aren't in a position to do this effectively.

Three at the back will allow are full backs to venture forward in the knowledge that we have more coverage across the box and should hopefully stop our CMs running back uneccesarily and giving away fouls/penalties as they are so out of position(Fernandes and Bruno).

I would prefer 3 4 3 over 3 5 2 as we still have some creativity in wider positions but these wingers can also invert quite easily when there is an overlap from our full backs.

We can't go on the way we are playing especially with fixtures we have over the next six weeks and I dread to think how messy this can get if we carry on producing the performances we have done.

I am not confident with any of our Central Defenders and now you want to put 3 of them on pitch ?

 

[TMDaines]

I can see the argument when looking at the left-side, but who are you playing at RCB and RWB? AWB and Williams, or a CB and AWB respectively?

 

[shabz]

I am not confident with any of our Central Defenders and now you want to put 3 of them on pitch ?

I can see the argument when looking at the left-side, but who are you playing at RCB and RWB? AWB and Williams, or a CB and AWB respectively?

Two of them aren't doing the job at all. A three worked well last season when used and I think using Maguire, Bailly/Lindelof and Luke Shaw/Mctominay to add some legs back there could work well. I wouldn't opt to have all three CBs to be Maguire, Bailly or Lindelof.

We could also go AWB as RCB and Williams as RB.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

Yes, favourite formation, any derivative thereof.

Shaw a LCB in the team, Bailly as a RCB and Maguire as the Sweeper. AWB at RWB, Telles as LWB.

Middle - Fred, Van de Beek, Pogba

Up top - Bruno, Martial

Interchange Cavani for Pogba, putting Bruno back into the middle etc. Rashford in for Bruno. etc

 

[Infra-red]

Our CBs are all useless. I'm not sure if that means we should start with more of them (to cover for each other's mistakes/weaknesses) or less of them so that we don't waste one of the eleven places on someone rubbish. It doesn't seem like Ole knows how to organise a backline either way.

We don't have any decent wide players, so perhaps 3-5-2 is the way forward for now.

 

[Infra-red]

I can see the argument when looking at the left-side, but who are you playing at RCB and RWB? AWB and Williams, or a CB and AWB respectively?

I don't think there's a place for AWB in a back three/five. He's too limited on the ball to play RWB and too poor positionally to play RCB.

 

[Jonty]

I can't understand why we persist in trying to have our centre backs play out from the back. They have no clue and tend to pass the ball between each other until one makes a mistake and puts us under pressure. Given we now have creative midfielders the game plan should be get the ball to them asap and let them do their business.

 

[Deery]

feck 3 at the back I hate it..I don’t like 4-2-3-1 either

 

[YAMS49]

I'd be all against this usually but it will actually make McGuire look half decent so there is that positive.

 

[Infra-red]

I can't understand why we persist in trying to have our centre backs play out from the back. They have no clue and tend to pass the ball between each other until one makes a mistake and puts us under pressure. Given we now have creative midfielders the game plan should be get the ball to them asap and let them do their business.

From the outside, it appears that Ole and his staff think that playing out from the back is something we should be doing, but none of them really know how to actually achieve it. This is not that surprising, given that they are relative novices at this level. More generally, the side has a long-standing issue with organisation in possession, which hasn't improved during Solskjaer's two years in charge.

 

[Mcking]

De Gea
Lindelof - Maguire - Shaw
Williams - Pogba - Fred - Telles
Fernandes
Rashford - Martial
​

Makes sense honestly. Our transfers has been scatter gun though. We've bought so many without actually a good way to fit them in.

 

[bond19821982]

Our next 6 matches are against Newcastle, PSG,Chelsea, Leipzig, Arsenal and Everton.

We will certainly use back 5 .

 

[Havak]

Makes more sense to pack the midfield IMO, we have better players there. Putting extra terrible defenders in and asking them to defend more will just lead to even more goals conceded IMO.

Although if we do it in some of the big games, I think it will be with Shaw as a third CB rather than Bailly/Lindelof.

 

[arnie_ni]

My issue with 5 at the back is removing a vastly superior misfielder for a 3rd cb who many would argue shouldnt even be in the squad.

Your weakening your team to do it.

Hoepfully the tactical shift will outweigh the worse of starting 11

 

[arnie_ni]

Makes more sense to pack the midfield IMO, we have better players there. Putting extra terrible defenders in and asking them to defend more will just lead to even more goals conceded IMO.

Just posted the same thing

 

[arnie_ni]

I can see the argument when looking at the left-side, but who are you playing at RCB and RWB? AWB and Williams, or a CB and AWB respectively?

Dont think awb makes it in.

You'd shift shaw to lcb and play telles, slide williams over to rwb, and presumably lindelof or bailly and rcb.

You then have no need for matic, In theory so you'll play fred.

Who do you partner him with? Vdb or pogba?

 

[MUFC OK]

AWB can't play this system. We have to go toe to toe with smaller teams and play on the counter against better quality opposition. A CDM shielding is a must, the problem with the pressing game with a high line is Maguire's lack of pace.

 

[Deery]

Makes more sense to pack the midfield IMO, we have better players there. Putting extra terrible defenders in and asking them to defend more will just lead to even more goals conceded IMO.

Although if we do it in some of the big games, I think it will be with Shaw as a third CB rather than Bailly/Lindelof.

I’d rather see this too 4-5-1 with Rashford playing up top by himself and VDB coming into the midfield along with Telles at left back, Pogba maybe at left midfield.

It could help us get prepared for the CL as well as I don’t see us playing too openly there as we could get torn apart.

 

[MUFC OK]

Our next 6 matches are against Newcastle, PSG,Chelsea, Leipzig, Arsenal and Everton.

We will certainly use back 5 .

Surely the counter works just as well? We have fast forwards and players who can move the ball/transition quickly in midfield and pick a pass. I'd bring in Big Sam on a consultancy basis for defensive 101 as I think Ole is incredibly naive in this aspect.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Think with Martial missing 3 games it could work out well

AWB/BAILLY/MAGUIRE/SHAW/TELLES

FRED / MATIC / POGBA

FERNANDES / RASHFORD

That would be my starting 11 with Greenwood and Cavani as the game changing options.

 

[Blood Mage]

I think this would be our optimal setup at this point yes. A back three of Bailly, Maguire and Shaw with Willams and Telles as the wing-backs. If Bailly and Shaw get injured I'm not sure we can make it work though, I doubt Solskjaer trusts Tuanzebe or Mengi right now and ideally you can't have two slow CBs in a back three so Lindelof would only be cover for Maguire in the sweeper role.

​

 

[SadlerMUFC]

You can call it a back 3 all you want but it's a back 5 and I would rather lose every game trying to play the way Manchester United is meant to play than play with 5 at the back

 

[romufc]

5 at the back will make 0 difference defensively.

Our issue is not solely down to the back line. We are so easy to play against in midfield. That is the problem in this team.

West Ham, Southampton, Brighton, Spurs, Palace have all won the midfield battle against us.

As long as you keep letting teams run at our back 4/5 we will concede goals.

Ole has to find a way of protecting our defence.

 

[Vidyoyo]

Yes it's a smart idea but AWB cannot play RWB because he is absolutely woeful at attacking. Williams is a better shout if he learns the role.

I'm a bit worried Ole will stick with 4231 and put Telles at left-wing (similar to how Fergie tried it with Evra).

 

[Negative Red]

It's definitely something to think about, especially with Martial suspended, two up front makes sense. It's horrible to watch but not half as bad as watching Maguire in a back four.

 

[TMDaines]

You can call it a back 3 all you want but it's a back 5 and I would rather lose every game trying to play the way Manchester United is meant to play than play with 5 at the back

I'll send some commas in the post.

 

[Bwuk]

To easy for opposition to defend against. They'd just let AWB have the ball and go tight on everyone else.

 

[Blood Mage]

Yes it's a smart idea but AWB cannot play RWB because he is absolutely woeful at attacking. Williams is a better shout if he learns the role.

That's why we should drop him for Williams (we should do that anyway even if we stick with a back four).

 

[sincher]

4 at the back for me, but we need much better protection across the midfield.

 

[Lee565]

I really hope tuanzebe can get himself sorted and produce his potential.

 

[Clermontois]

De Gea
Lindelof - Bailly - Shaw
Williams - Fernandes- Pogba - Fred - Telles
Rashford - Martial​

Fixed.

It is time Fernandes played the role of an actual midfielder.

 

[VP89]

Nah.

we're short in numbers at the back. Playing consistently 3 at the back with just 5 senior centerbacks will bite us in the arse.

More importantly, we signed 2 RWs and I bet Ole will stick with 4-2-3-1 for many matches to come.

Neither RW is a shoe in for the first XI, and Shaw can actually add value as a left sided CB.

Telles suits a wingback role massively, AWB had some terrific Palace performances as a wingback too. Cavani can be very well suited to having a partner next to him on top.

Most importantly though, it will cover defensive frailties far easier. Makes a lot more sense to me than 4231 right now.

 

[SadlerMUFC]

I'll send some commas in the post.

Thanks...it's much appreciated

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Yeah not a bad option considering Greenwood and Rashford are the only ones reliable enough among all our attackers.
352 is better than 343, fully using our midfield depth, unless we're putting one of Pogba/Bruno/VDB in one of the trident.

Diamond or Square Formation is better, since the quality of our FBs in attacking are admittedly lacking.

A) Total Control - Bruno + Fred + McT + Matic
B) Best balance - Bruno + Pogba/VDB + Fred/McT + Matic
C) Division of two Labor - Bruno + Pogba/VDB + Fred + McT
D) Crazy Risk - Bruno + Pogba + VDB + Fred

 

[Mcking]

Fixed.

It is time Fernandes played the role of an actual midfielder.

He is not a very good midfielder as far as I'm concerned. Weak on the ball and gives it away far too much. The signature of a proper defensive midfielder would have put us in a far better position.

People were praising Ole's signings, but apart from Telles and Cavani, every single one has been underwhelming, relative to the situation at the time they were signed.

 

[abkmufc92]

So to solve our defensive issues you want us to play as many of our shit defenders at the same time?

Our main issues have been teams cutting through our midfield like it's not even there, so surely you would want to pack the midfield instead.

As mentioned in another thread, our team should be this

De Gea/Henderson
AWB Lindelof Maguire Shaw/Telles
Matic
Fred Van de Beek
Bruno
Greenwood Rashford

Or

De Gea/Henderson
AWB Lindelof Maguire Shaw/Telles
Fred
Pogba Van de Beek
Bruno
Greenwood Rashford

When Martial is back swap him for Greenwood or Rashford.

 

[Monks_United]

I'd go with a 3 at the back and play dan James as a right wing back. He could do reasonably there with more space on the wing.