Our attack is unbalanced, why do we refuse to make it more balanced?

ManchesterYoda · Jul 28, 2019

Martial
Left: 111 games 59 goals+assists 1.88 games per goal/assist
Central: 91 games 37 goals+assists 2.46 games per goal/assist
Right: 15 games 2 goals+assists 7.50 games per goal/assist

Rashford
Left: 52 games 21 goals+assists 2.48 games per goal/assist
Central: 104 games 50 goals+assists 2.08 games per goal/assist
Right: 17 games 3 goals+assists 5.67 games per goal/assist

Lingard
Left: 98 games 53 goals+assists 1.85 games per goal/assist
Central: 62 games 23 goals+assists 2.70 games per goal/assist
Right: 85 games 22 goals+assists 3.86 games per goal/assist

James
Left: 49 games 18 goals+assists 2.72 games per goal/assist
Central: 11 games 6 goals+assists 1.86 games per goal/assist
Right: 27 games 11 goals+assists 2.45 games per goal/assist

Sanchez
Left: 156 games 86 goals+assists 1.81 games per goal/assist
Central: 84 games 67 goals+assists 1.25 games per goal/assist
Right: 154 games 93 goals+assists 1.66 games per goal/assist

Mata
Left: 123 games 67 goals+assists 1.84 games per goal/assist
Central: 162 games 96 goals+assists 1.69 games per goal/assist
Right: 152 games 69 goals+assists 2.20 games per goal/assist

Mata is left footed, the other 5 are right footed.

To make our attack more balanced, we need a left footed attacking player who is most effective playing on the right. I don't understand why we refuse to sign this player we so desperately need. I've been wanting us to sign this player since Moyes was manager. Year after year goes by. Our attack is garbage year after year. The reason it is garbage is because is it UNBALANCED. We only attack down the left and our right side attack is completely non-existent. An unbalanced attack is garbage and completely ineffective because the opposition team's defenders only need to focus on one side. Nothing will change this season if we continue to play a completely unbalanced attack.
I would be optimistic about this season if I knew that in every game we were going to play Sanchez, Greenwood or Chong on the right and nobody else EVER. That will not happen though because Sanchez will either not play at all or play on the fecking left. Greenwood and Chong will not be trusted to play the whole season between them on the right, it's just wishful thinking.
I don't understand anyone that can look at City and Liverpool, see how balanced and effective their teams are and then look at our squad and say, for example "we don't need any more forwards, Rashford can do a job on the right, so can Lingard".

Gasolin · Jul 28, 2019

I think Greenwood can play right and has scored in that position. We will have to make it dynamic but if it’s not Greenwood then yes we lack someone.

We can change pattern a bit though, reverse winter on the left but crosser on the right...

ManchesterYoda · Jul 28, 2019

Pepe, just an example of a left footed right sided attacker, a player we're about to let join Arsenal. He was available and we said NO.

Left: never played there. N/A.
Central: 20 games 5 goals+assists 4 games per goal/assist
Right: 80 games 54 goals+assists 1.48 games per goal/assist

Doesn't matter anyway because knowing us, we'd have probably played him on the left.

RyRy11 · Jul 28, 2019

I think the right hand flank becomes a viable option now we have a proper full back playing there. You could see from pre season that more is going through the right compared to last year.

BAMSOLA · Jul 28, 2019

For me this issue is a distant second to CM and is actually a tactical issue as there is no reason why a right footed player already in the squad can't make a good job of playing that position, Hopefully Daniel James or Greenwood(who is of course two footed) can provide a solution but I'm far too concerned with CM to worry about this.

Tarrou · Jul 28, 2019

Sanchez has a decent record on the right

it was an absolutely bonkers decision that we bought him and played him on the left

Martial/Rashford were doing quite well at the time on the left too, iirc

ManchesterYoda · Jul 28, 2019

BAMSOLA said:
For me this issue is a distant second to CM and is actually a tactical issue as there is no reason why a right footed player already in the squad can't make a good job of playing that position, Hopefully Daniel James or Greenwood(who is of course two footed) can provide a solution but I'm far too concerned with CM to worry about this.

Can a midfielder already in the squad make a good job of playing CM? We both know the answer.

El K2k · Jul 28, 2019

I thought Sanchez was bought by Jose to play him on the right but he was played in the left as well.

Its been a while since we addressed the real issues, just kept stockpiling players just because they were available. During Fergie's last few seasons it was the central midfield and we had lot of players for the No. 10 position and now that its the right wing with all the left wingers.

BAMSOLA · Jul 28, 2019

ManchesterYoda said:
Can a midfielder already in the squad make a good job of playing CM? We both know the answer.

No buts that because they lack quality with only McTominay showing recently as being up to standard and Pogba not being a CM who should be tasked with consistently tracking runners (in other words he always be the furthest CM forward either behind a striker in a 4-2-3-1 or the most advanced CM in a 4-3-3.).

On the other hand Matic's lack of energy is not a tactical issues nor is Fred's wastefulness on the ball.

We don't appear to lack quality down the right, we just lack a decent RB/RW combination down that flank which can hopefully be solved by AWB and one other from either Greenwood or James being played there consistently. But for me it is not an issue of quality it is an issue of a manger outlining what type of typical exchange/attack he wants from the right side and then coaching the players properly to implement it.

There are plenty of teams in world football that cope without a left footer playing on the right, we have quality forwards, we now need to start getting the best out of them, sadly this also applies to a lesser extent to the left side of our attack also which can also be disjointed due to inconsistent selection and robust coaching (mostly under Mourinho it looks to be getting better under ole).

passing-wind · Jul 28, 2019

It's Solskjaer's choice which is either he'll be right to skip the attention of a winger or be sacked because the team is insufficient.

What I find hilarious is that the only balance we have is fullback positions. Majority positions on the pitch is filled with one or two things: players being played out of position or players being not good enough for top aspirations.

VeevaVee · Jul 28, 2019

It's utterly painful at this point.

Josep Dowling · Jul 28, 2019

Been saying this for years. I opened a thread 3 seasons ago saying we lack balance. Sanchez was such a stupid buy when we already had Rashford and Martial for the left wing and no RW.

Granted Rashford has finally been made into a striker. It looks like Solskjaer wants to try Martial in his natural position of number 9 as well. I sense Sanchez will be used a lot more this season but still on the left.

RW, CM and CB are all still required and it looks like we aren’t doing anymore business. I’m so unimpressed with our lack of transfer activity. How can the board sit there and think a RB and a youngster with potential (and a LW as well!) is going to improve the side. We have lost our second best CM in the process. Fans have to react to this at the start of the season, it’s not good enough.

Steven Seagull · Jul 28, 2019

Where are those numbers from?

NoPace · Jul 28, 2019

El K2k said:
I thought Sanchez was bought my Jose to play him on the right but he was played in the left as well.

It remains completely fecking insane that Sanchez wasn't just played on the right.

ManchesterYoda · Jul 28, 2019

BAMSOLA said:
No buts that because they lack quality with only McTominay showing recently as being up to standard and Pogba not being a CM who should be tasked with consistently tracking runners (in other words he always be the furthest CM forward either behind a striker in a 4-2-3-1 or the most advanced CM in a 4-3-3.).

On the other hand Matic's lack of energy is not a tactical issues nor is Fred's wastefulness on the ball.

We don't appear to lack quality down the right, we just lack a decent RB/RW combination down that flank which can hopefully be solved by AWB and one other from either Greenwood or James being played there consistently. But for me it is not an issue of quality it is an issue of a manger outlining what type of typical exchange/attack he wants from the right side and then coaching the players properly to implement it.

There are plenty of teams in world football that cope without a left footer playing on the right, we have quality forwards, we now need to start getting the best out of them, sadly this also applies to a lesser extent to the left side of our attack also which can also be disjointed due to inconsistent selection and robust coaching (mostly under Mourinho it looks to be getting better under ole).

We do lack quality down the right. Our entire attack lacks quality, that's why we struggle to score goals. The attacking players we have aren't good enough, none of them are good enough. Down the right we are non-existent, which is worse than being not good enough.
Plenty of teams can "cope", but any team that is "coping" is handicapped and not playing to their full potential.
If a team plays with 3 attackers, it is most effective to play with inverted attackers. Just because a team appears to be playing well doesn't mean they are playing to their full potential as a team.

settembrini · Jul 28, 2019

Pretty much agree with everything in the OP.

It's been a clear weakness for a long time and we have refused to address it whilst being happy to spend money on areas of the pitch we were stronger.

Think about this: In our entire squad of 30+ players there isn't a single one who you could say is best played as a right winger. That is incredible. Our best option might actually be Greenwood as things stand and he's a 17 year old centre forward.

wolvored · Jul 28, 2019

I think Dalot will play in front of an overlapping Wan B for quite a few games. I also think Greenwood and James will get a few games there as well. Greenwood is a 2 footed player I've read. We will obviously have Mata and Lingard there as well, Sanchez may be forced there as well when fit.

Web of Bissaka · Jul 30, 2019

Left footed isn't a must for a Right Attacker.

It's weird that we have been what, 5+ seasons now and still couldn't get the final solution.

Post-saf
The 4 post-saf managers so far have been over relying on Mata and Lingard for that "spot". Golden boy Lingard must play somewhere?
LVG rely on both Mata before making Lingard permanent. He did tried Di Maria, Januzaj, Martial and Depay there -- all fail.
Tbf, Lingard did fine during LVG, and for short term and as squad player, he and Mata are fine. Unfortunately they're used as regulars and at times like a core players even.

Wth is that. Surely United need a far better upgrade.

Mou did tried Mkhi there, and he's probably our closest best RAM, but we know what his personal issues are. And Mou at least tried to get Willian, a natural RAM.
Sanchez actually did well as RW/RM/RF in all the few games he played there, but for some reasons, our two managers prefer him to not be there and insist on piling him up on the left, the spot where we have over-abundance of players being their best positions and who can do a lot better than Sanchez there.

Now
Ole at least used Dalot, a natural at attacking, as RM who did fine, but way inconsistent. Now, we're seeing experimentation in trying out James, Greenwood, Gomes and Chong there. Of these players, Gomes impressed me the most there. Greenwood is better when he's free to attack in every directions randomly, somewhat limited when his attacking areas are fixed in one direction. James and Chong are just horrible on the right. While I'm happy the spot is open for our youth to grab on to, the quality though is questionable.

I think we should let Gomes vs Greenwood dish it out for our RW. Not seeing this happening unfortunately.
Doesn't look like we're getting a new Right Attacker anyway, might as well use our youth (no, not Lingard) than Mata there.

The change in formation to 4-2-3-1 at least push Mata and Lingard away from the RAM spot, so more chances for our other players to do way better than the duo.

Sterling Archer · Jul 30, 2019

How does Dybala sound? More of a 10. But he has a good left peg.

Rozay · Jul 30, 2019

Easy to make this thread, but I’m not sure there have been so many obvious options in recent times. Mo Salah is the obvious one we could have gone for. We’ll see with Pepe, but my first instinct is that he’s not quite the highest level.

‘Refuse’ to buy one is obviously not the term though.

Son · Jul 30, 2019

Sums our clubs ambition up well & truly when we are waiting a full year to ‘possibly’ sign Sancho. Seems we’ve been always at least one transfer window away from a full squad for 6 years now!

Imagine missing out on top 4 again due to an unbalanced attack & failing to land him next summer...

RedRonaldo · Jul 30, 2019

Son said:
Sums our clubs ambition up well & truly when we are waiting a full year to ‘possibly’ sign Sancho. Seems we’ve been always at least one transfer window away from a full squad for 6 years now!

Imagine missing out on top 4 again due to an unbalanced attack & failing to land him next summer...

I don’t understand why people think we have a chance to sign Sancho next summer. I mean, why would he fancy a move here? It could be another De Ligt sega all over again.

Crustanoid · Jul 30, 2019

RedRonaldo said:
I don’t understand why people think we have a chance to sign Sancho next summer. I mean, why would he fancy a move here? It could be another De Ligt sega all over again.

It is utterly ridiculous, ‘waiting until next year’ to sign Sancho. We’ll likely be close to mid table on our current trajectory-as if he would want to come here. This is the idiocy, arrogance and ignorance of our board personified

WR10 · Jul 30, 2019

Psst ... Greenwood

SteveW · Jul 30, 2019

Greenwood is this player.

Sparky Rhiwabon · Jul 30, 2019

Son said:
Sums our clubs ambition up well & truly when we are waiting a full year to ‘possibly’ sign Sancho. Seems we’ve been always at least one transfer window away from a full squad for 6 years now!

Imagine missing out on top 4 again due to an unbalanced attack & failing to land him next summer...

Aren't City probably just waiting for the right time to activate their buyback clause on Sancho anyway?

kouroux · Jul 30, 2019

wolvored said:
I think Dalot will play in front of an overlapping Wan B for quite a few games. I also think Greenwood and James will get a few games there as well. Greenwood is a 2 footed player I've read. We will obviously have Mata and Lingard there as well, Sanchez may be forced there as well when fit.

Those options are terrible and do not help us. Greenwood is talented but he won't solve that issue this season, Dalot playing there could help us in certain games.

wolvored · Jul 30, 2019

kouroux said:
Those options are terrible and do not help us. Greenwood is talented but he won't solve that issue this season, Dalot playing there could help us in certain games.

I know. I was just listing the options, good and bad

Havak · Jul 30, 2019

This is why I'm amazed Sanchez wasn't just deployed on the Right immediately. He's statistically about as good there as anywhere else he plays, we already had Lukaku/Rashford for the CF role and Martial/Rashford for the Left. The Right side was the most in need of fixing, but rather than do that, we left Martial/Rashford out of the side in favour of starting Sanchez on the Left. It was well and truly baffling.

Fiskey · Jul 30, 2019

Havak said:
This is why I'm amazed Sanchez wasn't just deployed on the Right immediately. He's statistically about as good there as anywhere else he plays, we already had Lukaku/Rashford for the CF role and Martial/Rashford for the Left. The Right side was the most in need of fixing, but rather than do that, we left Martial/Rashford out of the side in favour of starting Sanchez on the Left. It was well and truly baffling.

He was from memory, just played shite there and then Jose tried to find another role for him.

TRUERED89 · Jul 30, 2019

Rifer said:
Left footed isn't a must for a Right Attacker.

It's weird that we have been what, 5+ seasons now and still couldn't get the final solution.

Post-saf
The 4 post-saf managers so far have been over relying on Mata and Lingard for that "spot". Golden boy Lingard must play somewhere?
LVG rely on both Mata before making Lingard permanent. He did tried Di Maria, Januzaj, Martial and Depay there -- all fail.
Tbf, Lingard did fine during LVG, and for short term and as squad player, he and Mata are fine. Unfortunately they're used as regulars and at times like a core players even.

Wth is that. Surely United need a far better upgrade.

Mou did tried Mkhi there, and he's probably our closest best RAM, but we know what his personal issues are. And Mou at least tried to get Willian, a natural RAM.
Sanchez actually did well as RW/RM/RF in all the few games he played there, but for some reasons, our two managers prefer him to not be there and insist on piling him up on the left, the spot where we have over-abundance of players being their best positions and who can do a lot better than Sanchez there.

Now
Ole at least used Dalot, a natural at attacking, as RM who did fine, but way inconsistent. Now, we're seeing experimentation in trying out James, Greenwood, Gomes and Chong there. Of these players, Gomes impressed me the most there. Greenwood is better when he's free to attack in every directions randomly, somewhat limited when his attacking areas are fixed in one direction. James and Chong are just horrible on the right. While I'm happy the spot is open for our youth to grab on to, the quality though is questionable.

I think we should let Gomes vs Greenwood dish it out for our RW. Not seeing this happening unfortunately.
Doesn't look like we're getting a new Right Attacker anyway, might as well use our youth (no, not Lingard) than Mata there.

The change in formation to 4-2-3-1 at least push Mata and Lingard away from the RAM spot, so more chances for our other players to do way better than the duo.

None of us have seen enough of James to confirm he's horrible on the right! We just don't know yet!

Havak · Jul 30, 2019

Fiskey said:
He was from memory, just played shite there and then Jose tried to find another role for him.

From what I remember he was almost instantly put in the side over Martial who was in form, and then Martial never got back up to the same level.

Zlatattack · Jul 30, 2019

It's beyond a joke now. We've seen Pepe (nearly) and Pulisic move this season. Apparently Malcom is on the move too. Last season we watched Spurs get Moura and City get Mahrez. I reckon Zaha will probably move too this summer.

Gasolin · Jul 30, 2019

RedRonaldo said:
I don’t understand why people think we have a chance to sign Sancho next summer. I mean, why would he fancy a move here? It could be another De Ligt sega all over again.

Reports seem to say he does fancy a move as long as we have the CL + Rashford and Lingard are really good mates with him. I wouldn't be surprised.

Our attack is unbalanced, why do we refuse to make it more balanced?

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