A 4312 would be better if we want a flat back 4 given our lack of wingersWe don’t have the players for 433 as we have no RW/RF
I'd say James, Rashford, Greenwood and Chong can play an inerverted / inside forward on the right. Alternatively a 4312 suits us well. Problem is Solskjær favors Lingard as #10.We don’t have the players for 433 as we have no RW/RF
We have already seen Rashford cannot play from the right and that Chong isnt ready. As for James well that remains to be seen, he is another that looks a lot more comfortable on the left.I'd say James, Rashford, Greenwood and Chong can play an inerverted / inside forward on the right. Alternatively a 4312 suits us well. Problem is Solskjær favors Lingard as #10.
DDG
Lindelof Maguire Tuanzebe
Bissaka McT Fred. Shaw
Pogba
Martial. Rashford
If we lined up with Rashford - Martial - James etc we'd see them swapping positions throughout the game. I can't see how it's a problem that none of them are settled rw / rf. Rashford have had some good games on the right wing although he's definitely best on the left.We have already seen Rashford cannot play from the right and that Chong isnt ready. As for James well that remains to be seen, he is another that looks a lot more comfortable on the left.
We already have this season... they don't work on the right was the issue. Which is why Ole changed itIf we lined up with Rashford - Martial - James etc we'd see them swapping positions throughout the game. I can't see how it's a problem that none of them are settled rw / rf. Rashford have had some good games on the right wing although he's definitely best on the left.
He changed it because Martial got injured? And I'm sure we played 4231 those games Marital were fit. Which is a formation that doesn't work whatsoever. But that's down to our midfielders.We already have this season... they don't work on the right was the issue. Which is why Ole changed it
Absolutely, Pogba would be best in the midfield two.This formation doesn't work.
1. Pogba cannot play a false 9. If you have seen Pogba play you know he is a player who likes to come deep and collect the ball and play passes. He also cannot press like Andreas or someone similar because his qualities are actually wasted.
2. Dan James is one of our better performers and you wouldn't get him in the team?
Absolutely, Pogba would be best in the midfield two.
And despite his limitations, Lingard would currently be the best option in that no.10/false 9 role for his pressing abilty.
I like this formation, but (as some others have suggested) I'm not sure it'll work against 'lesser' teams who sit deep.
Ole impressed me for the first time with his tactics on Sunday, he came up with a great formation/system to nulify Liverpool's full-backs.
He now needs to come up with one to unlock the parked buses that roll up to Old Trafford.
Figured it how?3-2-3-2 was the formation.
We won't go back to it except in specific circumstances. United barely lasted one half before Liverpool figured it out.
AWB is an out and out defender so maybe swap him with Tuanzebe moving in front of him, or try Dalot in front of him. We could play several in this system, but we should at least try it.----------------------De Gea
---------Tuanzebe - Lindelof- Maguire
Wan Bissaka ---------------------------Shaw
------------- McTominay---Pogba
James---------------Martial-----------Rashford
In game (in attack), AWB & Shaw pushing all the way forward in attack, Martial as a False 9 that can move across the front line as necessary and Rashford & James running in behind or providing width as necessary...
----------------------De Gea
---------Tuanzebe - Lindelof- Maguire
------------------- McTominay
Wan Bissaka---------Pogba------------Shaw
----------------------Martial-----------------
---------James-----------------Rashford-------
It’s not about formations or tactics,we are hopeless at playing against teams who drop deep and play a low defensive block.We are decent when teams come at us....Just look at what we did to Chelsea on the opening day....We have players who can counterattack at speed against teams who attack us,but against teams that sit deep,we simply don’t have the creativity in midfield and quality in attack to break such teams down...,What did people think of our formation and tactics against Liverpool?
Given we have been using 4-2-3-1 every game this season I was very surprised to see the change today, especially as we went to quite an esoteric formation and not a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2.
The average position of our starting XI was something like this:
Rashford Pereira James
Young Fred McTominay Wan-Bissaka
Rojo Maguire Lindelof
De Gea
Pereira seems to be becoming a favourite of Solskjaer and he was given a key role today. When Liverpool had the ball he was leading our press and when we had it he was the link man in attack with Rashford and James trying to exploit space between Liverpool's attacking full backs and their CBs. I don't think he is good enough to play this role long term but it certainly suits him a lot more than right wing.
It will be interesting to see if we persist with it going forwards or if it was a one off that they had planned to surprise Liverpool with.
one I never said Pogba was playing as a false 9. That isn’t even the position of a false 9 and I also mentioned I would have a mix of the 3 of James,Rashford and Martial but Martial being the best of the 3 at linking playing I would probably rotate Rashford and James more.This formation doesn't work.
1. Pogba cannot play a false 9. If you have seen Pogba play you know he is a player who likes to come deep and collect the ball and play passes. He also cannot press like Andreas or someone similar because his qualities are actually wasted.
2. Dan James is one of our better performers and you wouldn't get him in the team?
My bad I thought by 3-5-2 you meant similar to how we lined up V Liverpool.one I never said Pogba was playing as a false 9. That isn’t even the position of a false 9 and I also mentioned I would have a mix of the 3 of James,Rashford and Martial but Martial being the best of the 3 at linking playing I would probably rotate Rashford and James more.
Effectivly Pogba is still playing in a midfield 3 it’s just he can go wherever he wants and have Fred and McT cover for him with their energy and effort at ball winning. With Shaw and Bissaka stepping in to midfield to help out if need.
so yes the formation in my opinion does work.
Oh sweet summer child Luke Shaw is a myth our money men use to persuade us that we don't need a LB. Have you actually saw him play 4 games in a row?We have 0 players capable of filling the LWB role, so not sure it's supposed to work on a regular basis.
For all his energy, Shaw's actual final ball is awful. And that's it for left-footers really.
That formation works best when you use FBs to be the width, and I'm not convinced we have those types of FBs.
It's not the only position that enables a front 2, which I agree seems to work much better for us. And Martial thrives with someone near him too.
we don't have those attacking full backs, you're right, but in a 3-4-3, full backs aren't the sole source of width like they are in a 3-5-2. We'd have Rash on one wing, James on the other with Martial as central striker. Of course having attacking full backs in any formation is beneficial. If we upgrade Shaw in summer, I think AWB can get better or more consistent in his attacking.We have 0 players capable of filling the LWB role, so not sure it's supposed to work on a regular basis.
For all his energy, Shaw's actual final ball is awful. And that's it for left-footers really.
That formation works best when you use FBs to be the width, and I'm not convinced we have those types of FBs.
It's not the only position that enables a front 2, which I agree seems to work much better for us. And Martial thrives with someone near him too.
Personally I felt like we lost that game the moment Ole decided to try and sit on it and went 541 trying a low block or basically just sitting in and inviting them on.My bad I thought by 3-5-2 you meant similar to how we lined up V Liverpool.
Generally teams move away from 3/5 back because it makes it difficult to create V low block but our 4-2-3-1 isnt't working so giving another formation a try why not.
Fitness-wise we re not ready yet for 90 mins high energy. Fitness is still works in progressPersonally I felt like we lost that game the moment Ole decided to try and sit on it and went 541 trying a low block or basically just sitting in and inviting them on.
First half with Young and Bissaka pushed on really which seemed like ahead of where McT and Fred were we were causing Pool all sorts of problems and Robertson and TAA hadn’t a clue on what to do.
If we could do more of that with the high energy we showed for the first half more often and sustain it personally think we’d be a far better prospect than what we currently are.
Problem with that is we have such a thin squad maintains that sort of pace and energy for a season is nigh impossible and as we’ve seen already injuries can be frequent due to the extra demands.
AWB could be converted like Kyle Walker, play as the right centre back. Ethan Laird may be one too watch soon too.AWB is an out and out defender so maybe swap him with Tuanzebe moving in front of him, or try Dalot in front of him. We could play several in this system, but we should at least try it.
It’s standard for there to be license for one to join in in attack in a two-man centre midfield. Seeing McTominay bursting forward at the weekend is no different to what we have seen from him and Pogba in any other game in a 4-2-3-1 this season, or virtually every midfield going back as long as I can remember.I thought McTominay had a couple of box to box bursts against Liverpool at the weekend - I'd have thought with 3 CBs behind and if one sat you might have a bit more license to attack
This. Plus we had injuries to our best midfielder while being very light in that area. We drew last year too with 4-3-3 so we don't need 3 at the back to compete. Just a full squad. It's nice to see variation though as many accused Ole of not knowing tactics and formations.They had plenty of time to prepare for this game, and I rather suspect that it was a formation just to deal with the specific threats of Liverpool, rather than a sign of giving up on the 4-2-3-1. It made sense with Liverpool's wing threat, which we nullified in particular in the 1st hour.
Pereira did much the same as Lingard does in the same role, neither ultimately good enough there as they lack goals, but he pressed great and played some intelligent passes, albeit sloppy at times.
With 3 at the back, it's basically like having that extra holding midfield. He did play in midfield 2 of back 3 against Arsenal when DDG made crazy amount of saves and we performed well in that game.How are people saying Pogba is best in a 2 man midfield? Haven’t they actually watched him? He’s best given more freedom, like in his first season under Jose, he was excellent, created one hell of a lot of chances and scored a fair few himself. He’s not actually any good at tracking players and lacks the discipline to play in a 2.
It's likely the formation is to hold Liverpool's system, might not work against some other teams.I'd keep it. We held the European Champions and won an away game using it, so keep it.
