They don’t. But if a game ever needed it, they could.
4 Midfielders: Bruno, Pogba, Matic/Fred & McT - Can we make it work?
- Thread starter Red4Life_#7
- Start date
Ole: "There will be rotations and times when Paul will play up with Bruno sometimes deeper. Sometimes he will play in a diamond. Of course, it has been encouraging to see them together but it's also encouraging to see how Nemanja [Matic], Scott [McTominay], and Fred are making it difficult for me to leave them out, which is good for me as a coach."
https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...l-news/man-united-news-norwich-pogba-18494167
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Get in! Diamond in future games.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...l-news/man-united-news-norwich-pogba-18494167
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Get in! Diamond in future games.Our wide players don't really play wide anyway, so let's sacrifice one of them since we don't have a right winger. Our midfield is our strength currently so play all of them in a 4-2-2-2 formation the way City used to play some time back. The width will have to come from the fullbacks though and we don't really have attacking fullbacks.
-------------Rashford--------------Martial---------------
---------Pogba---------------------------Bruno------------
-------------------Matic-----------Fred---------------------
Shaw--------Maguire--------Lindelof---------AWB
-----------------------------DDG-------------------------------
-------------Rashford--------------Martial---------------
---------Pogba---------------------------Bruno------------
-------------------Matic-----------Fred---------------------
Shaw--------Maguire--------Lindelof---------AWB
-----------------------------DDG-------------------------------
RM did a CL 3-peat playing a 4-4-2 diamond with no wingers.
Diamonds are for teams with attacking fullbacks. Maybe in the future if we're able to bring through the likes of Williams and Laird as attacking alternatives to Shaw and AWB. For now, we're better off sticking to 4231 or 4123.
Perhaps that's the idea.
Ole is thinking-preparing for bringing in/shafting in better the young attacking minded lads but defensively they're somewhat suspects eg. Williams, Laird, Dalot, etc.
Shaw and AWB needs rests in some games, and then there's injuries + precautions to consider. We're really thin in options aren't we.
Having two genuine DMFs in a diamond midfield meant extra security, to help the attacking-minded FBs defensively.
Well-Balance.
In which case I'd be 100% on board. Tactical flexibility is a huge asset if you can do it without disrupting your team cohesion. And I'd love to see this club start to turn the recent reliability of talent-production from the academy into a serious part of its forward planning, instead of just treating each good youngster coming through like an unexpected bonus. Players like Laird should be in the manager's plans.
As others have mentioned, the limitations of our fullbacks as an attacking threat would hamper this formation. Although I think if Bruno was encouraged to position himself higher up and our strikers drift wider, it could morph into a 4-3-3 in attack so it could work.
I would also suggest it's unfair on Matic not to include him in the discussion. He has been fantastic since he returned to the first team.
I would also suggest it's unfair on Matic not to include him in the discussion. He has been fantastic since he returned to the first team.
It would only work with attacking fullbacks to provide the width, which we don't have. Doesn't matter how good Pogba and Bruno are if the opposition knows they can pack the middle out.
Would you draw this formation for me, please?
If we have 2 very good attacking full back, maybe.
My first reaction was exactly this, however, if we're struggling against a low block defence where pace doesn't matter so much it could work.
You'd have to instruct Pogba and Bruno to get wide at times to try and penetrate the defence. They can do that role and in these scenarios the centre mostly just circulates the ball anyway.
It's probably a midgame tactical change rather than a starting 11.
Nope.
Shaw isn’t Evra.
Wan Bissaka isn’t good enough at attacking.
Fred and McTom are ok/decent players why are we sacrificing an attacking player like Greenwood or James or fingers crossed Sancho for one of them ?
Shaw isn’t Evra.
Wan Bissaka isn’t good enough at attacking.
Fred and McTom are ok/decent players why are we sacrificing an attacking player like Greenwood or James or fingers crossed Sancho for one of them ?
Perhaps with Daniel James at full-back.
The disrespect of Nemanja MaticI've seen posts mentioning who should be our 3rd Midfielder etc. Why can't we play 4 mids in a game sometimes?
Can you guys suggest/discuss how we can get the most out of our Mids. This was a problem position for us even a year ago, essentially we have signed 2 players with Bruno and McT gaining more experience.
Don't forget to include Matic too, he still has a few more seasons left in him.
The four mids could be played as a compact diamond to really flood the midfield areas and dominate against more difficult opposition with our fullbacks providing the width (only 1 attacking at a time and the opposite fullback staying back to form a back 3 to prevent counter-attacks).
Can you guys make any suggestions as we have a lot of talent in our midfield ranks, there can be some games which we play a 4-2-2-2 diamond etc to mix things up from our preferred 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 respectively.
That was their starting formation, but how many times did Ronaldo and one of Isco/Asensio/Vazquez shift out to the wing to make a 4-3-3 during a game. Bale would primarily play on the right when he started too. Do you really see one of Pogba, Fred or Matic shifting out comfortably to the right (Rashford would to the left)? Bruno could but that would be stupidly limiting his contribution.
Besides, Marcus is better starting on the left and there is no point limiting Greenwood’s game time for one of McTominay or Fred. As previously mentioned, I love them but they will have to make do with a backup/rotation role to Matic, Pogba and Bruno.
As people said, lack of attacking fullbacks and McTominay/Fred not being good/discliplined enough (yet) for what we need in front of the defense makes this pretty much easy to answer for most of the games. it may work against a Championship side at OT, but i heavily doubt it will work for the majority of league games, where you get punished for a shit setup.
With Marcelo and Carvajal as fullbacks...
I’m not convinced Fred or Mctominay are good enough for us to win the premier league. They are decent players And can be squad players but we need Some real class in that Holding midfield position, Pogba and Bruno are leagues above them in class. Matic at in his prime would have been the one but clearly Age is not on his side now.
I mean I guess.
I would like us to try Pogba as RW when we need a more defensive midfield. Something like this
Rashford...Martial....Pogba
...............Bruno
......(2 from McT, Matic and Fred)
Pogba is our best player at beating players on the dribble as he did against Tot to win the PK, so I think he would be a fantastic winger. This does take away his chances to make great passes from the middle of the pitch but something has to be sacrificed in order to play more defensive. Also, imagine the counter-attacking football with Pogba dribbling in space down the right.
Rashford...Martial....Pogba
...............Bruno
......(2 from McT, Matic and Fred)
Pogba is our best player at beating players on the dribble as he did against Tot to win the PK, so I think he would be a fantastic winger. This does take away his chances to make great passes from the middle of the pitch but something has to be sacrificed in order to play more defensive. Also, imagine the counter-attacking football with Pogba dribbling in space down the right.
I don't understand the negativity we've played the diamond already a few times under Ole and its looked great.
You miss this...
' Don't forget to include Matic too, he still has a few more seasons left in him '