I found this video short but very good.
How Alex Ferguson Tactically Adapted at Manchester United
- Thread starter Hammondo
- Start date
Seen the vid before, 
actually was hoping to see OP's own spin of perspectives about it - how Fergie adapted tactically.
Disappointed a bit to be honest.
I think the vid is too simplistic and lacking a lot of information. It doesn't really explain to the minute details of how Fergie adapted his tactics. It only captured Fergie's two main tactics; the Cantona system and the CR-Rooney-Tevez trident system. Basically Fergie always adapting his tactics throughout his career at United, every season almost always different. He doesn't have one single system, just a single philosophy that remains which is attacking but that can also include counter-attacking. Even in one season, it's not always the case that he adopted just one tactical system, instead he may use multiple systems throughout the season. It depends.
I think his tactical adaptation depends heavily on two things; main factor is (a)his group of players, so which system to get the best out of them, and the situational games of (b)which opposition we're facing, so Fergie will tweak it a bit, or use a player in unfamiliar positions to get the better of the opposing teams. Fletcher at RM is one of the evidence, as does him tweaking his system when we faced Chelsea or Arsenal like the legendary 8 defenders in starting 11 was it? Another thing is Fergie showed that he is also a ballsy manager and willing to risk trying out new system even if it won't work and when it didn't he'll change it at usually the right time (sometimes he delays too much though). For examples is that 8 defenders system or the system of using Berbatov who is supposedly according to plan to be our key player at #10 but it didn't work, or the terrible 433 system pre-2016 which many fans hated at that time, because simply we don't really have suitable players for that, or rather just not yet complete.
Come to think of it.. how come his United teams are usually/majority is entertaining again?
I think it's mostly down to the passion and mentality of the players. Looking at a passionate team with strong drive to win is far more entertaining than looking at an artistic team with no passion and shit attitude/mentality.
actually was hoping to see OP's own spin of perspectives about it - how Fergie adapted tactically.Disappointed a bit to be honest.
I think the vid is too simplistic and lacking a lot of information. It doesn't really explain to the minute details of how Fergie adapted his tactics. It only captured Fergie's two main tactics; the Cantona system and the CR-Rooney-Tevez trident system. Basically Fergie always adapting his tactics throughout his career at United, every season almost always different. He doesn't have one single system, just a single philosophy that remains which is attacking but that can also include counter-attacking. Even in one season, it's not always the case that he adopted just one tactical system, instead he may use multiple systems throughout the season. It depends.
I think his tactical adaptation depends heavily on two things; main factor is (a)his group of players, so which system to get the best out of them, and the situational games of (b)which opposition we're facing, so Fergie will tweak it a bit, or use a player in unfamiliar positions to get the better of the opposing teams. Fletcher at RM is one of the evidence, as does him tweaking his system when we faced Chelsea or Arsenal like the legendary 8 defenders in starting 11 was it? Another thing is Fergie showed that he is also a ballsy manager and willing to risk trying out new system even if it won't work and when it didn't he'll change it at usually the right time (sometimes he delays too much though). For examples is that 8 defenders system or the system of using Berbatov who is supposedly according to plan to be our key player at #10 but it didn't work, or the terrible 433 system pre-2016 which many fans hated at that time, because simply we don't really have suitable players for that, or rather just not yet complete.
Come to think of it.. how come his United teams are usually/majority is entertaining again?
I think it's mostly down to the passion and mentality of the players. Looking at a passionate team with strong drive to win is far more entertaining than looking at an artistic team with no passion and shit attitude/mentality.
Yes he was very adaptive and knew how to change his formation and players around to suit what he had and what he was playing against, he could find weakness' in his opponents well.Seen the vid before,
Disappointed a bit to be honest.
I think the vid is too simplistic and lacking a lot of information. It doesn't really explain to the minute details of how Fergie adapted his tactics. It only captured Fergie's two main tactics; the Cantona system and the CR-Rooney-Tevez trident system. Basically Fergie always adapting his tactics throughout his career at United, every season almost always different. He doesn't have one single system, just a single philosophy that remains which is attacking but that can also include counter-attacking. Even in one season, it's not always the case that he adopted just one tactical system, instead he may use multiple systems throughout the season. It depends.
I think his tactical adaptation depends heavily on two things; main factor is (a)his group of players, so which system to get the best out of them, and the situational games of (b)which opposition we're facing, so Fergie will tweak it a bit, or use a player in unfamiliar positions to get the better of the opposing teams. Fletcher at RM is one of the evidence, as does him tweaking his system when we faced Chelsea or Arsenal like the legendary 8 defenders in starting 11 was it? Another thing is Fergie showed that he is also a ballsy manager and willing to risk trying out new system even if it won't work and when it didn't he'll change it at usually the right time (sometimes he delays too much though). For examples is that 8 defenders system or the system of using Berbatov who is supposedly according to plan to be our key player at #10 but it didn't work, or the terrible 433 system pre-2016 which many fans hated at that time, because simply we don't really have suitable players for that, or rather just not yet complete.
Come to think of it.. how come his United teams are usually/majority is entertaining again?
I think it's mostly down to the passion and mentality of the players. Looking at a passionate team with strong drive to win is far more entertaining than looking at an artistic team with no passion and shit attitude/mentality.
However formations are not tactics just as attacking and counter attacks are not philosophies/systems. He was good at the micro but not always good at the macro. Real philosophy changes were rare with Fergie, but normally rare for most managers.
Odd video really. How could a man in charge for 26 years not adapt? It was more a case of having to really.
I think the biggest hallmark of SAF's teams, apart from the player's technical qualities, were the player's tactical awareness. This is especially true from the treble winning team onwards. All the players were extremely aware of the importance of maintaining team shape in both offensive and defensive phases. I am sure it has a lot to do with the coaching, but also SAF recruited and promoted players with a very high in game intelligence. We've heard the likes of Rio, Rooney, Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Neville. Hargreaves etc all speak about how effectively the players communicated amongst themselves on the pitch to incorporate small tactical changes based on the opposition and the match stage. It sounds simplistic the way they say it but our current team, for example, struggles with it. And yes I'm aware most people prefer to blame it on the coaching but I also believe there are certain innate qualities some players just have. Rooney and Keane for example, for all their image of being hot heads on the pitch, had extremely high in game awareness in almost all phases.
I think one of SAF's biggest strengths was recruiting players who could fit seamlessly into this kind of system, who either had that tactical nous or could pick it up fairly quickly. Its always funny how people don't give SAF enough credit for his tactical nous, referring to our early struggles in Europe and pointing to the influence of the likes of Queiroz and Meulensteen for our increased tactical awareness in the latter part of his reign. But they don't recognise how SAF fostered a system where all our supremely talented players could fit seamlessly with each other. Tactical genius is not only incorporating changes within the game by shouting like a madman from the sidelines, it about drilling your players to the point where they know how to solve issues on the pitch before they appear, and the Man Utd teams from 99-2013 were generally very good at this.
I think one of SAF's biggest strengths was recruiting players who could fit seamlessly into this kind of system, who either had that tactical nous or could pick it up fairly quickly. Its always funny how people don't give SAF enough credit for his tactical nous, referring to our early struggles in Europe and pointing to the influence of the likes of Queiroz and Meulensteen for our increased tactical awareness in the latter part of his reign. But they don't recognise how SAF fostered a system where all our supremely talented players could fit seamlessly with each other. Tactical genius is not only incorporating changes within the game by shouting like a madman from the sidelines, it about drilling your players to the point where they know how to solve issues on the pitch before they appear, and the Man Utd teams from 99-2013 were generally very good at this.
But usually with these things comes something that forces it. I imagine Pep will need to change now, something in the way hes doing things is not working.
There will be none like him.
In his last season or two I remember us being one of the dullest sides ever... until we fell behind at which point we turn into 'kitchen sink at them' side with most exciting football. I remember rooting we concede so I could enjoy the game as I knew we'd turn it around anyway.
I think after City beat QPR on the final day by coming from behind, im sure United made it a point of doing that nearly every game the next season to win the title.
As for Fergie, (i havent seen the vid yet) but him refreshing his coaches would have helped get him new perspective. Wasnt always yes men or 'people he knew'. Think we had about 7 assistant managers during his time.
Very much so.
He was absolutely the best of the very best and totally driven to succeed.
And of course he was so capable that he evolved a position that he was afforded almost total control of the football side of the business.
Very few were able to manage such responsibility. And even less will in the future because of the way football clubs are now structured.
A total genius who took our club to such wonderful heights.
The 6-1 defeat by City at OT seemed to have a major effect on those last two seasons. We actually started 11/12 playing some of the most entertaining and open stuff I can remember from a Fergie side. But there were warning signs, especially against Chelsea at home, that we were far too gung-ho. After the City defeat we went ultra-pragmatic.
I know its short and it is Interesting enough but a seriously limited take on things. He was a standout in every department as a manager.
I think one of the best was bringing in the right players to suit his squad and getting shot of players he didn't want regardless of status. I was listening to Kevin Moran one day, he described how Fergie told him he was too old and too short for what he wanted at centre back and was going let him go. He still went and signed Mal Donaghy, who was only a year younger and also shorter.
Wenger didn't just deploy 442 / 4411 his formation was much more fluid than that and he brought much different approach and more of a possession based game with him. He changed English football a lot more than Jose.
Also, to suggest it was Jose's 433 that changed the tactical landscape and it was the reason Chelsea were on top. I got a good laugh off that, absolutely nothing to do with the 100s of millions they had spent.
I think one of the best was bringing in the right players to suit his squad and getting shot of players he didn't want regardless of status. I was listening to Kevin Moran one day, he described how Fergie told him he was too old and too short for what he wanted at centre back and was going let him go. He still went and signed Mal Donaghy, who was only a year younger and also shorter.
Wenger didn't just deploy 442 / 4411 his formation was much more fluid than that and he brought much different approach and more of a possession based game with him. He changed English football a lot more than Jose.
Also, to suggest it was Jose's 433 that changed the tactical landscape and it was the reason Chelsea were on top. I got a good laugh off that, absolutely nothing to do with the 100s of millions they had spent.
Really, it deserves a 2 hour long 12 part history of his tactics from Aberdeen to retirement including his Temp. Role with Scotland.
Monumental man.