How will we play?

[Rozay]

In many ways, I’m excited as the next that Ole is back simply for nostalgic and feel-good reasons.

Anyway, once the euphoria has worn off, what difference do you think we will see in our play?

Personally, I’ve rarely really seen ex-Fergie establishment do anything really progressive in terms of style, which is apparently the most important thing in football these days. ‘Free-flowing football’ has been the buzzword/term. I do have some fear that we will go 442, big man, little man up front and try and cross our way through. Giggs did it when he took over briefly, and Hughes and Bruce have done similar elsewhere. Yesterday I heard Clayton Blackmore on a radio phone-in saying the club has ‘lost its way - United have always played 442, and if I took over, that’s what I’d do’.

Does anyone fear we may make the mistake of simply trying to replicate football we played 10 years ago, because it worked then? That’s my general fear with having too much ex-United influence at the club, as they have all seen so much success playing in a way nobody really does anymore.

 

[charlenefan]

Same old same old I would imagine and that's why I'm underwhelmed by the appointment

The only change will be our so called better players who were in the dog house have a clean slate and maybe a manager who will put his arm around them rather than refer to them as a virus but I certainly dont expect any radical free flowing football to arrive over the next 5 months

 

[Man-United]

Yes, I would love us to return to 4-4-2. That's all I want from this change.

 

[drdoityourself]

He's mostly played 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 at Molde. He has a different aura about him than most retired United players.
Seems he's intelligent enough to adapt, but's that's all speculation, just wait a couple of more days to find out.

 

[Patrick08]

Yes, I would love us to return to 4-4-2. That's all I want from this change.

We don't have any sort of wingers capable of playing a traditional 442, unless we are planning to use young and Valencia on the wings again.

 

[Judas]

4-4-2 with this squad hopefully Ole isn’t that daft.

 

[Rozay]

4-4-2 with this squad hopefully Ole isn’t that daft.

Yea but ‘United is all about playing with wingers’. I think we’ll see Chong in the seniors immediately.

 

[NinjaFletch]

In all honesty, I'd be amazed if the formation was that different from Mourinho's 4-3-3 with Pogba on the left. The formation itself wasn't really the issue.

 

[Hammerfell]

Same old same old I would imagine and that's why I'm underwhelmed by the appointment

The only change will be our so called better players who were in the dog house have a clean slate and maybe a manager who will put his arm around them rather than refer to them as a virus but I certainly dont expect any radical free flowing football to arrive over the next 5 months

I don't think I've ever seen you happy.

 

[DRM]

Once the novelty dies down, it will be the same old shite.

 

[Raw]

From what I read from Molde fans or people who watch them a lot, he favours attack over defence. So much so that the team becomes vulnerable to counter attacks.

Not sure if he'll bring that to United when the defence is in such a mess, but it's interesting nonetheless!

 

[Patrick08]

From what I read from Molde fans or people who watch them a lot, he favours attack over defence. So much so that the team becomes vulnerable to counter attacks.

Not sure if he'll bring that to United when the defence is in such a mess, but it's interesting nonetheless!

I'd like to believe our defense is such a mess because we played too defensive without any intention to press from mourinho. We'd be better off defensively if we played away from our own goal.

 

[RedB4ndiT]

Ole is an attacking manager. Someone said on a scale of 1-10 with Pep being a 10 as an attack-minded coach and Mourinho as a 1, Ole is a 7.5 or 8.

Personally, I'm happy. I'm so sick of us playing like a lower league side on attack every time.

 

[SteveW]

I'd imagine we'll be crap for a while. It takes time. But at least there should be some more drive and positive tactics.

 

[NoLogo]

Formation isn't all that important it's how he interprets his formation that matters, just look at Guardiolas 4-3-3 which as soon as it drops deep to defend morphs to a 4-4-2 and in attack has the shape of a 2-3-2-3 or WM formation.

If Ole ist progressive enough to teach his team counter pressing and fast paced attacking football I really don't care about the formation we field on paper.

 

[kiristao]

I would like to see
DDG
Dalot - Smalling - Lindelof - Shaw
Herrera - Fellani - Pogba
Mata
Rashford - Martial

 

[Eriku]

I remember Ole in early interviews in his managerial career saying that formations are just numbers, and that once a game starts it’s all about area specific situations and what constellations the players on the pitch form to press and to give each other options.

That said, he’s mainly been a 4-3-3 guy, and he’ll be a good palette cleanser following Mou and his insistence on ceding the initiative to the opposition. Hopefully we’ll see a different United with the shackles off and with more of an attacking plan.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Does anyone else find it weird that the media, pundits, fans all keep going on about how we’ve always played 442? I mean in his final years Fergie used to play a lot of 433 or 4231 it’s not like we have to play 442 and right now the only way we could get close to that is a diamond.

 

[bosnian_red]

Theres a thread on the reddevils subreddit where some Molde fans are giving their input. Seems to be a very attack minded coach, like playing fast and fluid football with pressing, favors technical players with good off the ball movement, and likes using wingers to stretch the pitch. Also Molde apparently tends to buy younger players and develop them before moving them on, so it's not like he just wants older players.

Obviously, wanting to play this way and actually being able to translate that to a cohesive nature in the premier league successfully are two completely different things. Roberto Martinez wanted all that as well but had way too many flaws in his management. It is exciting though all the same, as that mentality alone already makes me look forward to games and gives me hope for more excitement.
If I had to guess at lineup, it'd be something like:

De Gea
Valencia/Dalot - Bailly - Lindelof/Smalling - Shaw
Matic/Herrera
Lingard/Fred/Mata - Pogba
Rashford - Lukaku/Sanchez - Martial​

With plenty of rotation between the player options, and presumably the 6 set starters in Pogba/rash/martial/de gea/bailly/shaw (when all are fit).

 

[Damien]

From the other thread:

At Molde, Solskjær prefers an attacking 433.

Big striker up front, two inside forwards.

An attacking playmaker-type midfielder behind the striker, one "box-to-box" midfielder and one deeper-lying one who often drops between the central defenders, linking the midfield and defense.

Attacking full-backs/wing backs and two defenders who are ideally playing to each other's strengths.

The inside forwards cut inside, often linking with the striker or the wing backs. Trying to win back possession when in defense and counter-attack quickly. When playing against a "parked bus", the wing backs overlap a lot. At their best, Molde managed to press aggressively and win back possession quickly, and attempts to play a continental, high-possession game.

At their worst (during this 433 spell), the defense fell apart, perhaps due to a lack of quality in that part of the team; but the defending became better when they figured each other out as a team, in a tactic that extracted the best out of each player. The problem in 2015-17 was that he tried to re-invent the wheel and introduce the popular 343 to Norway, and it failed badly. His job was on the line as late as this summer, as he fumbled and experimented again and again without seemingly realising that his ideas didn't work. This all worked out in his favour when he got former United-youngster and personal favourite Magnus Wolff Eikrem back from Seattle and returned to the 433 he won three titles with. Almost unbeaten since then.

So, the way I see it, Solskjær does one of two things the coming weeks:

A) Implement the system he knows and is familiar with; a 433 with Lukaku as a central striker and maybe Pogba as an attacking midfielder (or Sanchez?). Patient possession football when attacking, quick direct counter-attacking football when defending (and attempting this modern aggressive pressing system as well). Great success as he wins the CL, but fails in the big matches so ends like 5th or 6th in the league. Goes back home to Molde (I hope).

B) Tries literally anything else tactically, in the span of these 6 months and within each match. Fails miserably. Returns to Molde in time for the new season in March.

 

[Sandikan]

Once the novelty dies down, it will be the same old shite.

You sound like a fun guy

 

[bonothom]

I'm not too bothered as long as Ole can get us to the magic 40 point barrier he'll do for me.

 

[DRM]

You sound like a fun guy

Yes.

 

[Rory 7]

I think now we’ll finally see just how bad some of these players are. With Ole in charge fans won’t default to blaming the manager, the caf will finally turn on the players.

 

[Dinghy]

We'll see better movement and the fullbacks will be more involved when we attack. Guessing he'll go for the 4-2-3-1 most of the time, with Lukaku as the striker.

 

[lex talionis]

We’re all speculating but I think we’re going to play vastly better football under Ole. Just the psychological lift alone of Jose being gone will work magic.

Whether we can get results against top sides is a different matter, but I expect us to crush midtable sides with ease.

 

[Smores]

We'll see better movement and the fullbacks will be more involved when we attack. Guessing he'll go for the 4-2-3-1 most of the time, with Lukaku as the striker.

Our fullbacks can't be more involved than now they are how we build every attack. What games you been watching?

If anything I'm hoping he takes us back to our central midfielders playing the strikers in rather than relying on the fullbacks. Lukaku is much better when he's being fed through the middle or the wingers closer to the goal.

 

[Number4.]

Two systems -

Games United expect to win:
4 - 1 - 2 -3 with a single holding MF and two central including pogba as the "Free-ist" of the three. Three from MR, JL, Alexis & Martial up front

Tough Away / Big 6 (where draw is acceptableish)
4-2-3-1
Two holding, more aggressive Full back positions than above, Top of the MF 3 will need to drop in when holders cover FB space. Still three from MR, JL, Alexis & Martial up front

Lukaku - should only be an impact sub until he shows a dramatic change in Form, fitness and attitude

 

[bond19821982]

Its either going to be fun or a huge disaster. Huge roller coaster ride coming

 

[Mihai]

Does anyone else find it weird that the media, pundits, fans all keep going on about how we’ve always played 442? I mean in his final years Fergie used to play a lot of 433 or 4231 it’s not like we have to play 442 and right now the only way we could get close to that is a diamond.

This, together with the "United Way" as if people have erased the last 10 years from SAF management.

 

[IRELANDUNITED]

I actually can't wait for Saturday now

 

[Enigma_87]

Yea but ‘United is all about playing with wingers’. I think we’ll see Chong in the seniors immediately.

Imagine Matic/Fellaini in the Scholes/Keane role in the middle

 

[Dinghy]

Our fullbacks can't be more involved than now they are how we build every attack. What games you been watching?

If anything I'm hoping he takes us back to our central midfielders playing the strikers in rather than relying on the fullbacks. Lukaku is much better when he's being fed through the middle or the wingers closer to the goal.

Depends on how you define an "attack". Giving the ball to one of our fullbacks just for them to whip a cross in 20-30 meters outside the box isn't an attack in my book. Neither is it an attack when Ashley Young decides to take on someone 1 on 1. We'll start to see more overlaps from the FB's, and with better movement centrally as well things will look very different.

 

[RedCurry]

My greatest fear is that he'll try to back Jones and Smalling CB partnership due to them being Fergie's boys. That partnership has just never worked for us. My hope is that we'll sign one senior CB who is assured on the ball and focus on building up play from the back and keeping possession.

 

[Tincanalley]

https://dai.ly/x1szz5s
OGS was a great player for us, and seems a sound guy. This was a tough day for him; and he has had a few of these. Fresh slate now, though. Best of luck to himself and Phelan(!), for the rest of season.

 

[Rossa]

Same old same old I would imagine and that's why I'm underwhelmed by the appointment

The only change will be our so called better players who were in the dog house have a clean slate and maybe a manager who will put his arm around them rather than refer to them as a virus but I certainly dont expect any radical free flowing football to arrive over the next 5 months

So, so happy. The good thing is that you can either say that you're glad to be proven wrong, or go I told you so. Either way you win!

 

[spiriticon]

TBH I think our play for the next few weeks will be haphazard. More attacking nous but also defensively amateurish.

But you know what, it's a change and I'm all for it. We need to do something different. Give new ideas a go. The season is fecked anyway.

 

[Lentwood]

Hard to say because we've never had an under-qualified former playing legend come in as manager on an interim basis during a disastrous season to steady the ship

Oh....wait....Giggseh....

It was pretty underwhelming wasn't it, beat Hull & Norwich at home, lost to Sunderland and drew with Southampton. I would expect something similar tbh

 

[Raw]

Hard to say because we've never had an under-qualified former playing legend come in as manager on an interim basis during a disastrous season to steady the ship

Oh....wait....Giggseh....

It was pretty underwhelming wasn't it, beat Hull & Norwich at home, lost to Sunderland and drew with Southampton. I would expect something similar tbh

At least Ole actually has managerial experience. Giggsy had none. I do agree I'd expect something similar, but with more attacking impetus.

 

[The Cat]

I just want to see natural wide players. Maybe buy one in January and promote Chong.

Lukaku needs way better service than he's received this season maybe that would help him too.