I've been thinking about this, as the biggest problem for United is to break down teams as well as having trouble in the center of the pitch, were they are to often overrun. So a 442 diamond (with a twist) could solve this in my opinion. This is not necessarily a way to set up against a top team, were a counter-attacking setup is easily achieved and can work well, but against teams playing a low block it could be a better alternative than the current 4-2-3-1 (effectively often more like a flat 4-2-4 considering how high Bruno often plays).
Basically the formation I had in mind would be something like this:
------------ Ronaldo ------ Greenwood ----------
--------------------------- Bruno -------------------------
-------------- Pogba -------------- Sancho ----------
----------------------- McTominay ---------------------
Shaw ---- Varane ----- Maguire --------- AWB
----------------------------- DDG ---------------------------
Up front Rashford and Cavani are the obvious alternatives, van de Beek could get a shot at playing on the 8, which would free Sancho to play on the 10, Fred or even Matic could be alternatives on the 6.
I would think that the left side of such a diamond could be played in a classic way (Shaw responsible for the wing as a whole, Pogba playing in the half spaces), while on the right I would have a different idea. I do think that Sancho can have the necessary defensive workrate in such a midfield to play that position, but I don't think that AWB is good enough in attack to play the whole wing. So he could drift into the midfield which would free Sancho to drift outwards (and therefore create trouble for the opponent, as at some point a fullback has to take him over from a central midfielder, this is exactly a point were trouble can arise). I have seen someone else on here suggest a similar role for AWB and I do think it is worth a try.
And while this midfield is playing a lot of attack-minded players I do believe that they together would have simply enough bodies in that area, that it would become very hard to break through on the counter. Pogba, Bruno and Sancho are all no defensive beasts, but should absolutely be strong enough.
Basically the formation I had in mind would be something like this:
------------ Ronaldo ------ Greenwood ----------
--------------------------- Bruno -------------------------
-------------- Pogba -------------- Sancho ----------
----------------------- McTominay ---------------------
Shaw ---- Varane ----- Maguire --------- AWB
----------------------------- DDG ---------------------------
Up front Rashford and Cavani are the obvious alternatives, van de Beek could get a shot at playing on the 8, which would free Sancho to play on the 10, Fred or even Matic could be alternatives on the 6.
I would think that the left side of such a diamond could be played in a classic way (Shaw responsible for the wing as a whole, Pogba playing in the half spaces), while on the right I would have a different idea. I do think that Sancho can have the necessary defensive workrate in such a midfield to play that position, but I don't think that AWB is good enough in attack to play the whole wing. So he could drift into the midfield which would free Sancho to drift outwards (and therefore create trouble for the opponent, as at some point a fullback has to take him over from a central midfielder, this is exactly a point were trouble can arise). I have seen someone else on here suggest a similar role for AWB and I do think it is worth a try.
And while this midfield is playing a lot of attack-minded players I do believe that they together would have simply enough bodies in that area, that it would become very hard to break through on the counter. Pogba, Bruno and Sancho are all no defensive beasts, but should absolutely be strong enough.