Poll Utd Draft: R1 - Physio vs Big Dunk

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

vs

---------------------------------------- TEAM PHSYSIO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TEAM BIG DUNK ----------------------------------------------------

TEAM PHYSIO

Tactics – Direct/ Mixed
Formation – 334 in possession/ 442 is the organised defensive phase
Defensive Line – Balanced
Marking – Zonal

This team is built around the complete game of Bryan Robson. In this side he can influence every phase of the game. In possession, Treble legend Ronny Johnsen steps up to DM to be the extra man in midfield to allow Robbo to rampage forward (O’Shea and Wan Bissaka tuck in to make a back 3). Out of possession Robbo takes up a more normal CM position to hold the fort and get stuck in. Veron was a tough tackling playmaker and will provide silky creativity to complement Robbo’s all action game. Veron’s set pieces will be ideal for Steve Bruce’s aerial ability.

The rest of the side is pretty straight forward with Berba as the creative second-striker to McClair who spearheads the attack. I enjoyed watching some goal comps of McClair, he scored a wide variety of goals and will complement Berba well. Lee Sharpe should have had a better career if not for injuries but the vid below shows his left wing quality. Nani is in his peak role on the right. I was always disappointed how often SAF put him on the left so Valencia could play on the right; Nani was so much more decisive on the right and didn’t dawdle. Nani is my go to example of what a traditionally styled but modern winger looks like. An excellent crosser with his right food but could also cut inside and hammer one in with his left.

Lastly Jim Leighton was the safe pair of hands for SAF’s excellent Aberdeen side (his peak is at Aberdeen rather than Utd where he only lasted 18 months or so)




Team Big Dunk

Dynamic and attacking 4-1-3-2, comfortable in possession and able to spring direct counter attacks. Our shape can change to 4-3-3 (attacking transition) and a compact 4-4-2 (defensive phase).

Nistelrooy-Tevez are an aggressive and ruthless strike partnership to tear up any defence: the Dutch goal machine playing as the central poacher, while Carlos Tevez offers an extra cutting edge and industry with his high workrate and movement across the whole attacking third.

The midfield quartet consists of the Rolls-Royce holding man, Michael Carrick: a consistent defensive shield for the back line and accurate distributor of the ball, central playmaker Ray Wilkins: connecting play across the pitch. On the flanks, dynamite Dane Jesper Olsen is the pacy dribbling winger who will run at defenders, while David Beckham is a pass-and-move side midfielder who offers workrate in both the outside and inside channels. Beckham, Carrick and Wilkins can initiate quick vertical attacks and help dictate the tempo. A host of creative talents to feed my front two with crosses, long passes and through-balls.

Daley Blind is the more conservative fullback playing behind Olsen, while John Sivebæk will be encouraged to overlap Beckham on the right flank. Both fullbacks can deliver accurate crosses too. Four skillful and versatile defenders in the backline, all comfortable on the ball. David Sadler the aggressive stopper, paired up with the technical and composed Nikola Jovanović. Fabian Barthez is an ideal sweeper keeper to play behind these four ball-playing defenders.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

@Physiocrat @BIG DUNK

Apologies was out all day. been hectic at work.

All the best!

 

[Physiocrat]

I like the Tevez and RVN strike partnership, I can see that working well. What I don't buy is the Wilkins and Carrick midfield two. From what I have seen of Wilkins he is stylistically similar to Carrick. You could do with a more genuine playmaker in the Wilkins role or someone more B2B that is high energy. I would back Robson and Veron to impose themselves in the middle here which I think could be decisive.

Thanks for setting up @Edgar Allan Pillow

 

[Physiocrat]

@BIG DUNK Could you repost the player profiles of your lesser known players?

 

[BIG DUNK]

Jesper Olsen


"He has great qualities: he's quick, incisive, he scores goals and above all he's a brilliant dribbler." - Ron Atkinson



John Sivebæk.

Only the 31 league games for Manchester United, but is part of the club’s history books for scoring the first goal of Alex Ferguson’s tenure. Sivebæk nonetheless was a quality attacking fullback, representing Denmark for a decade (87 caps), being part of the Danish Dynamite team of the mid-80s, that thrilled fans with its fluid movement and quick attacks and the famous side that won EURO 92. Known for his runs down the wing, Sivebæk possessed composure on the ball and accurate crossing skills.

Here is his outrageous goal against the Irish:




Nikola Jovanović

‘Nikki’ was Manchester United’s first ever foreign signing - a technically blessed defender with the reputation of being versatile (able to play as libero, stopper or fullback) and composed on the ball - which led him being used in midfield for Manchester United by then manager Dave Sexton.

Manager Dave Sexton started to negotiate with Red Star Belgrade for Nikola Jovanovic, a centre-back who had scored an impressive 50 goals in 359 games. The popular Yugoslavian international joined United in January 1980 for £300, 000, a record for a Yugoslav club. He desperately wanted to play for Manchester United, a club he described as the best in Europe and even turned down better terms from Bayern Munich in order to fulfil his ambition of playing at Old Trafford. Jovanovic's main quality was his technical ability and his intelligence, but he also possessed excellent concentration, calmness, persistence and an ability to create chaos in opposing defences with runs towards goal, perhaps recalling his early days as an attacker.

Nikki became the first foreign player to play for the Red Devils when making his debut on 2nd February 1980 against Derby County, as a replacement for Ray Wilkins, who missed the game through injury. He couldn't have joined the club at a more exciting time as United thrillingly closed the gap on league leaders Liverpool and, although the league title was ultimately missed by a whisker, everyone was left with great hopes for the future. The first month of the 1980/1981 campaign saw Sexton, in the absence of Gordon McQueen, give Nikki his first league outing in front of his own fans. The big Yugoslav celebrated the occasion by scoring the Reds' first goal since the opening day of the season. It came in the 59th minute and looked sufficient to win the points until six minutes from time when Alan Brown equalised for the Wearsiders.

A major highlight of Jovanovic's season was his role in an emphatic victory over Leicester City. First half goals from Steve Coppell and Ashley Grimes put the Reds firmly in the driving seat, but after the interval the goals flowed at an even swifter rate. A United corner saw Nikki beat the Leicester keeper Mark Wallington to head the ball down and into the net for the Reds' third goal. Jovanovic then scored a second with Lou Macari adding another goal in an emphatic 5-0 win. In a blistering end to their league campaign, United won their last seven league games in a row, but could still only finish eighth in the table - a position which the club's board could not tolerate. Sexton was sacked after four seasons at the helm and replaced by the flamboyant Ron Atkinson. Hampered by a severe back injury, Jovanovic was unable to make any impact under 'Big Ron' and failed to add to his 21 league appearances and four goals for the Red Devils. He had a loan spell at FC Buducnoet from December '81-July '82 and left Old Trafford for good in November 1982 when his contract was cancelled. Nikki won 7 caps for his country and played in all three games at the 1982 World Cup.

The central defender had been man of the match in both legs for a brilliant Red Star side which had been good enough to beat European champions Liverpool home and away. So impressed was United manager Dave Sexton that he flew to Belgrade to watch the player again against Galatasaray.

“Bayern Munich offered me twice as much as United but I considered United to be one of the best teams in the world,” recalled Jovanovic, who’d played over 300 times for Red Star and was a regular in the Yugoslavia national side. “During the ‘60s and ‘70s, Yugoslavian teams featured seven times in the finals of European club competitions. We were playing the best teams in Europe and beating them. One of those teams was Partizan Belgrade which beat United in the semi-finals of the 1966 European Cup.

“I wanted to move abroad because I wanted some financial security for my family but the idea of United appealed. Having lived in Belgrade I knew the significance of the Munich air crash and then I’d seen Law, Best and Charlton on television.”

Manager Dave Sexton was excited by his new £300,000 signing and said: “This player will amaze you once he’s settled in.”

The other players were quickly impressed.

“We played on an icy training pitch for his first kick about and Nicola was dancing on the ice,” said his captain Martin Buchan. “He was brilliant. I thought, ‘I wonder if Dave Sexton is trying to put a bit of pressure on me?’ because I was negotiating what would be my last United contract.”

Buchan and Lou Macari discussed the new £300,000 signing. Buchan was worried.

“He’s good isn’t he?” he said to Macari.

“‘If he’s worth £300,000,’ said Lou, “Then you must be worth at least £150,000’.”

Jovanovic also started well, scoring on his home debut against Leicester. He soon struck up a positive relationship with manager Dave Sexton.

“He was a good man and a good coach. But he was very quiet and occasionally the players weren’t able to understand him. Sometimes the games were very boring and the fans of Manchester United didn’t like that. That was a bad period for the club all round, though. The manager [Sexton] was under pressure. I didn’t really understand the politics of the club. The chairman died and the team was a long way behind Liverpool. United were a big club with talented players but Liverpool were dominating.”

There were other reasons why Jovanovic never really settled.

“The football was very different to what I had known at Red Star. It was long balls and not attractive – apart from the football played by Liverpool and Ipswich Town, who were the best teams. And I was played out of position.”

“Nikki was a big strapping fellow and most people knew him as a central defender,” remarked one seasoned watcher, former United player Albert Scanlon, “But often Dave played him in midfield. Perhaps putting defenders in advanced positions was part of his precious coaching theory, but I could never agree with it. Nikki wasn't a bad footballer and was comfortable on the ball and talented enough to use it, but United did him a disservice by playing him in the wrong role. He was on a hiding to nothing.”

“Red Star would have easily beaten United,” said Jovanovic, “we were regularly reaching the semi-finals of European competitions and we had a world-class coach in Miljan Miljanic who would coach Real Madrid. I went from him to Tommy Cavanagh [the principal trainer]. There was a big difference. I don’t like to criticise the people I’ve worked with, but the man didn’t know what he was doing. He knew nothing about football. He had some talented players but he didn’t know how to get them to work as a team.”

Cavanagh wasn’t everyone’s cup of team. Sammy McIlroy described him as “a strong-minded Scouser. I remember poor Nicola Jovanovic not understanding a word he said. He hounded Gary Bailey too.”

Keeper Bailey also thought that United’s approach didn’t get the best out of the Yugoslav.

“He was a lovely guy and a very, very good footballer – better than anyone else there in defence. He’d played for a brilliant Red Star Belgrade team yet entered a screaming, shouting culture that destroyed so many good talents. He took stress under the Cavanagh era. Dave Sexton was such a mild and meek lovely person who wasn’t involved in the shouting, but he was manager and was ultimately responsible. I often envied players at Arsenal under Don Howe. To listen to him and Bobby Robson talk about tactics with England was fascinating because we never had that at Old Trafford.”

David Sadler

“Sadler was known as a skilful and versatile defender who could play in any position across the pitch, and he did at Old Trafford, playing matches in defence, midfield and sometimes leading the attack for the Reds”

“Ebullient and efficient, David Sadler ultimately managed to establish himself as a regular member of the all conquering Manchester United team of the swinging sixties that went on to win the Football League in 1964-65 and 1966-67, as well as the European Cup Final against Benfica at Wembley Stadium in 1968. A dependable and wholehearted central defender, he would make a total of 335 appearances during his ten years at Old Trafford. The competitive player would always go on fighting until the very end and his aggression and sleeves-up commitment made him a massive favourite with the Manchester United supporters.”

"His cool-headed defending"

 

[BIG DUNK]

What I don't buy is the Wilkins and Carrick midfield two. From what I have seen of Wilkins he is stylistically similar to Carrick. You could do with a more genuine playmaker in the Wilkins role or someone more B2B that is high energy. I would back Robson and Veron to impose themselves in the middle here which I think could be decisive.

Ray Wilkins.

A central midfielder whose vision, passing range, intelligent positioning and ability to exploit space would be fully appreciated in the modern game.

He will always be remembered with great affection by all those who knew him during his five years at Old Trafford. Ray ‘Butch’ Wilkins was the consummate midfielder who possessed brilliant footballing skills and a brain to match. He will always be held in high esteem at all the clubs for which he played and in particular Manchester United and Chelsea. He will also command a high place in the all-time list of those who pulled on England’s white shirt adorned with Three Lions.

News of his arrival at Old Trafford was greeted with great excitement because he had gained the reputation of being one of the most accomplished midfield players of his generation. He joined United at a time when the club was still striving to capture the glory days and the earlier years of success.

The addition of Wilkins provided Sexton’s side with a quality and intelligence in the centre of the field that could only be beneficial. He possessed wonderful passing skills and could spot an opening that many would have missed.

Ray Wilkins will always be remembered as a top player and a wonderful man who everyone couldn’t fail to like.

A crafty and industrious player, Wilkins slotted seamlessly into Liedholm’s 4-1-3-2 formation, playing centrally in the Rossoneri’s midfield trident. Although he was never renowned for his goal scoring or creative flair, the Englishman was a ubiquitous presence on the field. His dynamism and intelligence allowed him to contribute to both facets of the game, intercepting passes and harrying opponents when defending, whilst keeping the ball moving and providing a link between midfield and attack when in possession.

Honest, humble and intelligent. In 73-appearances, he mustered two goals, but it was the aforementioned traits that made him a hit with the Rossoneri. He marvelled at the technical and tactical precision of the Italian game and he quickly embraced it, elegantly governing the Milan midfield.

Granted Wilkins didn’t win any silverware in Italy. However, this Brit abroad was an ever-present cog in a team which laid the foundations for a Milan side which became one the greatest forces European football has ever seen. Wilkin’s Milan may not have been part of the immortals, but his side were certainly trailblazers.

A steady, sharp-brained central midfielder with assured, considered leadership qualities, Wilkins was already captain of Chelsea at the age of 19 by the time Revie included him in his list of new recruits for the showy but largely meaningless bi-centennial tournament in the USA during the golden summer of 1976 when the European Championships went on without English involvement elsewhere. Wilkins started as he would predominantly go on for the next decade; unfussed and composed in his play, making possession and straightforward visionary passing the fulcrum of the way an England midfield which included him would always play.

Ray was neat and tidy as a surveyor of the play while the burgeoning partnership ahead of him of Trevor Brooking and Kevin Keegan began to flourish.

In 1978, Ray Wilkins became England's first choice holding midfielder. He wasn't quite the holder of more modern definition, as although he could tackle he was by no means a ball winner. He was perhaps a more advanced and more understated version of the so-called libero; a player whose job was to probe, observe and make sure that no ball and no run was wasted. His passing was pristine when he was optimistically minded, and England couldn't do without him. He was a masterful presence behind more naturally energising players as England settled into life under Greenwood. Wilkins featured in all three Home International wins and controlled the midfield as England then destroyed Hungary 4-1 in a Wembley friendly. He played in the opening qualifiers for the 1980 European Championships - a freakish 4-3 win in Denmark and a 1-1 draw away to the Republic of Ireland - and maintained his considered Chelsea form in the process.

He did everything well and nothing badly, and with international football always anxious to produce good winners rather than good losers, he was as impeccable a choice for his position than anyone else. For all his supposed lack of adventure, he had endeavour, spirit and respect, and the facility to keep house in the centre of the park while more flamboyant midfielders disappeared off to make their names. He was a necessary presence, never a necessary evil.

 

[BIG DUNK]

Wilkins is able to work in a 4-4-2 or 4-1-3-2: he wasn't a sitting deep-lying playmaker/#6 of a modern 4-3-3. He played advance of the holding playmaker Agostino Di Bartolomei in the 4-1-3-2 Milan midfield, and as part of a four in both Manchester United's and England's swashbuckling attacking units. Carrick can function alongside another creative player (Scholes, Anderson, Giggs) and high workrate side midfielder too (Hargreaves, Park, Fletcher), so I have no qualms with Carrick's synergy with Wilkins and Beckham.

 

[harms]

You’ve lost me at Wan-Bissaka in a back three. Just why

 

[Shakesy]

Nah. Team Physio should be winning this

 

[Physiocrat]

You’ve lost me at Wan-Bissaka in a back three. Just why

He would be great in this hybrid role. His best quality is his defending, particularly 1-on-1. All he is doing is tucking in in possession and will defend wider when we are defending so will relish stopping Olsen which he will be very good at.

Suppose I had Gary Neville in this role what do you think of the overall tactics? I don't remember anyone setting up like this so wondered what people thought of it.

 

[Physiocrat]

Wilkins is able to work in a 4-4-2 or 4-1-3-2: he wasn't a sitting deep-lying playmaker/#6 of a modern 4-3-3. He played advance of the holding playmaker Agostino Di Bartolomei in the 4-1-3-2 Milan midfield, and as part of a four in both Manchester United's and England's swashbuckling attacking units. Carrick can function alongside another creative player (Scholes, Anderson, Giggs) and high workrate side midfielder too (Hargreaves, Park, Fletcher), so I have no qualms with Carrick's synergy with Wilkins and Beckham.

Thanks for the bios. They were a good read. I have seen the Wilkins vids which is what makes me wary of the Carrick combo.

Do you know of any decent vids on Di Bartolomei?

 

[harms]

He would be great in this hybrid role. His best quality is his defending, particularly 1-on-1. All he is doing is tucking in in possession and will defend wider when we are defending so will relish stopping Olsen which he will be very good at.

Suppose I had Gary Neville in this role what do you think of the overall tactics? I don't remember anyone setting up like this so wondered what people thought of it.

No, he’d be horrible. He has atrocious positioning, especially when he doesn’t have the luxury of defending near the side of the pitch.

Give him a limited role at right back with a winger to mark and he’d be a very useful player. But not like this, especially defending the back post on Beckham’s crosses

What I don’t understand though is why you did it in the first place. Ronny isn’t Beckenbauer or even Stones, he doesn’t have the required ability for it to make sense. Unleashing Robson? He did all his goalscoring heroics while playing in a 2-men midfield, never sacrificing defensive stability for it, that’s why he is so unique.

Neville would’ve been brilliant for Bissaka’s role though. This tactic can work with the right personnel, but it’s not worth trying if you don’t have it. And you don’t.

 

[Gio]

Not sure about Physio’s defensive structure. Very light out wide and makeshift wide centre-halves. And Johnson doesn’t have a 10 to mark so suspect the game passes him by. Plus he won’t influence the game sufficiently given the time and space he’ll be afforded.

Veron and Robson would be fine in a 442 together. Tbh I reckon there’s a real complementarity there. Robbo played alongside Wilkins and Hoddle in many effective midfields.

 

[Physiocrat]

No, he’d be horrible. He has atrocious positioning, especially when he doesn’t have the luxury of defending near the side of the pitch.

Give him a limited role at right back with a winger to mark and he’d be a very useful player. But not like this, especially defending the back post on Beckham’s crosses

What I don’t understand though is why you did it in the first place. Ronny isn’t Beckenbauer or even Stones, he doesn’t have the required ability for it to make sense. Unleashing Robson? He did all his goalscoring heroics while playing in a 2-men midfield, never sacrificing defensive stability for it, that’s why he is so unique.

Neville would’ve been brilliant for Bissaka’s role though. This tactic can work with the right personnel, but it’s not worth trying if you don’t have it. And you don’t.

Thanks for the thoughts. Johnsen is playing quite a limited role. He is not expected to provide much creativity from deep just an extra central passing option. His role is most similar to late Rijkaard at Ajax. My thinking was an extra man in midfield in possession would give more structure allowing Robbo to advance far forward.

 

[Physiocrat]

Not sure about Physio’s defensive structure. Very light out wide and makeshift wide centre-halves. And Johnson doesn’t have a 10 to mark so suspect the game passes him by. Plus he won’t influence the game sufficiently given the time and space he’ll be afforded.

Veron and Robson would be fine in a 442 together. Tbh I reckon there’s a real complementarity there. Robbo played alongside Wilkins and Hoddle in many effective midfields.

It's only 334 in possession. It's 442 in the organised defensive phase. But yes, I really like a playmaker and a proper B2B player together.

 

[Physiocrat]

Whilst Big Dunk seems to have more goals in his strike partnership I think I have more creativity throughout the spine of my side. Berbatov will be excellent in transition with his hold up play and passing. He often provided pre-assists before it was cool. He'd often play Nani in with a lovely throughout ball, Nani would fire it across the goal and Chicharito (in this case McClair) would finish it off.

 

[Fortitude]

Not sure I see that back line having the means to contain Tevez and RVN whilst also having Beckham’s probing to contend with. If Johnsen goes out to meet Tevez, it’s a 1vs1 of Bruce vs Ruud all game; Bruce can’t go out to meet Tevez regardless and Veron is not going to pick him up in the half space, either. You can’t have Robson so deep picking up that role as he’s needed for your offence, so you’re really stuck between a rock and a hard place unless you intend to sit super deep and have all the play in front of your defenders? Not a fan of Dunk’s back line, but I’m not sure you have the means to really get amongst them given the outlined vulnerabilities in your own defence.

It’s a difficult clash to envisage; both teams have exploits, but the Tevez problem stands out for me, as well as Wan Bissaka in a pseudo back 3. His biggest failings are positioning and reading flighted balls… and he has the best crosser in the draft bombarding his exact side of the pitch with them.

Neither of you have said a word about how your team would interact with your opponent or where you think you can get change out of their weaknesses. Would have been nice to have the insights into how and why what you’ve set up would be effective.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

Physio had a great team, but the Veron/Robson midfield seemed a little light weight, so he fecked up the whole graphic with that 334/442 hybrid crap.

Would probably have won more votes with a normal unbalanced gung ho 442

 

[Physiocrat]

Not sure I see that back line having the means to contain Tevez and RVN whilst also having Beckham’s probing to contend with. If Johnsen goes out to meet Tevez, it’s a 1vs1 of Bruce vs Ruud all game; Bruce can’t go out to meet Tevez regardless and Veron is not going to pick him up in the half space, either. You can’t have Robson so deep picking up that role as he’s needed for your offence, so you’re really stuck between a rock and a hard place unless you intend to sit super deep and have all the play in front of your defenders? Not a fan of Dunk’s back line, but I’m not sure you have the means to really get amongst them given the outlined vulnerabilities in your own defence.

Are you thinking during defensive transition for this? Is so, assuming Tevez stays high when I am in possession, Johnsen will follow him depending how wide he goes. I'm keeping a back three in possession so either LCB or RCB would go wide to track him. I don't see any structural issue here although can understand if you don't buy the personnel.

On Dunk's defence, as I pointed out before I have more creative players in the spine of the team to unlock the defence. Berba and Veron are excellent assets here.

 

[Fortitude]

Are you thinking during defensive transition for this? Is so, assuming Tevez stays high when I am in possession, Johnsen will follow him depending how wide he goes. I'm keeping a back three in possession so either LCB or RCB would go wide to track him. I don't see any structural issue here although can understand if you don't buy the personnel.

On Dunk's defence, as I pointed out before I have more creative players in the spine of the team to unlock the defence. Berba and Veron are excellent assets here.

In general. That a big thorn to have in a side against you (a free roaming #10.)

 

[Physiocrat]

Physio had a great team, but the Veron/Robson midfield seemed a little light weight, so he fecked up the whole graphic with that 334/442 hybrid crap.

Would probably have won more votes with a normal unbalanced gung ho 442

The original idea was more of a 433 but the lack of decent wide forwards and attacking FB made me go this way.

When in the organised defensive phase I think Veron and Robbo would complementary presences in the 442/4411 shape.

Johnsen at DM is allow Veron and Robbo to be further forward in possession.

Do you think the system in principle can work even if you don’t buy the specific players? I was thinking Matthaus thrive in this type of system in the Robbo role.

 

[GodShaveTheQueen]

The original idea was more of a 433 but the lack of decent wide forwards and attacking FB made me go this way.

When in the organised defensive phase I think Veron and Robbo would complementary presences in the 442/4411 shape.

Johnsen at DM is allow Veron and Robbo to be further forward in possession.

Do you think the system in principle can work even if you don’t buy the specific players? I was thinking Matthaus thrive in this type of system in the Robbo role.

Its way too European for my liking, doesnt carry the Man Utd DNA.

Your team instantly reminded me of one community shield game against Man City under Fergie.

2011 FA Community Shield - Wikipedia

He beat fecking Man city with Silva/Yaya/De Jong/Milner in the midfield with a 4-4-2 that had Cleverly and Anderson in the midfield. We won 3-2 after being 0-2 down at half time.

Fergie would never have fecked around with his formations like that just because he had to play Anderson/Cleverly in midfield, he would have just gone gung ho with what he had in hand rather than reinventing the whole wheel.

Maybe what you had might work, but combining with Man United and the Fergie nostalgia, it would not have won my approval in a million years

 

[Physiocrat]

Its way too European for my liking, doesnt carry the Man Utd DNA.

Your team instantly reminded me of one community shield game against Man City under Fergie.

2011 FA Community Shield - Wikipedia

He beat fecking Man city with Silva/Yaya/De Jong/Milner in the midfield with a 4-4-2 that had Cleverly and Anderson in the midfield. We won 3-2 after being 0-2 down at half time.

Fergie would never have fecked around with his formations like that just because he had to play Anderson/Cleverly in midfield, he would have just gone gung ho with what he had in hand rather than reinventing the whole wheel.

Maybe what you had might work, but combining with Man United and the Fergie nostalgia, it would not have won my approval in a million years

Anderson and Cleverley were immense for a short period. My favourite more recent CM pairing was Anderson and Hargreaves. The played rarely together but it was a great combo of creativity, mobility and grit.

 

[Physiocrat]

Good game @BIG DUNK It was good to learn about some of your players.

 

[BIG DUNK]

Good game @BIG DUNK It was good to learn about some of your players.

Unfortunate our game landed on the weekend, as players like McClair and Olsen deserve more limelight. Two teams with an exciting pair of wingers and two talented forwards upfront- a winning recipe for many classic United sides.