Time to go with 3 at the back

[Zlatans Knee]

It was never a good idea to add a slow CB in a central defence unit that already had Lindelof and Matic in it especially with DDG refusing to leave his line even if his own life depends on it. Someone like prime Anelka would rip a new one on that static central unit. It also didn't make sense adding a defensive wing back when we already had Shaw.

However what's more concerning is how players tend to start well only for their performance level to nosedive after a couple of months. It happened to almost everybody from ADM to Bailly right to Pogba, Lukaku, Maguire, AWB and Bruno. Meanwhile Lukaku came out saying how Inter saved his career by sending him to a nutritionist, Sanchez had stated of wanting out after the first training session and VDB had already showed some signs of unrest. That's not nice at all. A closer look to our training coach team might explain why we're in such shambles. If you take Phelan out of the equation there's not much experience in there. We probably have the least experienced coaching team in the EPL (Ole, Pert, Carrick, fake Philip Neville, Clegg, Dempsey etc). You'd expect that an inexperienced manager would surround himself with experienced people but no, not our Ole.

1) Lindelof is not slow. Crap at heading absolutely, but not slow. There are quicker defenders (such as Bailly who is also unfortunately one egg short of a batch) but I would think that he would be top half in speed when comparing all central defenders across the premiership.
2) I would be interested to see Maguire in a foot race against VVD. I think that VVD just gets a lot more protection from his midfield, Wijnaldum, Keita and Henderson.

 

[Nickelodeon]

Genuinely think that this is going to be a good solution for us. And the biggest hurdle who's standing in our way towards achieving this is Wan-Bissaka who is neither disciplined enough to be a CB nor offensive enough to make up with attacking productivity. I believe that Daniel James isn't good enough forward player and his calling could lie at the wing-back position given that his biggest strength is his ability to cover a lot of ground. Defensively, he might not be quite capable enough but his work rate can possibly compensate for that. Will Telles on the other flank, on paper at least, we have a very strong wing back.

---------------------------DDG-----------------------------
--------Lindelof/Bailly-Maguire-Shaw-------
James----Pogba---------Matic-----------------Telles
--------------------Bruno--------------------------------------
--Martial/Cavani--Rashford/Greenwood


This formation will given Pogba more freedom to get into the opponents half without leaving us a man short. Yes it does deny us one extra man forward but productive wing backs and more attacking freedom for Bruno and Pogba can more than cover it. Naturally, this is all on paper.

 

[united for life]

Go where? The championship?

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

No right winger or center-back was signed therefore we must go for 3-5-2 at least in the next weeks.....why in my opinion?

1) Well first of all we must change something!!!! The coaching staff have showed no plan in the last 22 months in the 4-2-3-1 system and a new amazing plan after the international break is of course totally unlikely.
We are playing against Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton, Manchester City, 2x PSG & 2x Leipzig in our next 14 games and in the current 4-2-3-1 system we will be killed in the most matches.

2) We need stability after the results and performances after the first league games (The coaching staff are really to stupid to see our defensive problems and to find a solution for it).

3) I have heard "Oh 3-5-2 is a boring system".....yep that is true but every system under Solskjaer is boring.

4) I think it suits our most players.
Defenders
- None of our centre-backs are currently good enough to play with a single partner.
- Shaw's performances in the 3-5-2 were always at least 7/10.
- It would also allow us to play Tuanzebe and Mengi in some games because Solskjaer wouldn't do that in the 4-2-3-1.
Midfielders
- Telles is obviously perfect for this system and it would protect him in the first weeks in the english football.
- *RWB: No great options there (Maybe Conte will be sacked in the next few weeks and the new coach will play 4-2-3-1 therefore we could buy Hakimi .....Hateboer and Lamptey would be on my list too) therefore everyone of Wan-Bissaka, Williams and Laird should get a chance.....i think anyway since months that Laird would be perfect for this role.
- Maybe also the best system for James (as back-up for Telles) because he has showed nothing as winger since September 2019.
Strikers
- Rashford is currently not terrible but also not on his level before his injury therefore a change of the system could help him.
- Greenwood isn't a right winger.
- Martial, Cavani, Greenwood and Ighalo for one position is too much.
- I really think the crosses of Telles will be a fantastic weapon but for that we need more bodies in the box.

--------------------------------------------------.--De Gea
--------------------------------------------------Henderson
--------------------------------------------------.----Grant

---------------------Lindelöf------------------Maguire----------------------Shaw
----------------Fosu-Mensah--------------.--Bailly---------------------Tuanzebe
-----------------------Jones---------------.--...-Mengi--------------..---------Rojo

--------------------------------------------------.-----Fred
---------------------------------------------------.---Matic
---------------------------------------------------McTominay
Wan-Bissaka------------Fernandes-------------.------Pogba-----------------------Telles
----Williams--------------------Mata-----------------.--Van De Beek------------------James
-------Laird----------------....-Pellistri---------------.------Lingard

------------------------------------Cavani-----------------.-----Martial
-------------------------------Greenwood--------------.----Rashford
-------------------------------------Ighalo

 

[Bastian]

What's the consensus on the right wing back slot?

 

[Leftback99]

What's the consensus on the right wing back slot?

Every option has their flaws.
- Wan Bissaka would be first choice but would need to be a lot better in attack
- James is an interesting option on paper but unlikely to be any use in reality
- Williams should really be better on the right than left
- Laird is an unknown quantity
- I don't know why Fosu Mensah is still here
- Lingard?

 

[Bastian]

Every option has their flaws.
- Wan Bissaka would be first choice but would need to be a lot better in attack
- James is an interesting option on paper but unlikely to be any use in reality
- Williams should really be better on the right than left
- Laird is an unknown quantity
- I don't know why Fosu Mensah is still here
- Lingard?

Yeah, it's a conundrum. I'd like to see Williams given a chance there. I don't think AWB is the answer there one little bit, but he could potentially play in a back 3. James, theoretically, would be a good option there with regards to attack, but it's a big ask. Fosu Mensah I'd argue offers little either way. Laird would probably be the best option if he can stay fit, which is a big if right now.

It's a formation that probably does little favours to AWB, it may conceivably mitigate Shaw's shortcomings, and it will likely be to the benefit of Telles. But that right wing back slot has to have someone with ball playing ability, otherwise we're going to be super predictable as always.

 

[shabz]

Will be interesting to see if this makes a difference tonight.

 

[arnie_ni]

Not convinced you should be playing the 5 3 2 with Fred and mct but we'll see how it goes.

 

[Bebestation]

The reason we play AWB is because theoretically he can drop to RB which allows telles to get forward and we still maintain a back 4.