What’s your first choice midfield then?

D. Mungai

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To me, both McTominay and Bruno are undroppable.
With that being said, between current form Fred and Pogba for the other CM role. I'd go with Fred hands down.
To add to that, I'd probably would try VDB as a floating playmaker on the Right (The Mata Role)

??? --- Bruno --- VDB
----McTom----Fred
This.

McT and Bruno have to play.

Other positions depends on the form of the day and the opposition.
 

wolvored

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Imo we should start with a dm and 2 am. I wished we had been in for Partey, he would have been ideal. Saying that with the players we have VDB and Bruno would be my am and McTom for dm. Although not ideal I would pick him. He seems more disciplined and less rash than Fred. Matic is getting on and we need to move on from him. so
Bruno VDB
McTom
 

jamesjimmybyrondean

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.........Bruno.......

Matic.............VdB

I can't stress enough how Matic is essential to this team so he has to start. The issue is who will partner him among Mctominay VdB Fred and Pogba. Pogba is a no since he's a defensive liability. Mctominay and Fred are both good defensively but their overall quality is not good enough. I'd pair VdB beside Matic because he has the work rate and quality and one other thing I love about him which I think is needed in that position is that he releases the ball quickly which increases the pace of our game

I think this midfield has a mixture of good quality and balance that you can't get with any other pairing that includes any of Pogba Fred and Mctominay. Pogba is an excellent super sub btw
 
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So Bruno and Pogba can't play together, but somehow we were the best team in PL post corona break, with Pogba/Bruno-combo, not losing a single PL-match after the restart, and having a goal difference of 22-6. Short term memory.
 

VivaRonaldo85

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As a complete unit, it has to be Fred, McTominay & Bruno. All high energy abs positionally sound. We know that Pogba and VDB are more talented individuals but unless we totally change systems and start adopting more of a diamond, it just doesn’t work.
 

Bestietom

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Matic is the only true DM we have so he's gotta be in. I like VdB, and I like Bruno, to play further up the field, so the link player is the question. Pogba, McTominay, or Fred.
Pogba would win any day if we could get him to be consistent, but can Ole.
 

EdinburghDevil

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I honestly don't know. I'd like to see McT get a run ahead of Matic to see it we need to recruit in that position going forward or if Scott can fill that role long term.

Bruno has to play and I feel like VDB deserves a run ahead of Pogba and Fred.

How Mata has put his hat in the ring and he wasn't anywhere near the equation at the start of the season.

Perhaps a diamond of

McT
Mata - VDB
Bruno
 

Bobcat

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The only two who are undroppable right now is Fred and Bruno imo. The former because he gives our MF a much needed bite, the latter is self explanatory, the others i would rotate based on the opposition

Scott: Hes a big lad and not afraid to get stuck in there. Use him when the other teams have shithouses in MF to counter it with some shithousery of our own
Matic: Should be using sparingly, but is a big game player imo. So when we are playing City, Pool etc he should play the double pivot with Fred
Mata: Same as Matic, but use his against parked buses
VdB: Have not really seen enough yet, but he seems like a really clever player, so same as Mata. Play him when we are facing deep lying defenses
Lindgard: Should not play under any circumstances
James: Use him as a squad option vs worse sides.
Pogba: Get rid and use the money to invest in a RW
 
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At the top of their game, system dependant, it has to be Matic, Bruno and Pogba.
they are our 3 best players. But I don’t think it works. Matic and Pogba in particular are too inconsistent.

I don’t know what the answer is. Only Bruno is a definite starter out of all of our midfielders.
 

UpWithRivers

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Either (Matic +Fred) or (Fred + McTominay) and one of Pogba/Fernandes/VDB. This should be the starting default for all games, then Ole should adapt in game to be more attacking if needed. This is not what everyone wants to hear and not what Ole will play because he wants to fit in his best attacking players. But system wise this will get us the most points.

Putting VDB or Fernandes at LW/RW might work also.
 

Bwuk

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More and more I’d be considering a diamond.
 

UnitedFan93

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Any midfield combo that doesn't include Pogba for me. Ideally Bruno, Mctom, Fred.
 

jamesjimmybyrondean

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I think the diamond will cause more damage than our current formation. The problem with it seems to be Awb providing the width on the right but I want to counter that and say that it will work more on his favour.

First of all our current formation 4-2-3-1already relies on Awb providing width on the right because Greenwood cuts in. Now why I think the diamond would be suited more for Awb is because it will give him more space and freedom on that right side since most of the bodies are in the middle. The space he would have out wide to run, pass or cross is going to be more than the space he currently has in the 4-2-3-1.

I'd like to see this

..............Martial..........Rashford............

..........................Bruno..........................

............Pogba...................VdB................

.......................... Matic...........................

Telles........Maguire........Bailly...........Awb
 

Stretender

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I have been questioning Ole's decision making alot and more of it is based on the fact that he doesn't drop under performing players and selects his team based on reputation than form.

I can see that Ole is beginning to understand the problem. Playing Pogba ,Matic ,Maguire and Lindelof in same line up will not work in a high tempo league .

These 4 players are slow and United need a combination where not more than 2 of them are playing in the same lineup. It looks good on paper but is practically a bad selection.

The reasons he gave for starting McTominnay and Fred were that he needed energy and players working hard without the ball. That will be 90% of our games this season.

If he follows that Logic we will do well. We should have bought a Matic replacement, he was happy with McTominnay so play him more.
 

Ollie Derbyshire

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Pretty easy to see from our results it should be Fred & McTom with Bruno in front if we play 4231, if we switch to 4312 then I’d try, Fred, McTom & Bruno a little deeper with VdB in front.

To be honest, anything without Pogba at the minute as he can’t play i the double pivot and he’ll not displace Bruno in the CAM. Possibly he could replace VdB in the CAM in a 4312.
 

Faetheshire86

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The midfield I would like to see the most is:

Bruno McTominay
VdB
I like VdB at #10. I'd be reluctant to start him deeper. (I think Ole might be too). I think he could do a job there, but we wouldn't be seeing the best of him.

I'm surprised we haven't seen Bruno at #8 even when we had him in with Pogba/Matic. He combines creativity and industry unlike any of our other options who are all more one-note.

I would like a proper athletic, defensive, destroyer in there with them, but unfortunately we don't have that. I think McTominay is the closest to how I'd imagine that player to look.
 

RedIan

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which ever combo i come up with Pogba doesnt get a place. Its Bruno or Pogba - Bruno every time And i dont see pogba happy as a sub.
Sell him in January and use the money on a WC centre half and RW.
 

SteveW

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Don't have one. Different games require different solutions.
 

Physiocrat

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I think for defensive solidity we need Fred and McT in front of the back 4. Matic is too slow to play a sole DM role and neither McT or Fred are suited to a DM role either.

Then we have the problem of creativity from deep. So it would be interesting to try (while Martial is out at least)

Rashford
Pogba Bruno VDB
Fred McT

This would require Telles at left back and possibly William's at RB to provide width. It should though provide decent balance and creativity. Pogba to play the deepest of the front four.
 

Borys

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We have many games coming, I don't see why Pogba should be worried about game time.

Curent best midfield setup:
McTominay - Fred - Bruno

McTominay and Fred give us energy and good cover for attacking 4 to perform. Bruno doing his thing.

Pogba can be a sub for either of Bruno (1) or Fred (2- when we're in control). In cup games we can give Bruno a rest and play Pogba from the start in more advanced role with less defensive duties - everybody happy.

The real issue is what to do with van de Beek, who seems to be another attacking midfielder in our squad.

Matic to cover for McTominay.

Fred is important player for us IMO (because we have nobody else who can do his job effectively), but we will find an upgrade next summer I guess.
 

Strelok

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Manchester United only have 3 midfielders worthy of that description: Matic, McTominay and Fred.

Bruno, Pogba and VdB share some similarity to midfielders, but none of them actually are. If you wanted to play two of them at the same time, you'd need prime Makalele behind them to pull it off.

So, if you assume Bruno is a nailed on starter, you need to pick two out of the rest to sit behind...

Matic is too slow to cope with our high line. Pogba doesn't work because he's too careless in possession and too poor at pressing. VdB doesn't have the defensive awareness. And since we don't have a young Makalele in the team, the inclusion of the latter two is moot anyway.

So Fred+McTominay get in by default. Neither is top class on his own. But as a pair they work beautifully together. People on this forum love to talk about the 'double pivot' whilst misunderstanding it entails. Fred+McTominay actually are one. They're excellent at taking turn to sit and press. And because they share those burdens, it's much easier for them to pick the right positions at the right times on their sides of the pitch.

Matic makes a better DM in a midfield 3. Fred+McTominay make a better defensive pairing in double pivot. And whilst the latter option may not be the most creative, at least they make us more solid through the middle. That in turn allows Shaw/AWB/Bruno to play higher up the pitch. So it's swings and roundabouts.

A boxer can't go into a fight swinging big on every punch. He'll get knocked out before he lands one on his opponent. Sometimes a strong defence is the best way to get yourself into an advanced position. We already have enough weapons to cause problems when we do.

Fred+McTominay: they attac but they also protec
Absolutely agreed.

First time in a while we had an actual midfield so opposition players didn't cut through us like a knife through butter as in the previous matches.

McT was a big surprise for me, especially his positioning and passing. Hope he can carry this to the next matches.
 

dal

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Manchester United only have 3 midfielders worthy of that description: Matic, McTominay and Fred.

Bruno, Pogba and VdB share some similarity to midfielders, but none of them actually are. If you wanted to play two of them at the same time, you'd need prime Makalele behind them to pull it off.

So, if you assume Bruno is a nailed on starter, you need to pick two out of the rest to sit behind...

Matic is too slow to cope with our high line. Pogba doesn't work because he's too careless in possession and too poor at pressing. VdB doesn't have the defensive awareness. And since we don't have a young Makalele in the team, the inclusion of the latter two is moot anyway.

So Fred+McTominay get in by default. Neither is top class on his own. But as a pair they work beautifully together. People on this forum love to talk about the 'double pivot' whilst misunderstanding it entails. Fred+McTominay actually are one. They're excellent at taking turn to sit and press. And because they share those burdens, it's much easier for them to pick the right positions at the right times on their sides of the pitch.

Matic makes a better DM in a midfield 3. Fred+McTominay make a better defensive pairing in double pivot. And whilst the latter option may not be the most creative, at least they make us more solid through the middle. That in turn allows Shaw/AWB/Bruno to play higher up the pitch. So it's swings and roundabouts.

A boxer can't go into a fight swinging big on every punch. He'll get knocked out before he lands one on his opponent. Sometimes a strong defence is the best way to get yourself into an advanced position. We already have enough weapons to cause problems when we do.

Fred+McTominay: they attac but they also protec
But we did play Pogba and Bruno consistenyly together and a unprime 32year old Matic behind them last season and went on our best run in almost 7 years in the league, breaking records, so I’m slightly confused!
 

Devil may care

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I want to see Van de Beek given a chance in the double pivot, he has the enrrgy and positional nous but is better on the ball than either Fred or McTominay.


-----Bruno
Fred------VdB
 

Borys

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I want to see Van de Beek given a chance in the double pivot, he has the enrrgy and positional nous but is better on the ball than either Fred or McTominay.


-----Bruno
Fred------VdB
How can you tell? Genuine question. I've never seen him play close to midfield circle.
 

Ali Dia

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At the moment for me it's Fred, Bruno + one of McTominay, Matic or VdB. No Pogba.
this.

I’d say

Fred McT Bruno is currently our hardest working and most balanced midfield. Pogba is probably our best midfielder but he needs to work an awful lot harder if he’s playing box to box or sitting. Matic I don’t really rate, I think his legs are going. He should have been phased out this year.
 

youmeletsfly

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Any midfield that does not involve:
- Scott the sideway passing genius
- Pogba + Matic
- Matic in general
- Fred + Pogba
- Bruno close to Pogba
 

Amar__

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I have no idea why people still choose Matic as a starter. He is a good player, when he is fresh he is good as anyone else but then that's just one or two games monthly, and against weaker opposition, but he is simply not good as a certain starter anymore, especially against teams that outrun us. He isn't that player for few years now.
 

Oo0AahCantona

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Diamond with 2 of rashford/martial/greenwood/cavani running the channels upfront and Telles/awb providing width alongside.

Rashford(cavani) ------------ Martial(Greenwood)
-----------------------Bruno(mata)----------------------------
-------DVB------------------------------Pogba-----------------
------------------------Matic(fred)-----------------------------
 

lysglimt

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I Think it would be interesting to try

McTominay, Matic - Rashford, Pogba, Bruno - Martial

That way we will have a much more solid defensive midfield and let Pogba and Bruno concentrate on attack
 

man united 4eva

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I'd like to see this diamond formation in certain games depending on how the opposition usually set-up.

Rashford(Cavani) ------------ Martial(Greenwood)
--------------------------DVB(Mata)----------------------------
-------Pogba(Fred)----------------Bruno(Pellistri)-----
-------------------------Matic(McT)-----------------------------
 

Leftback99

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I'd rather a 4-2-2 than a diamond. What we played last night wasn't far off it with Mata roaming, he could be replaced with VdB or Pogba if we must.
 

simplyared

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Goes without saying. Diamond MF.
.....................MacT
VDB....................................Pogba
.....................Bruno
With Matic and Mata on the bench. Great combo with a decent back-up taboot.
 

Devil may care

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How can you tell? Genuine question. I've never seen him play close to midfield circle.
I've seen him play deeper for Ajax, his movement and positioning in that role was as good as it is in the #10 role imo.
 

Nou_Camp99

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I wouldn't even pick Pogba for the reserves until he starts putting a shift in. The guy is coasting to his departure from the club.