We know EtH isn't going to change. This 3-2-5 system in the build-up is clearly how he wants to play long-term.
Now, many of us doubt this can ever be successful in the Premier League, with so many well-coached, super-fit, transition-based teams facing off against us week-in, week-out.
However, let's suspend our disbelief for a second and say its not working because of the profile of player we have...what do we need to make it work?
Let's assume we can make four major transfers across January and the Summer window.
Try and keep it realistic and focused on player profiles, rather than big lists of players who should leave and big lists of players to replace them.
For me, we need...
- At LEAST one CB with pace, power and aggression. I know Martinez is very popular, and he has many qualities, but the jury is out for me on him in this system because he's so slow. Let's assume EtH sticks with him, which seems highly-likely, then we absolutely 100% need "recovery pace" beside him.
- An athletic attacking RB. Our attacks are still heavily focused on the left flank. I actually feel for Antony because, again yesterday, he beat his defender several times but had no United player within 30 yards of him. He needs a full back overlapping or underlapping to make use of the space I believe he can create.
- An elite goalscorer. In time, this may be Hojlund, but he's not ready right now. Also, this elite goalscorer doesn't necessarily need to be the CF. It just needs to be someone like Salah for Liverpool, who bails them out when they turn in abject performance after abject performance. This season especially, they've been poor on so many occasions, only for him to bail them out with a piece of magic. We lack this wildcard effect.
- A beast of a CM. I would also have added "ball playing CM" but I think Mainoo is already good enough to be developed in this role. Therefore, for me, we need a monster in the shape of Rice, prime Essien, prime Kante, prime Casemiro etc...who can effectively cover 1.5 positions in that midfield space on their own. Currently we badly lack physicality in this area and at CB, which is why teams cut through us with ease once they force a turnover. Effectively you're asking the CBs and the CMs to perform miracles and cover far bigger spaces than their counterparts in middling teams - and that for me is the major reason we look so poor right now. The players we have in this positions are solid...but they're not physically capable of patrolling and controlling these huge spaces.
Now, many of us doubt this can ever be successful in the Premier League, with so many well-coached, super-fit, transition-based teams facing off against us week-in, week-out.
However, let's suspend our disbelief for a second and say its not working because of the profile of player we have...what do we need to make it work?
Let's assume we can make four major transfers across January and the Summer window.
Try and keep it realistic and focused on player profiles, rather than big lists of players who should leave and big lists of players to replace them.
For me, we need...
- At LEAST one CB with pace, power and aggression. I know Martinez is very popular, and he has many qualities, but the jury is out for me on him in this system because he's so slow. Let's assume EtH sticks with him, which seems highly-likely, then we absolutely 100% need "recovery pace" beside him.
- An athletic attacking RB. Our attacks are still heavily focused on the left flank. I actually feel for Antony because, again yesterday, he beat his defender several times but had no United player within 30 yards of him. He needs a full back overlapping or underlapping to make use of the space I believe he can create.
- An elite goalscorer. In time, this may be Hojlund, but he's not ready right now. Also, this elite goalscorer doesn't necessarily need to be the CF. It just needs to be someone like Salah for Liverpool, who bails them out when they turn in abject performance after abject performance. This season especially, they've been poor on so many occasions, only for him to bail them out with a piece of magic. We lack this wildcard effect.
- A beast of a CM. I would also have added "ball playing CM" but I think Mainoo is already good enough to be developed in this role. Therefore, for me, we need a monster in the shape of Rice, prime Essien, prime Kante, prime Casemiro etc...who can effectively cover 1.5 positions in that midfield space on their own. Currently we badly lack physicality in this area and at CB, which is why teams cut through us with ease once they force a turnover. Effectively you're asking the CBs and the CMs to perform miracles and cover far bigger spaces than their counterparts in middling teams - and that for me is the major reason we look so poor right now. The players we have in this positions are solid...but they're not physically capable of patrolling and controlling these huge spaces.