Without buying player what would you do with this squad?

[Josep Dowling]

I think it’s obvious that we need to sign some better quality players but I do feel there are things we could try in this team with our current squad.

What would you with this squad without buying new players?

For me I’d stick with 4-3-3. Attacking wise we have no one on the right wing. If Mata plays there he lacks pace and always drift into central midfield. This also causes Lukaku to drift out into the open right channel. I have lost count of the amount of times he gets the ball on the right wing then we have no target man in the box.

I would try Ashley Young on RW. This was his actual position most of his career. He still has some pace. Being right footed he can hit in an early cross without needing to cut in side. This plays to Lukaku’s strength as a big target man.

If Lukaku’s form doesn’t improve I would try Martial on the left with Sanchez as the CF. Sanchez is obsessed with being involved with the play. Part of Sanchez’s issue is playing with Lukaku. They’re like chalk and cheese football wise.

My midfield three is Pogba-Matic-Herrera. This seemed like a certainty last year. Two defensively minded player which allowed Pogba to push up the pitch. I think we played them as a midfield 3 for only a handful of games. What has happened to Herrera anyway? He’s gone from being voted the fans player of the season to not even starting ahead of McTominay.

My back 4 would be Shaw-Smalling-Bailly-Valencia. I think this centre back pairing hasn’t been terrible over the last couple of years. Bailly can be rash and is poor with his positioning but paired with Smalling he has looked better . I see nothing in Lindelöf, he just looks like a very bad signing that isn’t suited to the Premier League.

 

[Woziak]

We simply have to play 433 due to our deffiencies in defence. Right Now I think Jose should tell the squad that he's still the boss and he will pick the following match day 11 and 7 subs. The rest of the players will have to fight for their place. He will probably drop Pogba from the starting 11 and go with something like this;

Mourinho What we should Do
D De Gea D De Gea

A Young D Dalot
C Smalling E Baily
V Lindelof C Smalling
L Shaw L Shaw

N Matic N Matic
A Herrera A Herrera
M Feillani Pogba

M Rashford M Rashford
R Lukaku A Sanchez
A Sanchez A Martial

The second team supported by S Romero, M Rojo, Fred, A Pereira, J Lingard, R Lukaku, M Feillani would give us a mobile midfield with good options from the bench and a more mobile front 3 that can control the ball, Sanchez can drop off as a false 9 and create for the pace of Rashford and Martial. Lukaku should be dropped and told that he may have to play from the right in a 3 as his touch is not good enough to lead the line. Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia, Mateo Darmian, Phil Jones, Juan Mata should be moved out by January transfer window and 4 top players brought in.

 

[spwd]

2 threads?

 

[tentan]

----------------------De Gea--------------------
Dalot-----------Bailly------Smalling------Shaw
Valencia----------Matic------Pogba------Young
------------------Lukaku----Sanchez

Play a simple 4-4-2. Valencia and Young in their normal positions and Sanchez playing off Lukaku.

 

[devilish]

DDG

RB: Dalot
Cb: Smalling
Cb: Bailly
LB: Shaw

DM: Matic
b2b: Fred
CM: Herrera

AMRC: Sanchez
AMLC: Pogba
STK: Lukaku

 

[Cheekiey]

Anything with a 2 striker system.

3412, 352, 442, 4312

 

[Devil may care]

 

[caid]

I dont know tbh. Everyone has been saying our defenders are muck recently but we've had the best defensive record in the league for years. We had it playing with a high line under van gaal too so Mourinho cant take sole credit for it. They're better than they've been showing recently along with all our other players and good enough to reach top 4 relatively comfortably. I'd set them up in a 433 and not be too pushed if it was Valencia or Dalot or any other combination of players in most positions. Who's getting selected and what formation they're being set up in just isn't the problem.

 

[tjb]

I like the idea of a 442 with Lukaku and Sanchez. The key thing in any United formation moving forward is that Lukaku should not be isolated. I would honestly go with a diamond in midfield with the three of Fred Matic and Pogba, with Pereira or Lingard as the attacking midfielder for now. Moving forward I would like to sign a right winger and go to an old fashioned 442....like this.

DDG
Dalot Bailly Smalling Shaw
Young Pogba Matic Martial
Lukaku Sanchez

If Pogba leaves, you insert Fred into the 11 in his place and use the Pogba money to sign Dembele. Signing a centre back to play with Smalling or Bailly would also be key.

 

[Krakenzero]

Agree with the 4-4-2 bandwagon. It's simple so it doesn't require a lot of time, training and matches to adapt, plus it guarantees some competition in almost every position:

De Gea
---------------------
Valencia / Dalot / Darmian
Bailly
Smalling / Lindelof
Shaw / Young
---------------------
Mata / Lingard
Matic / Fellaini / Mctominay
Fred / Herrera
Pogba / Pereira
---------------------
Lukaku / Rashford
Sánchez / Martial

 

[SadlerMUFC]

The first thing I would do if we are playing with wingers is put a left footer on the left and a right footer on the right. We are too narrow and play too much as individuals. A wingers first thought should be to set up a goal, not to score himself. As soon a a right footer is on the left his instinct is to come inside. If he loses the ball the tackle goes back up field and can start a counter attack. If a right footer goes wide on his man down the right flank and gets tackled the ball most likely goes for a throw or a corner kick. Bring back the simplicity of width. I was watching City yesterday (and it hurts to make this comparison) and they had Sterling (a right footer) on the right, and Sane (a left footer) on the left. They had a ton of width. I would also switch to a 4-4-2. Lukaku needs support. Most teams play with a back 4 so that leaves 2 centre halves to mark one player. No wonder we aren't scoring much. Oh, and please PLEASE get rid of Mourinho...

 

[99withaflake]

If a new manager comes in, I hope he tells every single one of them that they have the rest of the season to fight for their futures at the club.

No more excuses. No complaining about tactics or formations. Just prove you deserve to be wearing the badge.

This applies to training, matches and everything that is done in club colours.

Other than De Gea, and maybe a couple of youngsters and new signings who deserve a little more time, I'd expect everyone to be in the firing line.

 

[iamkiranks]

GK = De Gea

Back 4 = Valencia (or Dalot for lesser teams) - Smalling - Bailly - Shaw

CDM = Matic (or Fellaini if the opposition has target striker eg: Burnley)

CM = Herrera (when man marking is needed) or Matic (if Fellaini is at CDM) or Fred (for lesser teams) and Pogba

Front 3 = Lukaku, Sanchez and Martial (like the front 3 setup Belgium used in the WC, Sanchez playing more as a false 9, Martial at LW and Lukaku at a very narrow RW)