The Manchester United Thread XXI

4231 is a dead formation.

I think it's an absolute joke that after 2 years we still don't know our ideal formation or best XI. I could accept sub par performances if there's a clear identity or style the team is trying to develop, but there isn't.

These are stats I heard on a podcast:

United have used the 4-3-3 formation 6 times in the whole season so far. We have only won 3 times out of 6 with that formation and it was against lower opposition (championship standard teams).

The reason why we haven't changed to this is because to play 4-3-3 you need a strong balanced midfield and good fullbacks. We don't have good natural fullbacks apart from Luke Shaw who is the only natural fullback we have. We certainly also don't have a balanced midfield with people like Fellaini, McTominay, Herrera.... midfield is a serious problem and Mou knows this.

Look at Bayern Munich who play predominantly 4-3-3. They have a midfield 3 of Vidal, Rodriguez and Tolisso/Rudy sometimes Muller is thrown in there on occasion. You then look at Bayern's fullbacks (world class quality) they have 3... Rafinha, Kimmich and Alaba.

You could then ask why haven't we played 3-5-2 instead we have but it hasn't proved as effective because of the above reasons. We NEED decent fullbacks and competent midfielders. The fact that Mourinho has already said he is not targetting attackers in this summer window tells you he's thinking of switching our formation to a 4-3-3 but to do that he needs to buy the correct midfielders to provide balance to midfield (so we don't have these Pogba issues) and fullbacks.

Now while I understand the above I would like to see Mou take some risk and try it. As long as we make top 4 I'm positive the fullback issues and midfield issues will be sorted out this summer transfer window.

Fullback issues well I think Young can genuinely do a job on the right, he's good defensively, can dribble and puts a good cross in. If he can do it at LB he can do it at RB and can actually be an inspired new signing.

Mou should have bought another midfielder but the midfielders he has they are good enough to be rotation options in games. Not sure on Bayerns formation as I haven't been watching them recently but pretty sure they've been using 4-2-3-1, at least in the early Heynckes days of this season. Also Muller surely plays as an AM. He's played as a CM twice this season. I think he probably changes formation depending on personnel.

I personally think if he wants to use McTominay there he should. At least he's using a young player who could potentially do a job in future seasons. Lingard a couple years ago was just filler in the squad too but he's a starter now somehow so you never know with McTominay.

Also think Mourinho has a genuine height insecurity, he needs to do some stretches. @Dirtybit

We need a Carrick replacement. Someone which exceptional passing ability who can break the lines.

Means Pogba isnt picking up the ball from Jones all the time.

In all honesty I think in the last window we should have 100% signed J.Rodriguez. @bammy jastard 27

I think Mou didn't do it because he didn't anticipate City to be this dominant/good and thought we would be able to compete more strongly. To be fair to Mou though we did compete strongly in the beginning then in the big games we let ourselves down/is where it all went a bit downhill. If Mou can solve the big game dilemma we are winning the league.

Wasn't that supposed to be what Matic was brought in for?



So he underestimated the best manager working today and arguably one of the most influential managers of all time. That's a ****ing glowing review of his ability isn' it...

Wrt issues at full back; Mourinho has been at the club for 18 months and at no point have we made a serious move for a full back, Mourinho has spent that time bad mouthing Shaw and largely ignoring Blind and Darmian. Feels like another one of those situations where Jose complains about a problem he had every power to fix and didn't.

In all honesty I think in the last window we should have 100% signed J.Rodriguez. @bammy jastard 27

I think Mou didn't do it because he didn't anticipate City to be this dominant/good and thought we would be able to compete more strongly. To be fair to Mou though we did compete strongly in the beginning then in the big games we let ourselves down/is where it all went a bit downhill. If Mou can solve the big game dilemma we are winning the league.

Not really. Matic has never been that type of player. Distribution isnt good enough to do that role.

Ideal midfield for us is Carrick/DLP, Matic and Pogba. There's a reason why Herrera and Matic don't play in a two and its because they do pretty much the same role. Thats why you need a DLP and Pogba in there for balance.

Anyone else feel that we will see nothing but City dominance in the next 3 years (EPL)

No team can match them.

Liverpool's defence always let them down they should have won league when Suarez was top scorer that season but their defence let them down.

UTD don't have the quality that City have. Their defence is letting them down as well. City have 4 good CBs: Laporte, Stones, Kompany and Otamendi. UTD only have Bailly. Surprised Lindleof never plays when he was bought for a lot of money.

Chelsea - going downhill squad is ageing as well (Willian, Cesc, Pedro, Luiz, Cahill) Plus it seems as Hazard and Courtois could leave in the summer.

Spurs - good team but never seem to have the consistency to win a league

They don't though. Matic doesn't chase like Herrera does, but same time Matic for some reason goes forward alot more than he should. Matic I thought would do the CDM role, like Carrick but with physicality. Herrera/Matic/Pogba is the best combo if we drill into Matic that he needs to sit and Herrera sits somewhere in between Matic and Pogba.

Wasn't that supposed to be what Matic was brought in for?



So he underestimated the best manager working today and arguably one of the most influential managers of all time. That's a ****ing glowing review of his ability isn' it...

Wrt issues at full back; Mourinho has been at the club for 18 months and at no point have we made a serious move for a full back, Mourinho has spent that time bad mouthing Shaw and largely ignoring Blind and Darmian. Feels like another one of those situations where Jose complains about a problem he had every power to fix and didn't.

I think you could be right, unfortunately.

City are turning the best league in football into the bundesliga.

But youre forgetting Chelsea where like 24 points ahead of us last season now they are behind us....

One season of dominance doesnt mean **** all.

Lets be honest though, did you actually expect Chelsea to win the league this season?

Lol this shows a lack of understanding on your part.

Matic was brought in to be the player that provides a screen to the back 4. He provides protection/cover for the defence as evident in many games this season where our defenders like Jones/Smalling have been further up the pitch and Matic has been effectively playing like a CB. Notice when we take corners he's always outside the 18 yard box to stop opposition counter attacks.

Thats why like Rk says Jose hesitates to play Matic and Herrera together they effectively do the same thing just Matic is better at it than Herrera (and he's more physical).

Wrt to fullbacks we have been linked with several. The reason we haven't bought any yet is because other positions took more priority e.g. CBs where a problem so he got Bailly and Lindelof, we didnt have a recognised striker with Zlatan injured so he got Lukaku, Carrick isnt as mobile anymore so we got Matic etc.

People seem to forget Mourinho is rebuilding this whole squad it will take a bit of time and credit to Mourinho because we actually did compete despite City spending a lot more and managed to be in top 4 comfortably this season.

Can I remind people that last season Chelsea where 24 points ahead of us, Spurs where 17 points ahead yet both teams are now behind us. Therefore City being 16 points ahead doesnt mean we wont catch up/wont do better next season...