I think some people are suggesting 3 at the back in order to make enough room for attacking players, rather than on the actual merit of having 3 at the back. It doesn't work that way you know. How are we going to stop top class wingers?

..................Rooney...............Welbeck / hernandez...................

....Young / Nani.............Kagawa / Cleverley................Valencia....

........................................Carrick / scholes......................

.....Evra.................Vidic / Evans..................Smalling / Jones.............Rafeal......

.................................DeGea / Lindegaard...................................

====================================================================================================================================================== 1. There is a perfect balance of attack-minded and defense-minded players. The 5 players up front play purely attacking football while the 5 players behind them will provide the steel to win the ball back. thus this formation is more like a 4-1-3-2

====================================================================================================================================================== ........................... Rooney / Welbeck / hernandez...................

....Young / Nani.............Kagawa / Cleverley................Valencia....

.................................Carrick ............ scholes......................

.....Evra.................Vidic / Evans..................Smalling / Jones.............Rafeal......

.................................DeGea / Lindegaard...................................

====================================================================================================================================================== 2. Against top teams where you need a better defense, then man utd can start with one forward, then the formation will change into a 4-2-3-1.

====================================================================================================================================================== ........................... Rooney ..............Welbeck / hernandez...................

....Young / Nani.............Kagawa / Cleverley................ Carrick / Scholes ..................Valencia....

.....Evra.................Vidic / Evans..................Smalling / Jones.............Rafeal......

.................................DeGea / Lindegaard...................................

====================================================================================================================================================== 3. Against epl weaker teams who usually try to settles for a draw and goes for a stiff defensive play. The best formation against them to lure into attacking by inducing them into fergie's formation 4-4-2.

mb28mbrook:

People are know getting this idea that a 3 man defence is the best option just because Barca use it, the reason they use it in the Spanish league, is because they keep the ball for 90 minutes and most opposition teams sit back that much that by time they get chance to get forward all the Barca players are already back.

Then there is Napoli who have been made out to play a 3 man defence when it's very much a 5 man defence, as they play counter attacking football.

Then there is Wigan who play 5 man defence, and a completely 5 man defence, the media have described it as a 3 man defence, but it is most certainly not.

A 3 man defence for United in the Premier League, would be diabolical. We would concede goals for the fun of it. Teams would just beat us constantly on the wings. The only way I could imagine Utd being able to play 3 men in defence is if we bought Bale, as he's similar to Valencia, but he cost about £50m, and is injury prone and inconsistent, so he is a waste of money.

That explains why Barca always strugles when they meet english teams and other teams that use wingers....erm

In my opinion this is the best we could do, 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 either way,,, GK: De Gea......DF: Evra or new LB, Vidic, Jones, Rafeal........MF: Carrick, Clevz or new CM , Kagawa......LM: Nani.....RM: Valencia.....ST: Rooney.........can still get Wellbeck in there regularly by putting him or Rooney in a false/ghost wide position, this way we can dominate midfield and provide service whilst still having our great width.

rooney hernandez kagawa carrick jones nani or young evra vidic smalling or rio raphael de gea kagawa to play anywhere on the left and to drift inside. smalling to eventually replace rio. welbeck and cleverly still to do more against the top prem teams for me. If we had a fully fit fletcher he would be in for jones, with jones at right back. Im still unsure about raphaels defensive abilities and injurys.

manchesterunitedislife:

...................Rooney...............Welbeck...................

....Kagawa.............Cleverley................Valencia....

....................Carrick................Jones......................

.....Evans.................Vidic..................Smalling........

.................................DeGea...................................

1. There is a perfect balance of attack-minded and defense-minded players. The 5 players up front play purely attacking football while the 5 players behind them will provide the steel to win the ball back.

2. Against top teams where you need a better defense, Jones can join the back 4, then the formation will change into a 4-1-3-2. Evans maybe substituted with Evra.

3. I think we will keep a lot of possession with this formation because there are 4 CMs (if you include Jones). This team can outplay any team in the world imho. We have quality on the wings as well, and most importantly, there are 2 strikers.

What do you think about this 3-2-3-2 format? Opinions please?

Are you crazy? That formation would never work.

.Welbeck.....................................Rooney.................................Nani ................................................Kacawa......................................... ..............................Carrick..........................Anderson.................... Evra.............................Vidic..................Ferdinand.............Rafael this is our best lineup. but then having Cleverley for Carrick might be tempting but he didnt play enough games to convince me that much. the only dilema can be whether to put nani left wing and play valencia right wing but the rest of the positions are held by the best players in those positions in our current team. Anyone wanna dispute that, raise your hand and reason your way out This is a 4-2-1-3 or 4-2-3-1 with kacawa as AM and welbeck LW/LF

manchesterunitedislife:

...................Rooney...............Welbeck...................

....Kagawa.............Cleverley................Valencia....

....................Carrick................Jones......................

.....Evans.................Vidic..................Smalling........

.................................DeGea...................................

1. There is a perfect balance of attack-minded and defense-minded players. The 5 players up front play purely attacking football while the 5 players behind them will provide the steel to win the ball back.

2. Against top teams where you need a better defense, Jones can join the back 4, then the formation will change into a 4-1-3-2. Evans maybe substituted with Evra.

3. I think we will keep a lot of possession with this formation because there are 4 CMs (if you include Jones). This team can outplay any team in the world imho. We have quality on the wings as well, and most importantly, there are 2 strikers.

What do you think about this 3-2-3-2 format? Opinions please?

It could work well but obviously depends on who the opposition are and whether it's a home or away game.

I think I'd prefer to see Young or Nani on the left with Kagawa in the middle. I'm also not very sure of Jones as a midfielder. He plays with great heart but his passing is not great yet.

People are know getting this idea that a 3 man defence is the best option just because Barca use it, the reason they use it in the Spanish league, is because they keep the ball for 90 minutes and most opposition teams sit back that much that by time they get chance to get forward all the Barca players are already back.

Then there is Napoli who have been made out to play a 3 man defence when it's very much a 5 man defence, as they play counter attacking football.

Then there is Wigan who play 5 man defence, and a completely 5 man defence, the media have described it as a 3 man defence, but it is most certainly not.

A 3 man defence for United in the Premier League, would be diabolical. We would concede goals for the fun of it. Teams would just beat us constantly on the wings. The only way I could imagine Utd being able to play 3 men in defence is if we bought Bale, as he's similar to Valencia, but he cost about £50m, and is injury prone and inconsistent, so he is a waste of money.

Yes lets waste Kagawas abilities out on the left instead of playing him as AM where he plays his very best football...

manchesterunitedislife:

...................Rooney...............Welbeck...................

....Kagawa.............Cleverley................Valencia....

....................Carrick................Jones......................

.....Evans.................Vidic..................Smalling........

.................................DeGea...................................

1. There is a perfect balance of attack-minded and defense-minded players. The 5 players up front play purely attacking football while the 5 players behind them will provide the steel to win the ball back.

2. Against top teams where you need a better defense, Jones can join the back 4, then the formation will change into a 4-1-3-2. Evans maybe substituted with Evra.

3. I think we will keep a lot of possession with this formation because there are 4 CMs (if you include Jones). This team can outplay any team in the world imho. We have quality on the wings as well, and most importantly, there are 2 strikers.

What do you think about this 3-2-3-2 format? Opinions please?

Wouldn't work. We would get destroyed on the left side. Kagawa is AM or Secondery Striker, not a wingback. Also why would you play Kagawa out of position to accomodate Clevs, an unproven talent pushes Bundesliga player of the season out wide? Swap Kagawa and Clevs then swap him with Evra, then it might work. Although that would work the 4-2-3-1/4-4-1-1 would work alot better.

Sorry for triple post.

manchesterunitedislife:

...................Rooney...............Welbeck...................

....Kagawa.............Cleverley................Valencia....

....................Carrick................Jones......................

.....Evans.................Vidic..................Smalling........

.................................DeGea...................................

1. There is a perfect balance of attack-minded and defense-minded players. The 5 players up front play purely attacking football while the 5 players behind them will provide the steel to win the ball back.

2. Against top teams where you need a better defense, Jones can join the back 4, then the formation will change into a 4-1-3-2. Evans maybe substituted with Evra.

3. I think we will keep a lot of possession with this formation because there are 4 CMs (if you include Jones). This team can outplay any team in the world imho. We have quality on the wings as well, and most importantly, there are 2 strikers.

What do you think about this 3-2-3-2 format? Opinions please?

Wouldn't work. We would get destroyed on the left side. Kagawa is AM or Secondery Striker, not a wingback. Also why would you play Kagawa out of position to accomodate Clevs, an unproven talent pushes Bundesliga player of the season out wide? Swap Kagawa and Clevs then swap him with Evra, then it might work. Although that would work the 4-2-3-1/4-4-1-1 would work alot better.

manchesterunitedislife:

...................Rooney...............Welbeck...................

....Kagawa.............Cleverley................Valencia....

....................Carrick................Jones......................

.....Evans.................Vidic..................Smalling........

.................................DeGea...................................

1. There is a perfect balance of attack-minded and defense-minded players. The 5 players up front play purely attacking football while the 5 players behind them will provide the steel to win the ball back.

2. Against top teams where you need a better defense, Jones can join the back 4, then the formation will change into a 4-1-3-2. Evans maybe substituted with Evra.

3. I think we will keep a lot of possession with this formation because there are 4 CMs (if you include Jones). This team can outplay any team in the world imho. We have quality on the wings as well, and most importantly, there are 2 strikers.

What do you think about this 3-2-3-2 format? Opinions please?

Wouldn't work. We would get destroyed on the left side. Kagawa is AM or Secondery Striker, not a wingback. Also why would you play Kagawa out of position to accomodate Clevs, an unproven talent pushes Bundesliga player of the season out wide? Swap Kagawa and Clevs then swap him with Evra, then it might work. Although that would work the 4-2-3-1/4-4-1-1 would work alot better.

...................Rooney...............Welbeck...................

....Kagawa.............Cleverley................Valencia....

....................Carrick................Jones......................

.....Evans.................Vidic..................Smalling........

.................................DeGea...................................

1. There is a perfect balance of attack-minded and defense-minded players. The 5 players up front play purely attacking football while the 5 players behind them will provide the steel to win the ball back.

2. Against top teams where you need a better defense, Jones can join the back 4, then the formation will change into a 4-1-3-2. Evans maybe substituted with Evra.

3. I think we will keep a lot of possession with this formation because there are 4 CMs (if you include Jones). This team can outplay any team in the world imho. We have quality on the wings as well, and most importantly, there are 2 strikers.

What do you think about this 3-2-3-2 format? Opinions please?