Jay-Ray7:

 Dizza,

Ljajic, when he comes, can also play in that attacking trio, as can Cleverley, Possebon, Nani, Eikrem, Hewson and Obertan.

Giggs and Scholes would also fit in there.

The bench midfielders can all rotate so that all thee guys can get a deserved chance.

As for up top, Macheda would also be good as the lone frontman.

Welbeck can play in the same position as I've put Rooney, as I see them as being the same type of striker.

you are spot on, there are so many different players who could be part of that attacking trio. i think it would bring the best out of Nani, playing a more attacking mid role rather than being required to frequently cross the ball, his most obvious weakness. Obertan, as both a striker and winger, could also really dominate that position. Possebon could play either, as he's a box to box player, similar to Anderson.

with the Strikers, the Macheda/Welbeck combination could work really well, and i'd like to see it in a League Cup game, with Tosic and Obertan alongside them.

incognito:

Maybe we can, I've seen Cleverley for Watford and England U21's. He's a great player, but these players are the future of ManUtd, not our solution for this season. Carling Cup matches to see them against EPL opposition would be good, but I don't see all of them running out against Spurs.

Thought Possebon was 20, which is old enough for the Prem but as I said "inexperienced", hence the loan. He's still at Braga for the season, so maybe they'll get desperate and play him.

True.

I agree.

As for Possebon, I think Fergie'll have to cut his loan short and bring him back to either play with our Reserves or loan him out to either a Championship or lowly BPL team.

Jay-Ray7:

Rodwell is 18, yet is doing really well at Everton and played well against us yesterday.

Cleverley is tearing it up at Watford and he is 20.

Possebon needs a chance as he was badly mistreated at Braga.

He is 21.

I find Carrick to be too slow and he lacks that "special something" needed in a CM.

I've seen Possebon, Eikrem, Gibson and Cleverley and they all can pass very well, have pile-drivers in stock and can really have their say in midfield in the positions ahead of the DM pair, Hargo and Fletch.

I'd like to see them get a chance.

Perhaps we can see them in a Carling Cup game or something.

Maybe we can, I've seen Cleverley for Watford and England U21's. He's a great player, but these players are the future of ManUtd, not our solution for this season. Carling Cup matches to see them against EPL opposition would be good, but I don't see all of them running out against Spurs.

Thought Possebon was 20, which is old enough for the Prem but as I said "inexperienced", hence the loan. He's still at Braga for the season, so maybe they'll get desperate and play him.

Asiel:

Very good thread, but you'd discover that there is a reason why a lot of teams play 4 4 2. It is the easiest formation to play when you have fast and technically sound players. It allows your players the opportunity to be effective even when out of position and tightens up the midfield. There are many other formations but they can be classed into three different formations. Your formation is a revelation. It depends on an attack that must be confident to move forward enmass and it could be devastating to the opponent. But I suspect that your backs might no want to go forward into attack mode as it will leave the team too exposed to a counter attack. For now 4 4 2 is the safest way to go as it will allow us to use our superior skills to effect. But once we open a gap in, say February, we can experiment with one or two games.

I see your point and I find your reply very interesting!

However, my formation has 2 CDM's in Hargo and Fletch.

I think the wing-backs would be more than confident in going forward, Evra in particular, because they would be aware that the 2 CDM's are covering for them.

In my formation, there is solidarity in defence, yet proficiency in attack.

To me, that formation is very all-rounded.

However, you have raised a very good point and thanks for expressing your view.

Very good thread, but you'd discover that there is a reason why a lot of teams play 4 4 2. It is the easiest formation to play when you have fast and technically sound players. It allows your players the opportunity to be effective even when out of position and tightens up the midfield. There are many other formations but they can be classed into three different formations. Your formation is a revelation. It depends on an attack that must be confident to move forward enmass and it could be devastating to the opponent. But I suspect that your backs might no want to go forward into attack mode as it will leave the team too exposed to a counter attack. For now 4 4 2 is the safest way to go as it will allow us to use our superior skills to effect. But once we open a gap in, say February, we can experiment with one or two games.

incognito:

 Yea, Park would do well up there. I rate Carrick over Gibson, and Eikrem, Cleverley and Possebon are too young (inexperienced) for regular first team football. Hargreaves-Fletch would be perfect in my opinion..

Rodwell is 18, yet is doing really well at Everton and played well against us yesterday.

Cleverley is tearing it up at Watford and he is 20.

Possebon needs a chance as he was badly mistreated at Braga.

He is 21.

I find Carrick to be too slow and he lacks that "special something" needed in a CM.

I've seen Possebon, Eikrem, Gibson and Cleverley and they all can pass very well, have pile-drivers in stock and can really have their say in midfield in the positions ahead of the DM pair, Hargo and Fletch.

I'd like to see them get a chance.

Perhaps we can see them in a Carling Cup game or something.

 Yea, Park would do well up there. I rate Carrick over Gibson, and Eikrem, Cleverley and Possebon are too young (inexperienced) for regular first team football. Hargreaves-Fletch would be perfect in my opinion..

 Good thread .............just a shame you now need to use 3 lines explain why you posted it here..lol

 Dizza,

Ljajic, when he comes, can also play in that attacking trio, as can Cleverley, Possebon, Nani, Eikrem, Hewson and Obertan.

Giggs and Scholes would also fit in there.

The bench midfielders can all rotate so that all these guys can get a deserved chance.

As for up top, Macheda would also be good as the lone frontman.

Welbeck can play in the same position as I've put Rooney, as I see them as being the same type of striker.

incognito:

 Very good thread mate, always knew we could see eye to eye. This way the team rotates around Rooney and is a good balance between attack and defense.

I'd say though a more efective "target man" would be needed. Diouf or Owen maybe. Berbatov on his own will fall deep, unless he ca be trained to be a clinical finisher.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Dizza the aussie:

i certainly think it's worth a try. Park could also play in that attacking mid trio, as he plays CAM for South Korea, and played CAM at PSV Eindhoven. Carrick could play in either the CAM or CM position, and likewise with Scholes. the only problem would be that it would be tough for Berba, as a lone striker, to break through the defence.

Both you and Incognito have made some excellent points and I thoroughly agree, but those lineups I came up with are based on what we currently have and so, I was trying to make the best of the current squad situation.

I, too, feel that we need a more effective target man, but I chose not to mention it.

People are very protective of Berba on here.

I will agree with Incongnito on the fact that Diouf, when he comes, would be better suited to play the lone frontman.

He is quite a talent in the making, possessing pace, good aerial ability, strength and work rate.

As for Carrick, I would really prefer if Gibson, Eikrem, Cleverley or Possebon got a chance over him.

I'm just not totally impressed with him.

And yes, Park would also do well in the attacking trio.

Thanks for your opinion. 

i certainly think it's worth a try. Park could also play in that attacking mid trio, as he plays CAM for South Korea, and played CAM at PSV Eindhoven. Carrick could play in either the CAM or CM position, and likewise with Scholes. the only problem would be that it would be tough for Berba, as a lone striker, to break through the defence.

 Very good thread mate, always knew we could see eye to eye. This way the team rotates around Rooney and is a good balance between attack and defense.

I'd say though a more efective "target man" would be needed. Diouf or Owen maybe. Berbatov on his own will fall deep, unless he ca be trained to be a clinical finisher.

PS. I hope this is the correct forum as this s a topic about United and it is up for discussion.

I didn't think it belonged to Players & Staff. 

Now, there has been some fair criticism being directed to our midfield for some time now. There has also been some fair criticism being directed at our strikers for not scoring as often as they should. 

Fletcher's cracker against Everton has given some indication that we can indeed get some spark and decent long-range shots from our midfield and these, in turn, will bring us the goals that we lack. 

Did you know that our 3-0 result yesterday was our biggest win since August?

Surely, that's speaks volumes about a problem that has been in existence for some time now and I think that the solution is right there in the squad for everyone to see.

We have been playing in a 4-4-2 formation for some time now, as that is Fergie's ideal setup, but what if he could use another formation?-

A formation that I'm positive would play on the strengths of all the players on the field in the different positions and a formation that would bring creativity, flair, long-range shots that would turn into goals, solidity, steel, energy, bite and most of all effectiveness and efficiency.

That formation is a 4-2-3-1.

Now, this formation, I must also point out, will also provide an additional spot in central midfield, so that the many CM's we have at OT will have a better opportunity or more opportunities to get some much needed and much coveted game time. 

Now, how would the team look using this formation?- Of course, I must make a suggestion that I think would represent a very quality-enriched Manchester United side that would dominate play and press forward to bang in the goals, but also that would bear the defensive side of our game upper most in mind.

This is my suggestion ( the first suggestion is the strongest possible lineup we can have when all players are fully fit, while the second suggestion takes into consideration our injured players)-

Suggestion 1           

              Van der Sar

Rafael  Ferdinand  Vidic  Evra

       Hargreaves  Fletcher

 Obertan  Rooney  Anderson

                 Berbatov 

Subs: Foster, O'Shea, Valencia, Scholes, Giggs, Nani, Owen

Suggestion 2          

           Van der Sar

Rafael  Brown  Vidic  Evra

        Gibson  Fletcher

Obertan  Rooney  Anderson

                Berbatov

Subs: Foster, O'Shea, Valencia, Scholes, Giggs, Nani, Owen

Notice that all our attacks will go through Rooney, which is a very good thing, because Rooney is very creative and is good at chasing the ball.

I've opted to give him the final CM spot, as it is a CAM spot and Rooney ticks all the boxes of what makes a quality CAM.

His energy and determination will fuel all counter as well as regular attacks.

Valencia plays in a CAM role for Ecuador and does pretty well there and so, this position shouldn't be strange to him.

Anderson plays on the left side of attacking midfield as he shot to prominence in that very position at Porto.

I think we will see the very best out of him in this position.

Another key point about this formation is that Valencia and Anderson can push out wide when necessary and so, our play doesn't always have to be through the middle. Both players are familiar with playing out wide.

This formation would also hopefully encourage Berba to stay up top, as Rooney and co. would be taking care of the creativity behind him.

The passes would be played through to him and he can finsh those through passes.

He has all the facets of a great Target Man except the regular goal-scoring and I think that this formation can bring that important and much needed facet out of him.

What do you think about my ideas?

Are they worth a try?

 I think the 4-2-3-1 formation is suitable when we plays against top clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal or Barcelona. Against a team which is slightly weak, i still think we should play the 4-4-2 formation like Everton.