Manchester United Banter Archive January 26 2020

26 Jan 2020 18:43:01
It's Tranmere so I'm not going to get carried away but does the 3-5-2 formation best suit our current squad?

It was very interesting that Maguire was deployed to the left of a back three today. In my opinion that's his best position. It's actually the right and left CB's that need to be comfortable on the ball and step into midfield. The centre CB needs to cover left and right and be able to read the game. I wonder if Bailly could fulfil that role moving forward?

The formation gives us width, two up front and an extra man in midfield.

I always think Martial is better from the left cutting inside and Greenwood like wise on the right. The wings backs stretch the game and give more room for the No10 to operate.

The formation gives us numbers in defence, in midfield and upfront.

I even think against teams where we dominate possession James could play as a wing back and Dalot to give us a really attacking option!

On a terrible pitch it's the best I've seen us use the ball and everybody seemed to understand their job and role in the team.

Of course it was against lower opposition but I'd like to see us use it more often with Maguire to the left of the three.

I just think with our current squad it's probably the formation that gets the most out of the majority of our players at this current time.

26 Jan 2020 19:07:02
I really like it. It’s what Chris Wilder does and creates overloads all over the pitch. It’s super smart and stat man Dave did a good break down of the tactic on YouTube.

We have the perfect defenders for it on paper. Probably need more at CM and AM and RM but we know that already


I’m a big fan of wilder btw excellent coach.

26 Jan 2020 19:16:43
My preference has always been either a 4141 or 343, as it gives the best balance in my opinion.

In theory any formation can work if you make sure everyone knows their role and is able to perform it to a high enough level.

The issue we have to be honest isn't that we don't have the right players to play different formations/ tactics, but that the players we have aren't consistent enough in any role to enable a side to consistently play well.

Rashford has scored a hat full of goals, but really struggled when asked to play as a CF.

When on form Martial is an excellent striker to build an attack around, but he has too many off days or days where he doesn't seem to be at the races mentally. As a central striker in a one striker system the moment the player playing that role has an off day the whole attack will struggle.

Lingard goes from being a key player in a big game to anonymous for the next 4, same for Pereira and Mata.

James always works hard, but is ineffective in some games and doesn't have the all round game to change the way he plays.

The same can be said of Matic and Fred, they work hard, but too often then struggle to impose themselves on a game.

Maguire and Lindelof can look solid one game and a liability in the next.

It doesn't matter which system you play, until 9 or 10 of your starting 11 can perform to a high enough level consistently your tactics will always struggle to work out.

That isn't a defence of Ole, the same could be said for Jose, or LvG or Moyes.

However, a consistent system will give the players confidence and familiarity will make it easier for them to know what is expected of them.

Building a side is very much like writing an essay or a report, you have an over arching theme, but how you perform within that theme can be very different. The issue I think we have isn't to do with which formation we line up in, but what the over arching theme to the side is. Are we a counter attacking side, are we a pressing side, do we defend with a high line or a low block, are we a possession based side, do we play with width or through the middle, are we trying to create chance at set plays, or are we trying to create shooting opportunities from open play.

My preference is to see high tempo offensive football. I'm not a fan of recycling possession needlessly or to defend. I want to see a side that attacks at every opportunity and as quickly as possible. Blink and you'll miss it football.

However, how you achieve that can vary greatly. You could play a low block and look to play balls over the top.
Or you could play a high line, compress the pitch press aggressively and look to make runs the moment the ball is won, with quick no more than two touch football.

Two very different ways of playing, but both can be high tempo, quick offensive football.

What our side lacks is an identity of play, regardless of tactics or formation, or even personal. Liverpool are the most successful side this season, they have played several formations, with varying players, yet you know how the team will play regardless of who is playing or the teams shape. That's what we need, a consistency of style, then and only then might we see a consistency of performance from our players.

26 Jan 2020 19:20:28
Any formation that gets two strikers on the pitch playing together suits us well.

Whether its rashford drifting in and playing with martial or greenwood and martial up top, its a good idea to get your best player in the same viscinity as each other.

Also we have awful options to play out wide so 4-2-3-1 won't suit us until we have a professional right winger and a professional number 10.

26 Jan 2020 19:47:55
You are really clutching at straws if you use today's performance as a template for the future. Tranmere were poor. Probably the two matches against Watford took a lot out of them and also they are not even close to having the quality of a Premier league team.

A decent team would have pressed us more and not given us the time and space to do more or less as we pleased. Yes the goals were well taken and yes in the second half there was no imperative to press on and score more goals but at times in the second half our play was typical of what we have seen throughout the season. slow sideways and back ways passing and little guile.

Let's reserve favourable judgement on how well the team does until they play consistently well against good to top quality opposition.

26 Jan 2020 22:21:01
The argument I have with lfc fans is they are Leicester in disguise when they won the league, no competition, LFC have no rivals while the elite are rebuilding, where are there competition they ain't competing against the 08 Barcelona or the Ronaldo years of mufc, mourinho years of Chelsea, maldini and pirlo of AC Milan or even the invincibles under Wenger, hope LFC, Leicester FC is put put into perspective, joeyored.

{Ed047's Note - who were you’re rivals when you had money and no one else did?

You just sound bitter Joey like you’ve got to belittle something. This current Liverpool team would give any of your previous teams a good run for their money.

Add to that when you were in your pomp did you ever achieve what both City and Liverpool have. I’m guessing that’s a no! 🤦‍♂️

26 Jan 2020 23:08:47
In our pomp we did win a treble.

26 Jan 2020 23:59:34
Not sure Joey was alive when you won the treble, 12days😂.

27 Jan 2020 03:52:23
Liverpool have no competition? The better half of Manchester got the highest points total ever last season and they are pretty much unchanged (except Kompany), yet we are 16 points better than them this time around.
I think the real reason you consider the Premier League poor this season is because you’re trying comprehend how United can be fifth when you have played like a second-rate pub team for the past 12 months. I’m sure you will look back at this season in years to come with misty-eyed nostalgia as the year that you took a point off one of the greatest Liverpool sides.

27 Jan 2020 06:49:04
That’s very bitter Joey. It hurts more than anything to see Liverpool at the top of the tree, but they are the best team in the land right now. The table doesn’t lie, and they have the best manager. They deserve to be where they are and they are a brilliant side.

27 Jan 2020 07:58:21
Dont understand the bitterness, its Liverpool's time good luck to them. It should however make us more determined to knock them back off their perch next year.

27 Jan 2020 09:50:14
Tbf, this Liverpool team is very good and could dominate for years to come, City have also been very good over the recent years.
However, I wouldn't say that United haven't achieved what City or Liverpool have, yes points totals wise have been impressive but we won 3 PL titles in a row, we won a double double, a treble, multiple cups across the world and played some of the best football ever seen.
That's not to take away from what City or Liverpool are doing atm or have done and hate to say it but hats off to the scousers, they do the business, have a good model, a good young squad and play great stuff and in addition can grind results out but, City also dominated and played amazing stuff and maybe biased but I wouldn't swap any of our title and dominating teams for theirs, it would need Liverpool or City to start racking up titles and cups over years and years to start saying they've achieved more than United in their pomp, let's not forget United's pomp continued for 2 decades and new domainat squads was
built, but the way Liverpool look and with their young, talented squad they very well could achieve more, a conversation for a decade down the line tho.

26 Jan 2020 15:50:29
Great goals, good movement, controlled it after the first 6mins, thoroughly professional and dealt well with the pitch. It's only tranmere so I won't claim we are world beaters but I am glad I can relax the rest of today 😊.

26 Jan 2020 16:22:41
Bit like how city must have felt first half against us in league Cup. Seriously though it is a professional job and cannot harm confidence.

27 Jan 2020 07:59:40
Confidence is they major takeaway from yesterday. Having said that the space the Tranmere defence gave United on the edge of the area was criminal.

26 Jan 2020 14:25:39
Why on earth are we starting Maguire and martial. there going to end up with injuries playing to much. bailly on the bench why not play him if he's on the bench he must be fit enough. very strange team selection.

26 Jan 2020 14:34:06
Scared of the consequences if we lose its that simple.

26 Jan 2020 14:35:33
He's putting his job security ahead of player's health, same as he did with rashford. But apparently people on here would have us believe he puts the club first not himself.

26 Jan 2020 14:46:00
It's easy to see what he puts 1st. perfect game to rest players and use other players. matic has played a few games on the trot now wouldn't be suprised to see him with an injury soon. but were are the likes of Gomez garner other youth players he said that were ready.

26 Jan 2020 14:49:14
I’m not sure what he’s doing.

I don’t understand why he isn’t giving Garner or Fuzzy Mensa or Gomes a go in midfield. Perreira is a liability, so is Lingard. Same can be said about Jones in defence.

And he’s back out in the papers praising the recruitment setup again. I don’t expect him to criticise it, but parroting company PR when we know the recruitment team are behaving like amateurs is embarrassing.

26 Jan 2020 14:53:49
CSM, is it in the club's interest to get knocked out of the FA cup by Tranmere?

Players are passed fit by the medical team, as far as I'm aware their jobs aren't on the line if Ole gets sacked or not.

The manager will be told if a player is fit enough to play.

Out of interest which other CB and ST would you play instead of Maguire and Martial?

Tuanzebe or Bailly? Players who haven't played first team football since their last injury lay off, players who are still working their way back to full fitness.

As for up front, who?

26 Jan 2020 14:54:34
Just seen his pre-match interview. Apparently he wants to give players a change an opportunity to show what they can do. Yeh bet Gomes is thanking him for that whilst rubbish Jesse gets another start.

26 Jan 2020 15:25:34
Shappy if any of the first team players get injured on that atrocious pitch against a league 1 team, will it help the team?

We don't need 3 cb's vs a league 1 side, jones and lindelof would have done. Ole could have easily played chong who hasn't been any worse than lingard has been, gomes and garner could have started too.

Our opponents are 21st in league 1 and we are going nearly full strength vs them and you are defending that, just let that sink in.

26 Jan 2020 15:37:39
Show what they can do against Tranmere haha flat track bullies.

26 Jan 2020 16:10:12
Chong and Gomes are lightweight in the EPL. How would they have fared against a rough and ready League one side on that pitch? It was a game for men IMO.

{Ed047's Note - I think it’s definitely shown that you could smash the top 3 in league one with this squad Nou. 😉

26 Jan 2020 16:25:03
Baby steps, Ed 😁 In all seriousness, I thought this had banana skin written all over it. Coming off the back of a poor result, low mood around the club, rubbish pitch and a team of Scousers just dying to humble the Mancs. I'll take this.

{Ed047's Note - I would too Nou, it was one OGS needed to make sure you won no matter what and he’s done that perfectly.

26 Jan 2020 16:51:10
I think we should be thanking this team of scousers, this could have gotten real ugly for us had they played with any sort of physicality given the state of the pitch.

26 Jan 2020 20:41:39
Nou - Chong played the second half and how can you tell Gomes is lightweight in the EPL. He has only played 19mins. 9 against West Ham when we were 2 down, and then the last 10 against Norwich where he created 2 changes but the opportunities were wasted. He deserves a really crack at it in my opinion.

27 Jan 2020 01:30:34
I'm purely going on size and ability to hold on to the ball. Both players get knocked off the ball too easy, any time I've seen them play for the senior side. Chong came on when we were 5 or 6 up. The hard work had been done. There's obviously something going on behind the scenes with Gomes.

25 Jan 2020 23:49:55
See there is an unnamed prem club bidding for tchouameni along with Monaco. I know we scouted Bordeaux quite a few times last season, could it be us?

{Ed002's Note - No, it is nothing to do with MU.}