Taken from ManUtd.com
Louis van Gaal has confirmed he intends to use a 4-3-3 formation with Manchester United in the new Barclays Premier League season.
The Reds appeared to operate with a system resembling 4-2-3-1 on Tour 2015 presented by Aon as Memphis Depay performed in a no.10 role behind centre-forward Wayne Rooney with Ashley Young and Juan Mata on the flanks. However, it would seem from the manager's latest comments that he sees the position occupied in pre-season by his fellow Dutchman as being part of the midfield three.
"That the midfielder is [sometimes] in front of the striker is not bad because I think you do need variation in your attack," said van Gaal, in a press conference following the final tour match against PSG.
"I like that and I ask for that, especially from Memphis. It can also be Carrick or Schweinsteiger or Schneiderlin once in a while but mostly Memphis. It depends on our opponents."
When asked which formation he will deploy in the Barclays Premier League, van Gaal replied: "More or less 4-3-3. We played that already last season, in the second half of the season, and I have said that is the system I want to use. We played in our shape [on tour] and played how we have to play. That's also where I have been very satisfied."
From a tactical perspective, the key is probably the attacking central midfield position where Memphis, Adnan Januzaj and Andreas Pereira were stationed at various times in the United States. There could also be an opportunity for Juan Mata or Ander Herrera to prove their suitability to play alongside more defensive-minded colleagues such as Michael Carrick, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin.
Memphis, who is also a candidate for the wider roles in the front three, has been entrusted with the job in each of the four starting line-ups in the US and could be considered the favourite to start there against Tottenham.
LvG confirms 4-3-3
posted on 30/7/15
Barca beat them quite convincingly in the semis one year.
But Mourinho is a scaredy cat anyway in these big CL games. Some may say he's out of his depth when in the CL when you have to score goals.
posted on 30/7/15
I reckon they would have beaten barca with their best players fit. Flip the situation round and they would have done at least.
posted on 30/7/15
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 31/7/15
Some weird comments by Robb & the Guvnor
Talk about tying yourself in knots
I think DTKF has appropriately corrected all the inconsistency in some of the responses but I must add that comparing Pep to Fergie at this moment in time is a bit difficult as they have managed in entirely different circumstances.
Fergie is certainly the master of overachieving and winning trophies with average sides but there is no doubt he also underachieved in Europe. There was a 3-4 year period when the English sides were the best in Europe and United should have won more in Europe.
Despite managing 2 of the finest sides in Europe Pep is rightly lauded because his troops have come while playing the best footie and destroying teams. It's not like he was winning in a Rafa or Capello sort of fashion.
He is certainly one of the top managers ever already & despite inheriting a good team from Rikaard he did elevate Barca to another level.
His struggles at Bayern must be taken in context, this is the same Bayern that raped Barca (managed by Tito) 7-0 on aggregate home and away. Something we are unlikelybtobevee see happen against a Barca side anytime soon. Yes, Barca failed to score a single goal in that semi.
For him to elevate that Bayern side was always going to be difficult hence his so called 2 year struggle.
But like DTKF put it, mourinho has gone 6 years without a champions league & Feefie has gone longer than that.
It's an impossible competition to win such that I'm amazed that Robb thinks he should have won more when he already has 2 titles with Barca in a 4 year stint with them!
Was he supposed to win 4 titles???
He is a top top manager. Possibly currently the best along with mourinho and by the time he retires will be one of the greatest ever considering he is still only 44.
posted on 31/7/15
And no one is arguing that Darren. Pep is a very talented manager. And may well be one of the greats one day. But currently his relative failure with Bayern will be held against him. If he leaves next year to go to city as expected and doesn't at least make the cl final with Bayern I can't see how people can rate him as one of the very best.
LOL this guy needs to go in the trash.
posted on 31/7/15
The only one holding his 'failure' against him is you
posted on 31/7/15
comment by meltonblue (U10617)
posted 21 hours, 9 minutes ago
The Di Maria sale effectively won't be in the red at all as his book value will be more or less the same as what you are getting for him. You just haven't made a profit on him, which you don't need to anyway. Woodward will be fine with it.
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Spot on.
Assuming the £60m fee was amortised over the 4 years of his contract term, that works out at exactly £15m per season. As such, his market value, with three years remaining, would be £45m.
We have not "lost" anything whatsoever, we just overpaid for a disappointing season. Had ADM been more of a man he might have dazzled in his second season for all we know. Because he is a wet pússy we will have to let him go but we have not lost any money if we sell for £45m. That is the correct market rate based on what we paid a year ago.
posted on 31/7/15
He signed a five year contract, so it's nearly £12m a season.
posted on 31/7/15
Fair enough, so we might be a few million down but nowhere near £15m.
posted on 31/7/15