Guys, I come to you in a slightly subdued mood, not because I didn't want us to sign Kagawa, I'm delighted we did, but because revision for exams has drained the will to live from me.
Anyway, the point of one of my rare articles is this: Where will Kagawa play, or, how will he play?
I read an interview with a Japanese journo on the United site who thought SAF may tinker with his formation to accommodate Kagawa, possibly a 4-2-3-1.
IMO, that would look something like this:
.............De Gea..........
Rafa...Rio...Vida...Evra...
.........Carrick...Scholes...
...Valencia...Kagawa...Nani...
............Rooney........
I think that looks absolutely fantastic! We have the same midfield base as last year of Carrick + Scholes, however, the onrushing opponents may not be able to overrun us as easily as they have 3 players in front of Carrick + Scholes all capable of destroying their team with one run/pass, and then there's Rooney in front of them!!!
BUT, would that leave us exposed on the wings? I'd still assume Nani + Valencia to be wide, but not as wide as they would be in a 4-4-2. If they did push wider, though, would that render Kagawa pretty useless as, when he did pick the ball up, he'd have only Rooney anywhere near him if he was being pressured and a longer, sweeping pass wasn't available? Leaving Kag + Roo against 3 or 4 players at times.
In my opinion, I think that formation change could really help us, I think just looking at it the balance between offense and defense looks immediately stable and threatening. I do think our width would suffer as a result, though, an area where we conceded a few cheap goals from last season.
My main concern, however, is this: Welbeck. Where does he fit in? Kag can't play as part of a midfield two, he isn't a CM! And yes he can play wide left but so can Young/Nani (assuming AV stays right) and is Kag really better than those two on a wing?
Rooney is obviously in no danger (as unfair as that is, we all know it's true). So does Welbeck warm the bench? Does Kawaga warm the bench and come on if the starting line up isn't threatening in the right ways; is he simply an alternative?
\Discuss, I think this signing's incredibly interesting for those reasons, it looks as though a lot of things other than one player in the starting 11 may be about to change.
Kagawa: How!?
posted on 6/6/12
Kagawa is not a CM. Any attempts by Fergie to 'mould' will end in failure IMO.
A fluid 4-2-3-1 formation is probably the way forward.
posted on 6/6/12
I suppose we will never know whether SAF wanted to get both Hazard and Kagawa (perhaps our reported interest in Kagawa made hazard opt for Chelsea) regardless the fact we have 32m that was set aside for hazard still available or say 20m if you deduct Kagawa’s fee perhaps SAF will see it as an opportunity to target some players he perhaps was going to wait until next season or give him the chance to fix some problems he has indentified but we would have otherwise been unable to solve if the Hazard deal had gone through.
All this season I have been stating the need for a left footed left winger as continually having to play a right footer on that side leaves us unbalanced and means Evra has to push forward more often as the right footer generally tend to cut inside. However with the arrival of Kagawa i like many see a change in our system which will mean this isn’t such an issue.
Fullbacks are still a concern and obviously at least one quality centre midfielder. So if we can get 2 more players in this summer to fulfil those positions I will be happy – Personally I can’t see us only signing one player. We usually tend to spend big after we lost out on the league as a statement of intent
posted on 6/6/12
I see the OP has fallen into the tired old inclusion of Scholes (past it) and Rafa (never going to be good enough for MUFC). Liabilities the pair of them for different reasons.
SAF will not use Scholes any more than he has to. Plenty to pick from in CM (including Rooney)
A proper RB is is an almost certain summer signing otherwise I can see another wasted season of Jones/Smalling being rotated out of position. Not sure that De Gea will last too much longer either. The other position that desperately needs sorting is that of striker - the absence of which was the main reason for coming second last season.
MUFC's current strongest starting XI would be selected along the following lines:
Lindegaard
RB?
Rio
Smalling/Jones/Vidic
Evra
Nani/Valencia
Anderson/Kagawa/Fletcher/Jones
Rooney
Carrick
Young
? (A proper EPL experienced striker)
Subs picked from those above not selected, plus De Gea, Hernandez, Berbatov (if he stays), Giggs (occassionally), Wellbeck and Cleverley (but only if the last two improve a lot)
Only three more signings (two if Lindegaard is trusted enough to get the no.1 shirt)
posted on 6/6/12
I think Berbatov is definitely off – I’m hoping we can get a least some money in for him which could offset some of the Kagawa transfer plus take his wages off our books.
Not quite sure why you’ve taken De Gea out of the starting 11 – I think he showed enough in the second half off the season that in 2/3 seasons time he will be one of the worlds top goalkeepers, as he gets older and more confident he will begin to command his area and boss his defence about. Talk of schmeical coming back but whether that is partly a GK coaching role on an Ambassador role I don’t know.
Also don’t know why you say Welbeck needs to improve he was one of our best players this season – He’s only just turned 22 I think – the guy has a great future. We looked much better against city when he came on up top and if he hadn’t been injured by De Jong our chances of getting an equalizer would have been much higher
posted on 6/6/12
comment by me (U4566)
posted 9 minutes ago
I see the OP has fallen into the tired old inclusion of Scholes (past it) and Rafa (never going to be good enough for MUFC). Liabilities the pair of them for different reasons.
SAF will not use Scholes any more than he has to. Plenty to pick from in CM (including Rooney)
A proper RB is is an almost certain summer signing otherwise I can see another wasted season of Jones/Smalling being rotated out of position. Not sure that De Gea will last too much longer either. The other position that desperately needs sorting is that of striker - the absence of which was the main reason for coming second last season.
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This poster must be on something.
Tired old inclusion of Rafa not been good enough yet he opts for SAF purchasing a new RB when LB is more of a pressing concern.
That SAF has publicly backed De Gea as our numero uno and De Gea himself having a good season overall after settling from his early-season clangers.
That Rio is defacto CB and Vidic has to rotate with Evans et al?
That Young is defacto LW ?
That SAF is in the market for a striker?
It seems this poster is either a WUM or clearly has not watched any Man Utd games.
posted on 6/6/12
Me isn't a United fan just look at his history he's a poor WUM, don't pay attention to him
posted on 6/6/12
This poster must be on something.
Only fresh summer air.
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Tired old inclusion of Rafa not been good enough yet he opts for SAF purchasing a new RB when LB is more of a pressing concern.
A LB is something look for in the future perhaps but Evra (barring injury) is not too much of a worry for me. Starting another season without a proper RB means another season of rotating Jones and Smalling out of position and, as much as I like them (Jones especially) they are wasted out there.
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That SAF has publicly backed De Gea as our numero uno and De Gea himself having a good season overall after settling from his early-season clangers.
Good for SAF, it has to be done in public (he did the same for Barthez). He won't last the pace, the kind of mistakes De Gea is prone to cannot be coached out of a GK. Great shot stopper, of course, but that alone is not good enough.
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That Rio is defacto CB and Vidic has to rotate with Evans et al?
Fair enough, but between Rio, Vidic, Evans, Smalling and Jones. The CB position is pretty well covered. Don't see it as a priority - as long as Smalling or Jones are not wasted as makeshift RBs (see above).
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That Young is defacto LW ?
Well he is the only left winger at the club I see no other option - although if Valencia comes on then Nani can switch temporarily I suppose. Still not a major issue.
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That SAF is in the market for a striker?
Without one MUFC are doomed. MUFC built their recent success (SAF's tenureship) on out scoring the other teams in the league. Since RvN left that is no longer the case. MUFC have for teh past 2/3season createdd more chances than their opponents throughout the course of the season and yet seen their chances:goals ratio decline.
It needs to be sorted.
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It seems this poster is either a WUM or clearly has not watched any Man Utd games.
This is just a silly comment about someone you happen to disagree with, and contributes little to the discussion
posted on 6/6/12
comment by Valencia's Right Foot (U11781)
posted 14 minutes ago
Me isn't a United fan just look at his history he's a poor WUM, don't pay attention to him
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Oh dear dear dear.
sad liar alert
posted on 6/6/12
If you are a United fan, why have you written off De Gea, Welbeck and Rafael who have shown fantastic potential, ignored Evans completely.
Poor WUM.
posted on 6/6/12
Look at his posting history, he's just slating United and said we're in the market for a RB because Rafael is crap