"We have now decided to play a 4-3-3 like we did against Aston Villa, with one holding six, two eights and three offensive players," Rangnick said ahead of United's trip to Brentford on Wednesday night.
Obviously means we probably won't be seeing much of Ronaldo and Cavani on the pitch at the same time, but we definitely needed a change as the 4222 wasn't working.
What 433 line up would you like to see tonight? For me it would be;
Elanga-----------Ronaldo------------Mason
------------Fred--------------Bruno
----------------------VdB
Shaw------Varane--------Jones-------Dalot
---------------------DDG
I'd be interested to see Donny given the role at the base of the midfield to see if we can gain a bit more control in the middle of the park. I've opted for Fred in an 8 position as his pressing would be more useful alongside Bruno than say swapping his position with Donny. If things aren't working these two could easily be swapped in game.
433 it is
posted on 19/1/22
comment by Ricardo Calder (U1734)
posted 3 hours, 36 minutes ago
Why is he telling the Brentford manager how we will line up? Much better to keep the opposition guessing so they can't prepare for one specific formation. At least Ole not knowing what his formation is, meant that neither did the opposing manager, so couldn't prepare for whatever it was we accidentally did sometimes under Ole.
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get ralf OUT
posted on 19/1/22
comment by United we win (U19958)
posted 48 minutes ago
We need a new midfielder this window and I’d also play pogba on the left. Sancho too rubbish and elanga still just come in.
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I have the dizzying feeling of agreeing with you for once UWW. I do think Sancho will look much better than he has been so far with quality around him (a better midfield / the skill and vision of Pogba), a team that collectively follows Rangnick's instructions, and a run of performances that build up his confidence. He was a very different and hugely productive player at Dortmund, which can't be solely explained in 'farmers' league' terms. It was a team that was much more tactically disciplined. He was playing in front of a midfield that was technically superior to our options and tactically far more intelligent (Bellingham would be my number one transfer request for the summer but I have a horrible feeling he is destined for City) and with the likes of Reus, Brandt and Haaland in the attacking / creative roles.
Anyway, I'd be very interested to see a front four of:
Cavani Greenwood
Pogba Fernandes
Or:
Fernandes Greenwood
Pogba Sancho
Above all we need to get the midfield right to make any formation work.
posted on 19/1/22
comment by United we win (U19958)
posted 1 hour, 6 minutes ago
We need a new midfielder this window and I’d also play pogba on the left. Sancho too rubbish and elanga still just come in.
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Pogba isn't going to play on the left. Rangnick has said this. He's a CM only for him.
posted on 19/1/22
Above all we need to get the midfield right to make any formation work.
———
Which won’t be achieved without going into the transfer market. Sadly I think we’ll be stuck with what we have until the summer. That will cost us a CL place, as a result making things more difficult in the transfer market for us.
posted on 19/1/22
Availability is an issue but as always there should be no acceptance for overloading with defensive midfielders - as has been the norm lately.
It's the defence's job to break up the opposition's creativity and attacking play - and to (re)gain possession. To do that requires two proper full backs - which automatically excludes Dalot and/or Telles
Bog standard 442 is the strongest line up. Or if in doubt go 451.
442
Awb
Maguire
Jones/Varane
Shaw
Ronaldo
Fred
Pogba
Fernandes
Martial
Cavani
Or 451
Awb
Maguire
Jones/Varane
Shaw
Ronaldo
Fred
DvdB
Pogba
Fernandes
Cavani
posted on 19/1/22
comment by Jadon The King Sancho (U10026)
posted 3 minutes ago
Above all we need to get the midfield right to make any formation work.
———
Which won’t be achieved without going into the transfer market. Sadly I think we’ll be stuck with what we have until the summer. That will cost us a CL place, as a result making things more difficult in the transfer market for us.
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Certainly doesn't look like any wheels are turning at the moment. I'd love to know what the strategy is: there must be people inside the organisation who know that midfield is an acute problem and has been for a long time, and there must be people with greater authority who are blocking action.
I suspect that at this point it's the sheer amount of dead wood on high wages that's the biggest barrier. We're suffering from an accumulation of terrible mistakes in contract renewals. And even then, we could probably afford to gamble on a player we could get more cheaply in the summer if we hadn't signed that forward who smashed our 'sign young flair players' strategy last August.
posted on 19/1/22
I suspect the biggest issue still surrounds the next manager.
posted on 19/1/22
comment by LustyMonc (U22632)
posted 3 hours, 55 minutes ago
can we just play 5-0-5 since our midfield is our weakest link? We can just hoof the ball to ronaldo and cavani
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Even with 5 players to aim at, we'll still just hoof it out of play.
posted on 19/1/22
comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 3 hours, 37 minutes ago
comment by Robbb (U22716)
posted 1 hour, 5 minutes ago
Wonder if this is Rangnick admitting defeat with the 4222 and maybe even with getting United pressing and is just trying to salvage his rep and is playing a safer style to get results and push for top 4.
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Not so much as admiring defeat and more of coming to the understanding that having just two in midfield with our players does not work.
I said two years or so ago that it would be OGS downfall.
Sometimes things really are that simple. All Tuchel did at Chelsea was change the formation from Franks team. Conte did the same when he was there. from the previous manager.
It should not have taken Ralf this long.
Now, will it work? Who knows with our players.
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I think TT did more than that, they became much better drilled.
Management is really tactical these days, but at least a manager should get the simple things right, which he now has.
posted on 19/1/22
4-3-3 may leave us narrow but it's the best option with the players we have.
I'd be happy to try this...
----------------DDG
AWB Maguire Varane Telles
---------------Fred
----- Bruno---------DVB
Sancho----Cavani-----Ronaldo
You can switch Cavani for Greenwood, and Ronaldo for Rashford.