United Set to move away from The 5-3-2 to the 4-4-2 Diamond: This is why: The system that served Van Gaal so well in pre-season has looked worryingly beatable, and United have picked up just two points from an available nine in the Premier League. United’s defence is vulnerable, the midfield has been overrun and the attack has looked blunt. The most alarming aspect of the 5-3-2 is how easy it is for teams to play against, not that United have been sluggish in becoming accustomed to it. There are just two simple steps to take in order to stop United from playing in 5-3-2 formation: 1. Line up with two wide men, wingers or wide forwards, forcing United’s wing-backs to form a flat back five. That takes away all of the natural attacking width and makes it difficult for United to play expansive football. 2.. Pack the midfield, paying close attention to the two central midfielders sat behind Juan Mata. Those two are responsible for feeding the ball to the front three attacking players, so restricting the number of times they see the ball is an effective tactic. Defence: United Don’t Have the Players For a 5-3-2 Midfield: 5-3-2 Puts Pressure on United’s Weakest Area It would therefore make sense to revert to a four-man defence, which would simultaneously relieve pressure on United’s back line and allow Van Gaal to introduce another player up field. 4-4-2 DIAMOND: Di Maria and Herrera would be ideal as the shuttling players on either side of the diamond, since both are adept at getting up and down the pitch. The obvious player to position at the tip of the midfield, a position that requires creativity, is Mata. Blind’s presence in midfield would also benefit the likes of Angel Di Maria, Ander Herrera and Mata ahead of him THE LIKELY 4-4-2 Diamond: Defence: Rafael, Jones, Rojo, Shaw. Midfield: Blind, Di Maria, Herrera, Mata Attack:Rooney Falcao Bench:Evans,Carrick,Januzaj,Valencia,Young,Rvp.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 18:13:10 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015