Louis van Gaal | Manchester United manager

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I don't give a feck about new signings. If he can develop Jones, Smalling, Rafael and Welbeck's potential then we'll have an amazing squad. A
 
Thisistheone said:
So according to that article something like:

-------------------RvP
-----------Rooney----Mata
Shaw-------Vidal---Herrera------Valencia
-------Evans-Vermaelen-Jones
-------------------DDG

Not sure what to make of that, but it's bloody attacking!
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That's feasible no doubt, even though I'm a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 person.
 
Thisistheone said:
So according to that article something like:

-------------------RvP
-----------Rooney----Mata
Shaw-------Vidal---Herrera------Valencia
-------Evans-Vermaelen-Jones
-------------------DDG

Not sure what to make of that, but it's bloody attacking!
Click to expand...

The 3-4-3 is fun in principle. Its a formation that very clearly has options for attacking in great numbers or defending with a back 5 when you're under pressure, depending on the role of the wing back. If worked well its every bit as viable as the commonplace 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 with the added bonus of proper United style wing play.

However like all formations you have to work it, and it has to suit the players. I would immediately have doubts about the ability of Evans and Jones (dont know enough about Vermalen) to work a back three. It puts a lot of pressure on them positionally and requires them to have great concentration and discipline. Both are prone to lapses in that regard.

On the up side, I suspect Valencia would relish a wingback role. His game is weakest when he has to come inside and connect with the strikers, given his complete absence of a left foot. He at his best when his speed and athletic ability are the focus. Suits his strengths and weaknesses I reckon.

You could also try pivoting that front three, with Mata behind a front two of RvP and Rooney, which would please the United=two-strikers brigade.

Still, I'm doubtful. But if anyone can make it work LVG can.
 
LVG just inspires confidence. I was thinking its a shame we didnt go for him last year but a) I dont think he'd have left Holland before the WC and b) I think after Fergie, we needed a transitional scape goat - sad for Moyes, but someone had to lower the bar

Everything is just perfect now. He's showing his class with Holland, players appear to be falling over themselves to play for him, he inspires respect in our existing crop, then throw in keeping Giggs as his number 2.....

With no Europe to distract us, not only do I expect us to mount a challenge to regain the Prem Title, I EXPECT us to win the Prem title!
 
Neil Ashton has genuinely created a work of fiction right there. He has zero idea as to what Van Gaal intends to do. Nothing. He's the worst journalist in the game at the moment by a considerable distance. He can't write for shit.

But yes, in theory, we could probably play 352. It's the only way to fit in Rooney, Van Persie and Mata, albeit I don't like the idea.
 
Kag said:
Neil Ashton has genuinely created a work of fiction right there. He has zero idea as to what Van Gaal intends to do. Nothing. He's the worst journalist in the game at the moment by a considerable distance. He can't write for shit.

But yes, in theory, we could probably play 352. It's the only way to fit in Rooney, Van Persie and Mata, albeit I don't like the idea.
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I think it will be far more important to Van Gaal that he finds a winning system than finding a system that incorporates his most high profile players.
 
Although a system that gets the most out of the maximum number of his best players may well be the most likely to be a winning one.

No WC matches on today, I imagine he'll be sitting in his hotel room, or by the pool in his hotel, with his little clip board and pencil, drawing pretty little diagrams of how we might play next season. Or watching clips of Rooney on his ipad. (I assume he was issued one by the club to take with him to Brazil?)
 
Just because a back three has worked with the Dutch, doesn't mean it will at united in the premier league.
 
Thisistheone said:
So according to that article something like:

-------------------RvP
-----------Rooney----Mata
Shaw-------Vidal---Herrera------Valencia
-------Evans-Vermaelen-Jones
-------------------DDG

Not sure what to make of that, but it's bloody attacking!
Click to expand...

I think that could work, though I'd push Rooney up top alongside RVP, leaving more space for Mata.
 
A 3-4-3/5-3-2 may be the most feasible way to get RVP, Rooney and Mata playing harmoniously together. Otherwise they'll probably just end up treading on each other's toes in a conventional 4-2-3-1/4-3-3.
 
not sure about vermaelen there and much prefer smalling but if van gaal rates him, who am i to dispute the great man.
 
ricky-romeo said:
not sure about vermaelen there and much prefer smalling but if van gaal rates him, who am i to dispute the great man.
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Indications suggest van Gaal wants a CB with an eye for passing, which is why its unsurprising he'd prefer someone like Vermaelen to Smalling.
 
We only have 3 CBs. If we went with a 352 we would need at least 5 CBs in the squad.
 
thegregster said:
We only have 3 CBs. If we went with a 352 we would need at least 5 CBs in the squad.
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I can envisage a four at the back formation. However the 3-4-3 shown earlier does fit Rooney, Mata and Van Perise in their best positions.
 
Kaos said:
Indications suggest van Gaal wants a CB with an eye for passing, which is why its unsurprising he'd prefer someone like Vermaelen to Smalling.
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yup, no doubt vermaelen is much better than smalling as a passer of the ball but the problem with vermaelen is he is too injury prone. the last thing we need to add to our already 3 injury prone defenders is another one. plus, as a pure defender i rate smalling much higher than vermaelen.

is there any top class defender re-known for his passing and ability on the ball apart from hummels? i'm struggling to think of one actually.
 
ricky-romeo said:
yup, no doubt vermaelen is much better than smalling as a passer of the ball but the problem with vermaelen is he is too injury prone. the last thing we need to add to our already 3 injury prone defenders is another one. plus, as a pure defender i rate smalling much higher than vermaelen.

is there any top class defender re-known for his passing and ability on the ball apart from hummels? i'm struggling to think of one actually.
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Vertonghen, Subotic and David Luiz are the ones I can immediately think of.
 
I'm beginning to think more and more due to the players we are being linked with, and whats currently in our squad, that we will play 352.

We have too many #10s and forwards, and no real wingers. Using players we've been linked with;

De Gea
Jones Evans Vermaelen
Rafael Herrera Vidal Shaw
Mata
Rooney van Persie​

Lindegaard
Keane Carrick Smalling
Valencia Cleverley Fellaini Evra
Kagawa
Januzaj Welbeck​
 
- - - - - - - - - - - De Gea - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - Jones - - - Evans - - - Vermaelan - - -

- - - - - - - - - - Hererra - - - - - - - - - - -

Valencia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Shaw

- - - - - - - - - - Rooney - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - Mata - - - - - - - - - - - Kagawa - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - RVP - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It probably won't work because it's so unbalanced however I wouldn't put it past LvG trying something crazy.

Width - provided by wing backs.

Defence - Hererra would sit in front of the back three looking to collect the ball from the back and move it on quickly to the attacking diamond or attacking wing backs. When we lose the ball Rooney, Mata and Kagawa would come back centrally to support Hererra with Shaw and Valencia coming back down the flanks. A pressing game should allow for regaining possession.

Congestion - I don't think we need to worry too much about space getting congested in the middle since it's a possession based system therefore having the option for a short pass increases the chances to retain possession. There will be enough movement for a player to exercise more creativity and play that killer pass, it's up to Rooney, Mata and Kagawa to be intelligent enough to not get in each others way (and stay out of RVP's zones) however with quick, short passes and a lot of movement things might just flow.

I've chosen Kagawa because I think he has a skill set that's well suited to Louis van Gaal's philosophy, if he does not take his chance however Januzaj will.

I'm sure Louis van Gaal will keep it simple and probably play a 4-2-1-3 but such is his incredible confidence, he went into the world cup with a formation that is considered by most risky, a formation his team had not practiced during the qualifying round and took that team to the quarter finals, if his confidence is so high he feels 5-1-3-1 could work then he might just try it.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if we see it in pre-season matches. Then if it's successful, he could use it against weaker teams later in the season.
 
C'mon guys, as Gary Neville would say where's your 4-4-2 FFS and where are your wingers FFS and who's going to cross the ball?! On the serious side, Realistically who knows what he'll do.
 
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It must be extremely advantageous when you have a manager like this who can experiment with different set-ups, it must make you incredibly hard to plan for.
 
It'll be interesting having such a tactically flexible and proactive manager, we may well witness a completely new and alien Manchester United this season.
 
We've got money to burn and bags of talent, playing three at the back sounds tactical and all but it's too defensive for me.

If we used it in the big games from time to time then fair enough but it shouldn't be a regular thing.
 
3-4-3 or 3-4-1-2 was always the best formation even when Moyes started. I'm glad LvG is taking a stab at it. Kagawa/Mata's effectiveness would be so much better with strikers making runs ahead of them and a capable midfield running the show behind.
 
An Irish Red said:
We've got money to burn and bags of talent, playing three at the back sounds tactical and all but it's too defensive for me.

If we used it in the big games from time to time then fair enough but it shouldn't be a regular thing.
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I agree with this - I don't think I'd like to see it regularly, but when facing stronger teams (like City and Chelsea at the moment) we could utilize it successfully.
 
The Mitcher said:
We ain't playing 3 at the back ffs, we don't have the players for it.
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With a new top class CB and another very good CB (like de Vrij for example), we'd be well able. Agreed that right now Smalling, Evans and Jones as a back 3 don't inspire confidence, but with even one more CB(top class) we'd be well able to play 3 at the back.
 
Kaos said:
Do you rate Chile and Holland's world cup squads as superior to ours?
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Don't put words in my mouth, I was on about their style of play, our centrebacks are better off in a back four not a back 5. Besides we don't have the attacking players either. We have too many players who can play on the wings to have a 3 at the back formation.

Crackers said:
With a new top class CB and another very good CB (like de Vrij for example), we'd be well able. Agreed that right now Smalling, Evans and Jones as a back 3 don't inspire confidence, but with even one more CB(top class) we'd be well able to play 3 at the back.
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There's no point, everyone is suggesting he will play 3 at the back for us because he does it for Holland. When you look at his career, he has used numerous formations for all his teams, he's not a 3 at the back manager as much as he is a 4 at the back. He could well play 442 with us, or 433 we do not know. I take issue with people saying he will as fact, when it is their opinion.
 
I'm not taking it as fact, I'm just saying it's an option. No idea what we'll play, all I'm saying is I'm not ruling it out.
 
An Irish Red said:
We've got money to burn and bags of talent, playing three at the back sounds tactical and all but it's too defensive for me.

If we used it in the big games from time to time then fair enough but it shouldn't be a regular thing.
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Three at the back has one less defender than the conventional 4-man defence so I don't get how you can call it "too defensive". Formations themselves are not inherently defensive or attacking anyway. If it allows us to play our three best attacking players in roles and areas that allow them to play their best football then it will be more attacking than a 433 which tries to fit those same players into roles where they just can't affect the play in the same way.
 
Brwned said:
Three at the back has one less defender than the conventional 4-man defence so I don't get how you can call it "too defensive". Formations themselves are not inherently defensive or attacking anyway. If it allows us to play our three best attacking players in roles and areas that allow them to play their best football then it will be more attacking than a 433 which tries to fit those same players into roles where they just can't affect the play in the same way.
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With that system you have two wide players with more defensive responsibility than proper wingers and three centre backs. It is definitely a more defensive set-up than a traditional 4-3-3.

It also seems to be a very reactive set-up that's more suited to playing against attacking teams who are invited forward. It would be an absolute waste to play like that against the lesser teams in the league. Just my opinion of course.
 
3-5-2 or 5-3-2 is a very limited formation. You can make it work when playing against a better team if done right and you have the right players but why play like that if you have a lot of talented players? 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 are all more balanced formations that are better at both keeping the ball, creating chances, getting the most out of your players and maintaining a balanced approach. I suspect the reason for this urge to play 3-5-2 is to accommodate Rooney. Why sacrifice a whole system just for 1 player?
 
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