Who should partner Pogba in our midfield trio?

Schneiderlin and Herrera. If you want to move Blind to a midfield role, you're left with the Bailly/Smalling partnership. Even today, you could see that the distribution from that duo was pretty poor, and that's against a team that didn't press them particularly hard. If you start Carrick at a holding position with Blind behind him, the complete lack of pace from those 2 will be heavily exploitable by teams like the one we're playing next week.

Really, there's no ideal solution with the current crop of players.
 
sosolid4u09 said:
whats absolutely shocking is we have FOUR players who specialise in the holding roll or holding playmaker role.

blind
carrick
schweinsteiger
schneiderlin

yet we play bloody fellaini! if you want a destroyer then play fellaini and pogba next to one of these four to give us some balance!

my preference would be drop him but if he has to play, he cannot be the holding player next to pogba.

in any case rooney cannot be in the midfield.

my personal preference is
schneiderlin herrera pogba.
maximum mobility.
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Schneiderlin is not a holding midfielder. He is a runner. The holding midfielder needs to be disciplined in his positioning and calm in his passing. Blind, Carrick and Schweinsteiger fit that profile, Schneiderlin doesn't. This is why I think a midfield with both Herrera and Schneiderlin lacks balance.
 
I think we need to play 4-3-3 with a DM, a pass-and-move player and a player who drives the ball forward with ease.

Defesive midfield = Carrick, Schneiderlin or Blind. Whoever is on form should play.
Pass-and-move = Herrera. He's our best midfielder in this aspect.
Drive the ball forward = Pogba, obviously.

I like to think about the future, and thus I don't want to see Carrick start, even when he might be the best option. Blind needs to be our super-sub, ready to step up when one of our CMs get injured. I think it would make the most sense to play Schneiderlin, overall. He has a lot to prove oviously, but I want to see what he can do.

I think this will be our best XI by the end of the season:

------------------ DDG ----------------
Valencia - Bailly - Smalling -Shaw
------------ Schneiderlin ------------
--------- Herrera - Pogba ----------
Mkhitarayan - Zlatan - Rashford

Supersubs:
Martial, Lingard, Blind

We're obviously a long way from this to happen, though. First of all, Mourinho will have to ditch both Rooney and Fellaini, two players he seems to put a lot of faith in. Secondly, he will have to open his eyes to as many as three players(Mkhitaryan, Herrera and Schneiderlin). I'm not saying this team will solve all our problems or anything, but I think that something along these lines is the way to go. We all know how good Pogba can be, so we really need to build our midfield to his strengths. In order to do that, he needs a player like Herrera to his right, and a solid DM covering the space left behind him.
 
1st Choice
Pogba - Herrera
Carrick
​
2nd Choice
Pogba - Mkhitaryan
Herrera
​
3rd Choice

Pogba - Mata
TFM
​
Any of these would work. You could even put Carrick next to Pogba with Herrera in behind. Blind could possibly play as the CDM also. The main thing is no Rooney in the starting 11. We're not going to play like Barcelona immediately but I think the team needs to get used to playing without Rooney.
​
 
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Carrick has to start not just to help Pogba but the team. From the BBC stats Fellaini made the most passes today with a 97% completion rate. Only problem was one pass was forward, simply shocking. Carrick starts everything in midfield.
 
Whatever we do, we have to give it more than one game.
 
nokillingmoths said:
For the second watford goal was it not pogbas man (periera) who crossed the ball. Fellaini attempted to cover for him, but pretty sure at the time thinking it was pogba who had fecked up for their second goal.
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From memory I think your right. Pogba switched off, Fellaini tries to cover for him and in the end Fellainis man scores the cut back. Poor from both, shows a lack of communication.
 
----------Herrera---------

Pogba----------Schneiderlin

Herrera has it in him to be the 6. Dictating the play in a slightly more mobile method to how Carrick used to. If he doesn't perform to expectations, expect us to bring in a top quality replacement in the mould of Weigl or someone of that ilk.

Schneiderlin also has the mobility and legs that our midfield severely lacks at the minute. His confidence is shattered, but at his best he can dictate games. He's strong and clean in the tackle, probably the best counter-presser currently at the club, and while he hasn't been able to fully show it atm, he's a damn good passer too. If he doesn't work out then Niguez is a must for me.

I think those two, in addition to Pogba would give us everything we need in midfield. We'd be able to cover every blade of grass defensively and would allow Pogba to bomb forward and do what he does best.

Fellaini is a good hardworking squad player but he just doesn't have it in him to be anything more than that.

What is really annoying is that, that lineup is patently obvious to anyone from the outside looking in, but Jose for some strange reason doesn't see it. Instead, he wants to persist with Fellaini (who he managed to easily subdue while he was at Chelsea), Rooney (say no more), and Mata, who he had unceremoniously turfed out at Chelsea. His thought processes have been truly baffling.

Even if it means we don't compete this season, I'd be happy to write it off if it meant we went a long way towards a coherent system where our attack and midfield click and we finally got an answer to the Rooney question.
 
Herrera and Blind/Carrick/Fellaini/Schneiderlin/Schweinsteiger
 
My own personal choice would be

--------Carrick----------
---Herrera---Pogba----
 
Carrick/Blind and Herrera alongside Pogba for tough games. Carrick/Blind behind Pogba and Mkhitaryan for easier games (Rashford on the right).
 
The defense and midfield both lack a brain, so I'd keep Blind paired with one of the athletic CB's and put Carrick in the midfield.

----------Carrick---------

Herrera----------Pogba
 
Silverman said:
This, Herrera (or possible Schneiderlin if he rediscovers his Southampton form) should be in as a CM to help the defense and attack out while also breaking up play. While I think we need to replace Fellaini with either Carrick or Blind. Fellaini hasn't done too bad recently but I think we need a more comfortable passer for the defense midfield role to start more attacks from deep. This pairing would allow Pogba to settle into the team and do what he does best.
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Yep, The DM will be the player that probably touches the ball more than anyone else in our team - Fellaini is just too pedestrian in his passing.
 
Devil may care said:
The defense and midfield both lack a brain, so I'd keep Blind paired with one of the athletic CB's and put Carrick in the midfield.

----------Carrick---------

Herrera----------Pogba
Click to expand...
Good point. I think Blind and Bailly done well against City. It was the midfield that wasn't protecting them. Id go back to Bailly and Blind pairing.
 
Hugh Jass said:
--------Blind------
Pogba-----Herrera
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Technically strong and Herrera and Blind's hyperactive natures should help give us some energy and ballwinning, which you have to think we will need to generate attacks with us sitting so deep.

Blind leaving CB would mean some Rojo, Fosu-Mensah or Tuanzebe starts at CB, but that's not the end of the world. And if Bailly or Stalling are out more than an odd suspension or Europa league rest we can out Blind back there and go with Carrick or Schneiderlin or Fellaini.
 
Blind and Herrera would be my current first choice. Herrera and Schneiderlin second choice. A Smalling and Bailly partnership would also be strengthened having a technically and tactically competent midfield, and Blind's physical weaknesses won't matter in a midfield with Herrera and Pogba.
 
Blind and Herrera if we want to be most balanced. Perhaps use Morgan instead of Daley in big away games.

It's the perfect complement of a midfield three. Schnedierlin for the away games were you expect to be under the cosh more.
 
I would have Blind and Herrera in there. Blind is such a class act. And his reading of the game is quality. its time we saw him in midfield for a run. Herrera is such a busy little player and seems to really get what it means to play for united. pressing hard and moving the ball quickly. I think that combo with Pogba free to do his thing would be quality.
 
Where has the Carrick love in came from again? He was piss poor recently and looked like his legs are gone.

Its blatantly obvious Blind is perfect for the role. Blind has everything needed for the role. Brains, passing, takling and has a good shot also.
The argument he is not physical enough for the role has no basis whatsoever. Could pull out any number of examples that shit all over that.

The OP midfield choice is what I want to see and what this team is crying out for. Isnt it obvious that they would work and complement eachother?
 
Carrick, Schwein and Rooney are all too old and too slow. Fellaini is not a deep lying midfielder and Rooney is not any kind of midfielder. So that leaves Blind, who I have not seen much in midfield to be able to judge, Mensah, ditto, Herrera and Schneiderlin. Two of those, or one plus Fellaini, to partner Pogba, who should be the attacking midfielder.
 
I think Carrick's the only one who can give us a semblance of control in midfield, so him plus one of Herrera or Mkhitaryan, depending on how adventurous you're feeling.
 
Blind & Herrera behind Pogba. Play Smalling and the new lad at the back.
Make sure Blind just plays as a DM and hold's his position. Problem Solved.
 
I would have Blind as the DM. Pogba to his left. Then rotating between Herrera and Fellaini depending on form and the opposition.
 
I think I want Pogba, Herrera, and then one of Carrick, Bastian, or Blind. Probably Blind as the first two are old. In those three you have a guy that will help control the game with his passing. You have a guy that will bring energy to help in defense and attack. And you have Pogba to help the attack.

Carrick would be perfect, but last year I was one of those that just thought he was done. Not sure if he can still do that job.
 
I've said elsewhere but you need your midfielders to do a few different things:

1. Make themselves available to receive passes.
2. Control passing and tempo.
3. Position themselves to prevent opposition key passes.
4. Intercept and tackle.
5. Drive the ball forward.
6. Create chances and score goals.

In Pogba we have 5 and 6 sewn up for the next 10 years, and he can contribute a little to the rest. For the others though its not as clear.

Fellaini: good at 4, ok at 1 and 3, and a liability at 2.
Herrera: good at 1 and 2, ok at 3 and 4, can contribute to 5 and 6.
Carrick: excellent at 1, 2 and 3, although getting old now.
Schneiderlin: good at 3 and 4, needs to be better at the rest.
Blind: good at 1,2 and 3 but I suspect he can be completely bypassed in midfield at 4.

I'm happy for Fellaini to get a chance next to Herrera due to his age, but I think our best team will have Carrick and Herrera next to Pogba.

If we must play a two in midfield, Fellaini is arguably our most limited player.
 
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A fully fit Carrick is the best one for the holding role. Put him there, Herrera/Fellaini based on factors on the right and Pogba on the left. Pogba the one with freedom to roam about and influence the game in the attacking 3rd, Herrera/Fellaini behind to circulate possession.
 
Is Mourinho too proud to admit he was wrong about Schweinsteiger?

I'm surprised we haven't seen Carrick come on as sub in the last few games tho.

My answer to the question would be Herrera and Schneiderlin. But the Blind idea is a good one too, definitely worth looking at, thought he was excellent there when he first joined us.
 
For me I'd go with Schneiderlin and Carrick alongside Pogba which would free Pogba and the front trio from defensive duties and also having Schneiderlin alongside Carrick gives Carrick a lot more protection and legs to compensate for age catching up with him.

If it's a smaller team that we go out expecting to win against then Herrera and Carrick which puts a lot more emphasis on pure attacking, think the front trio should be Rashford and Martial either side of Ibrahimovic which provides pure pace and Ibrahimovic can drift around.
 
No one, for 89m he should do it all him fecking self :lol:

I''m down for Herrera (runs like a dog) and Morgan to sit 'behind' Pogba.
 
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