Our strongest XI

ivaldo said:
Where were all these 3-5-2s before?
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People think getting a decent result against 1 of 5 teams that won’t park the bus against us is the result of the new formation and not because our squad can’t perform against the low block and seem to also be game raisers only when they can be bothered.
 
One thing is clear, we've been playing without a 1/3rd of our first team and we've been crap.

Lack of squad depth is killing us, esp at full back.
 
I don't know why we insist on a 4-2-3-1. That is the type of formation you play when you have a great player in that #10 that you want to build your team around. We should be looking at the players we have and build a formation based on that. Sure, we have a couple of #10's with Mata and Lingard, but neither of them belong in our best 11 so why try and force them in at the expense of others?
 
.........................De Gea
Wan-Bissaka - Lindelöf - Maguire - Shaw
.......................McTominay
..............Pereira - Pogba - James
..................Rashford - Martial
 
charlenefan said:
Might not be a popular subject to bring up but if we were to say that this is our strongest XI...

------------De Gea------------
AWB--Lindelof--Maguire--Shaw
---McTominay----Pogba---
James------Lingard------Rashford
------------Martial------------

Then that's an XI that we've fielded just once all season (against Wolves away in the second game of the season). How much improvement do we realistically think we'll see when we're able to field that line up again?
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Lingard should be on ball boy duty at best, how can you put that clown in the team and call it our best is beyond me.
 
De Gea
AWB Maguire Lindalof Shaw
McTomminay Fred
Pogba
James Martial Rashford
 
Will Singh said:
Lingard should be on ball boy duty at best, how can you put that clown in the team and call it our best is beyond me.
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Because what are the other options? Mata? Andreas? Both equally if not worse than Lingard. And you miss the point anyway
 
RedTiger said:
I'd think its more;

------------De Gea------------
AWB--Axel--Maguire--Shaw
---McTominay----Fred---
James------Pogba------Rashford
------------Martial------------
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This is the same lineup I would choose. I think we would see Pogbas' A-game a lot more often in the 8 role than as a 6. I think this team could get us top 4, but we would still need to reinforce the team with a creative CM, a class winger, a top-striker and a couple of good squad-players to challenge for the bigger titles...
 
paulscholes18 said:
DDG
AWB Maguire Lindelof
Dalot Fred McTominay Shaw
Pogba
Rashford Martial
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that's an interesting one with Dalot attacking on the right

Feel like this might get in the way of AWBs development- with signings we will play 4 at the back and he needs to develop the attacking part of his game. He put one brilliant ball in against Liverpool. Also think Tuanzebe looks great on the ball and a cool, quick, strong defender

think I'd still go with this team in short term

---------------------------DDG-----------------------'
--------Axel----------Maguire---Victor------
AWB--------McT----------Pogba-----Shaw
------James------Martial-----Rashford--
 
RyRy11 said:
People think getting a decent result against 1 of 5 teams that won’t park the bus against us is the result of the new formation and not because our squad can’t perform against the low block and seem to also be game raisers only when they can be bothered.
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You may well be right. Though I can’t help thinking that any formation would have made the players look both better and happier than that wretched 4231. I dare say we will revert to it soon enough, with the inevitable results.
 
troylocker said:
This is the same lineup I would choose. I think we would see Pogbas' A-game a lot more often in the 8 role than as a 6. I think this team could get us top 4, but we would still need to reinforce the team with a creative CM, a class winger, a top-striker and a couple of good squad-players to challenge for the bigger titles...
Click to expand...

Pogba isn't playing as an 8 in that lineup
 
charlenefan said:
Pogba isn't playing as an 8 in that lineup
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Let's call him a 10 then, but with more defensive responsibilities than a regular 10. I want him higher in the field than he is in the 6 role though.
 
DDG
Lindelöf - Maguire - Tuanzebe
AWB - McT - Pogba - Shaw
James
Martial - Rashford​
 
charlenefan said:
Might not be a popular subject to bring up but if we were to say that this is our strongest XI...

------------De Gea------------
AWB--Lindelof--Maguire--Shaw
---McTominay----Pogba---
James------Lingard------Rashford
------------Martial------------

Then that's an XI that we've fielded just once all season (against Wolves away in the second game of the season). How much improvement do we realistically think we'll see when we're able to field that line up again?
Click to expand...
Take JLingz the hell out, put Pogba there and drop Fred next to Mct..
 
sherrinford said:
How would that work then?
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Like this...
--------------------------De Gea-----------------------
-------------Lindelöf--Maguire---Tuanzebe---
---AWB---------------------------------------Shaw-----
----------------Fred----------------McT----------------
------------------------Pogba-------------------------
-----------------Rashy----------Martial------------------
 
Lynty said:
I don't think we like to use our 10 as a creator, hence why we'll never see Pogba there. We use our 10 as primary form of defence in aggesively pressing the passing channels behind the front 3. Discouraging the opponent from playing through midfield (a weak point in defensive regards) and reducing the definsive pressure/responsibility on Pogba etc.

I can't see Pogba ever doing that and neither do I see two midfielders good enough to consistently soak pressure.

I don't think we'll ever see Pogba as a 10 in Ole's system.

@Cassidy

Here's a brief aspect of a playstyle I suppose
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Ole best run came with Pogba in that position though, with Matic and Herrera anchoring behind him!!?!! 4-3-3
 
UpWithRivers said:
Will work against Liverpool, City etc not for park the bus teams. Id go like below for other teams

....................De Gea
AWB......Lindelof...Maguire.....Shaw...
..........McTominay...Fred....Pogba.....
James...........Martial............Rashford.......
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Think this is our best 11 atm. Think we would have more points on the board had we been able to field this team every week. Still room for improvement,though.
 
USREDEVIL said:
--------------De Gea--------
AWB - Maguire - Lindelof - Shaw
Pereira -- McTominay -- Pogba
James -- Rashford -- Martial

Not exactly worldbeaters but hey, it's what we've got.
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Issue we have with our forwards is they all work better off the left. So you could say that all 3 the way you have them lined up are in positions that doesn't work best for them.

Also Periera has shown that he is better as a #10 and when played deep/wide he works hard and tried, but just isn't as effective.

I genuinely think the 3-5-2 we played against Liverpool is better suited to the players we have and is fluid enough to enable in-game tactical changes to suit the flow of play, such as dropping to 5 to shore things up, or pushing WB's and CM's up to press the play.

Periera was very impressive as the 10 in that formation
 
In a 3-4-3 I’d say,

De Gea,

Lindelof, Tuanzebe, Maguire

AWB, McTominay, Pogba, Shaw

James, Martial, Rashford

In a 4-3-3 I’d say,

De Gea

AWB, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw

McTominay, Garner, Pogba

James, Martial, Rashford

Either selection/formation shows our need for improvement and upgrading throughout. We need a defensive midfielder, a midfield playmaker, a right forward and a striker as our priority signings then I’d say we still need a left back to challenge/upgrade on Shaw.
 
charlenefan said:
Might not be a popular subject to bring up but if we were to say that this is our strongest XI...

------------De Gea------------
AWB--Lindelof--Maguire--Shaw
---McTominay----Pogba---
James------Lingard------Rashford
------------Martial------------

Then that's an XI that we've fielded just once all season (against Wolves away in the second game of the season). How much improvement do we realistically think we'll see when we're able to field that line up again?
Click to expand...
Wtf is he doing in the starting 11?
 
Green_Red said:
Wont be the same in February
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It's shaping up to be a very competitive league this season where any team can give any other team a game on their day. So that is bold talk!! (unless you mean it won't be the same because we will win?!).

But no doubt you will be favourites at Old Trafford, but then we certainly weren't favourites at The Etihad either!
 
DDG
AWB Tuanzebe Maguire Williams (subs Laird, Lindelof, Shaw)
Pereira McTominay Pogba (subs Garner, Gomes, Levitt)
Rashford Martial James (subs Greenwood,Chong)
 
USREDEVIL said:
Not bad. I only question whether Martial is good enough as a lone striker.
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He's not. Even apart from the constant injury problems, it just doesn't work. I don't really understand why as he appears to have all the tools, and I thought he was going to be amazing after that first year with LVG, but he hasn't progressed at all. Relying on him as a #9 is foolish and it needs to stop.
 
charlenefan said:
Because what are the other options? Mata? Andreas? Both equally if not worse than Lingard. And you miss the point anyway
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Exactly. Lingard is without question a better footballer than Pereira.

People are going overboard with the Pereira praise on here just because he was slightly less awful than normal against Pool. He tried hard, which is good and is appreciated, but he was so very poor when in possession.
 
House Mkhitaryan said:
Yes, this is probably my pick as well for what we have available. Eventually upgrades needed at RW (James), CM (Fred) and possibly CB (Lindelof) and LB (Shaw).
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Out of that. I think only Fred and Shaw (sadly because after injury he never recaptured his attacking threat) need world class upgrade, James I think has a very bright future and could become very good, only time will tell.
 
I cant believe posters putting FRED in our strongest 11... he is so average and thats on his best days. Lingard is a very good player whose lost all confidence and the crowd on his back really isn’t helping. I’d have him before Perierra every time when he gets his mojo back.
 
DDG
AWB Smalling Maguire Shaw
James Pogba Mctominay Martial
Rashford Greenwood

Gone are the days of 4-4-2.. sigh..

Pay good money to see that team play.

Yes... I know Smalling is on loan and yes I know half of you hate him on here but I think he’s a better defender than Lindelof.
 
SadlerMUFC said:
I don't know why we insist on a 4-2-3-1. That is the type of formation you play when you have a great player in that #10 that you want to build your team around. We should be looking at the players we have and build a formation based on that. Sure, we have a couple of #10's with Mata and Lingard, but neither of them belong in our best 11 so why try and force them in at the expense of others?
Click to expand...

Agree.

Mourinho tried to replicate what he did at Inter with Sneijder who was superb. Now that Mourinho is gone and without a proper #10, I hope Ole move away from 4-2-3-1. It's hard to get the best out of 4-2-3-1 without a proper #10. Pogba is not a proper #10.

Moreover, 4-2-3-1 requires the midfield "2" to be solid and reliable. Non of our midfielders are those players, even Pogba is very inconsistent. Our midfield is so weak that, I hope Ole plays a midfield of 3 all the time to offset individual's weakness (ie Fred slipping with the ball again and again).

Against small teams 4-3-3

----------------DDG----------------
AWB---Lindelof---Maguire---Shaw
--------------McTom----------------
-----Pereira----------Pogba--------
James-------Martial------Rashford

Main sub (in order)
Defense: ...
Midfield: Fred, Matic
Attack: Greenwood, Lingard, Mata

Counter with 3-5-2

----------------DDG----------------
---Lindelof----Maguire-------Jones
AWB--------------------------Shaw
--------------McTom----------------
-----Pereira----------Pogba--------
-----James-----------Rashford-----

Prefer Rashford to Martial in this setup not because of individual performance, but more of the setup and how Rashford would approach the games.

Main sub (in order)
Defense: ...
Midfield: Fred, Matic
Attack: Martial, Greenwood, Lingard, Mata

No one can guarantee the starting position of McTom/Pereira/Fred/Matic as none of them are consistent enough. Who's starting will highly dependent on the form and injury. McTom is the most consistent one among all.

I think this is our best shot for the season, excluding Jan transfer window.
 
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Against smaller teams I'd be going:

------------------------DDG
AWB - Tuanzebe - Maguire - Shaw
-------------- McTom - Pereira
---------------------- Pogba
------Rashford - Martial - James

Not a big fan of Pereira deeper than #10, but unless Garner steps up I think he's the best of a bad bunch there currently. Fred is just not cut out for this level of football, in my opinion. Matic is finished.

I suppose you could argue for Pogba & Pereira to swap there, but I would rather Pogba in the free role.

Bigger / Equal teams:

---------------------DDG
Tuanzebe - Maguire - Lindelof
AWB - McTom - Pogba - Shaw
Rashford - Martial - James
 
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