Van Gaal, who will he Schweinsteiger?

hebegebe

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Van Gaal clearly saw something in Schweinsteiger that made him switch the player from the wing to central midfield. This turned out to be a shrewd move by the manger and shows he has a great understanding of his player's attributes.

The question is, do you think there is anyone in our current squad that Van Gaal may decide is better suited playing in an alternative position?
 
Januzaj or Mata :angel:
 
I don't think any of our wingers are suited for a midfield 2, no matter how hard they train.

A midfield 3 on the other hand...
 
Januzaj will probably be tried out as #9. Although its not entirely alien to him, atleast at reserve level. Warren Joyce even said that his best position is up top.

Also Evans as a CDM/ Anchor for 5 man midfield. He's rated quite highly by De Boer apparently who sees a bit of himself in Evans and Van Gaal frequently played Frank as a CDM. So yeah maybe Evans in a De Boer/ Koeman role.
 
hebegebe said:
Van Gaal clearly saw something in Schweinsteiger that made him switch the player from the wing to central midfield. This turned out to be a shrewd move by the manger and shows he has a great understanding of his player's attributes.

The question is, do you think there is anyone in our current squad that Van Gaal may decide is better suited playing in an alternative position?
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Welbeck into a proper winger springs to mind

Or as has been mentioned Rooney into midfield, but don't really like the idea of that one myself.
 
C'est Moi Cantona said:
Welbeck into a proper winger springs to mind

Or as has been mentioned Rooney into midfield, but don't really like the idea of that one myself.
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Welbeck is a long shot as a winger. Probably an attacking wide midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 but to be a proper winger he needs to massively improve his crossing which is difficult at this stage in his career. He has the pace and the dribbling skills though but doesn't seem nimble enough to be a winger who can bomb down the wing. Also, he lacks touchline hugging ability as well and tends to cut in more often than not but lacks the creativity to hurt the opposition defense by producing the final product. IMO, his skills are best used as an advanced forward playing in a front 2.
 
I'm a little confused about the title. "Who will he Schweinsteiger"? As in who will he pig mount? Does this indicate that he wishes to mount a pig? Or perhaps jump one? Is this really someone we want to associate with the club? Why do I ask so many questions?
 
I'd take turn-back Tony in midfield but for the sake of all that is sane and good we need to buy a couple.
 
Ashley Young into an Aston Villa player again would be a good start.
Adebesi said:
Will be good if he finally decides what to do with Jones once and for all, and then keeps playing him in the same place.
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Has to play CB full time, I think he can be a top player there given time, needs a good experienced partner for this season which hopefully VG will sort, I don't rate Smalling at this time.
 
Welbeck and Valencia as box to box players. Welbeck central, Valencia central or right flank.
 
Valencia is the obvious one given he has already played centrally.

Adebesi said:
Will be good if he finally decides what to do with Jones once and for all, and then keeps playing him in the same place.
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Hopefully!
 
To expand further on my Valencia post, I think adding him in CM would add a lot of chances for counter attacks, he can bring the ball through the middle and has the pace and quick decision making on his runs. He reminds me quite a lot of Luiz Gustavo whenever he tries to play through the middle and he is receptive to tactical positioning, has strength to make tackles and recover etc. If we were to give someone a go, he'd be it.

I don't think Danny would entertain the thought of playing in midfield he has already handed in a transfer request once wanting to be play as a center forward.
 
Turn back Tony may actually make a half decent squad option as a central midfielder. A Box-to-box energetic, industrious, physically ridiculous part of a midfield who would need some tweaking on positioning and decision making.
 
Welbeck and Valencia. He'll Schweinstiger the pair of them into a deep lying midfield two. Big massive bastards with big massive upper-bodies, mobile as feck, initiating unparalleled midfield violence. He'll probably take them off that nambypamby football training, and just make them eat protein and push cars up big steep hills.

The Shitkickers

1860924_w2.jpg
 
Kagawa into a central midfielder. Maybe he was the one who told Giggs (through Woodward) to test it?

He might lack a bit of aggression to be good enough when the opposition have the ball, but besides that he has all the qualities we look for in a creative central midfielder, playing next to a Carricktype of player. Great passing abilties and off-ball movement, good technique and quick legs. He struggles when he plays with his back towards the goal with big defenders on his ass. If he plays a bit deeper it will be easier for him to face the oppositions goal.

Even though he was an AMC in Dortmund my impression is that a central midfield role in Man Utd would be more similar to the AMC he played in Dortmund than the AMC in Man Utd is. Not because Man Utd is more attacking than Dortmund, but because the AMC is more isolated in the premier league. Further more they play more often on counter attacks, giving the AMC the chance to run at the defenders, instead of receiving the ball with their backs towards the goal.
 
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Are people serious about Valencia as a midfielder? Have these people ever watched him play? Do you know what a midfielder needs to do? I am absolutely baffled.

This is a guy who has zero vision, one foot, can pass the ball in one direction and under pressure only knows how to turn 270• to his right and pass backwards. With players approaching from both sides he'd kick himself in the thigh and get sent off.
 
Januzaj is wasted on the wing. He can do so much with the ball it's almost a pity to play him in a position where realistically he can usually only ever cross. His pace, skill and reading of the game as an asset through the middle could be invaluable.
 
OnlyTwoDaSilvas said:
Welbeck and Valencia. He'll Schweinstiger the pair of them into a deep lying midfield two. Big massive bastards with big massive upper-bodies, mobile as feck, initiating unparalleled midfield violence. He'll probably take them off that nambypamby football training, and just make them eat protein and push cars up big steep hills.

The Shitkickers

1860924_w2.jpg
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:lol: Maybe have them get facial tattoos like Mike Tyson, drag around chains like pit bulls and have train by kicking mannequins in opposition kits. You'd have opposing players jumping out of tackles like Robinho!
 
Rooney to CM is possible, maybe later in his career though.

Jones as a CDM in a 3 man midfield perhaps
 
Regarding Valencia, I was convinced Moyes was going to convert him to a permanent right back, had he still been the manager next season.
 
Was Schweini ever really a winger? I thought he was always a natural CM who was shoehorned to the wing due to heavy competition. His skill set has always suited a CM better than a winger.
 
Pexbo said:
Are people serious about Valencia as a midfielder? Have these people ever watched him play? Do you know what a midfielder needs to do? I am absolutely baffled.

This is a guy who has zero vision, one foot, can pass the ball in one direction and under pressure only knows how to turn 270• to his right and pass backwards. With players approaching from both sides he'd kick himself in the thigh and get sent off.
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Completely agree. He doesn't have the attributes to play CM in the PL.

I can definitely see him using Rooney as a box-to-box midfielder though, maybe even a holding midfielder. Especially given his liking to play 1 striker (RVP), and the lack of players who can play that box-to-box position these days.

Aside from that I don't see any major changes in players roles, but hopefully he'll stop messing around Jones and Smalling and play them at CB, where they belong.
 
Jev said:
Was Schweini ever really a winger? I thought he was always a natural CM who was shoehorned to the wing due to heavy competition. His skill set has always suited a CM better than a winger.
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He was used as a winger and as a full back - but in the youth and U23 he was in a central midfield position.
 
I remember him being class on the wing for Germany in Euro 2004. He was a bit of a utility player as well until he locked down the CM position under LVG.
 
I reckon he'll transform Welbeck into a left-sided wide forward in a 4-3-3 system on a permanent basis. At United he's mostly played as a left-sided player in a 4-4-2 or variation of that with more defensive restriction, but in the England set-up he's often been deployed in the aforementioned left-sided forward role on a regular basis and his goals ratio is pretty prolific there.

You'd have to expect our chance creation will be much improved and our style won't so static and rigid, so Welbeck is one player I expect to thrive. He just really needs to refine his finishing and composure in one-on-one situations. It is quite strange how poor he is in that regard, because when it comes to instinctive or spontaneous finishes he is very good.
 
Jev said:
Was Schweini ever really a winger? I thought he was always a natural CM who was shoehorned to the wing due to heavy competition. His skill set has always suited a CM better than a winger.
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no he definitely played as a winger. He announced himself on the international stage for germany as a winger
 
I really like this thread by the way. Going to have to put more thought into who LVG could transform like he did with Schweinsteiger. It was something I never saw coming. @Blackwidow did you?
 
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