Will we play 5-3-2

Sparky Rhiwabon

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This formation 5-3-2, or 3-5-2 if you prefer, seems to be working well for LVG for Netherlands. Do you think he might deploy this formation at United?

If so, how / who would you see our players fitting into this? What new signings would we need?

The obvious observation is the need for 3 "central defenders" and the fact that we have just lost our two stalwarts there.
 
Wasn't sure if this should go in this forum ("what players do we need?") or the Manchester United forum ("where would our current players fit in?"

Mods - please move if this is the wrong place. Thanks.
 
----------------------------------De Gea

----------------Jones----Mangala/Benatia/Hummels----Evans

--------Rafael------------Strootman----Schweinsteiger------------Shaw

-----------------------------------Mata
-------------------------Sanchez--------v.Persie
 
Silverman said:
----------------------------------De Gea

----------------Jones----Mangala/Benatia/Hummels----Evans

--------Rafael------------Strootman----Schweinsteiger------------Shaw

-----------------------------------Mata
-------------------------Sanchez--------v.Persie
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That would be incredible, but maybe replace one of the CB's with someone more realistic.

But I think we'll line-up with a 4-3-3 most often.
 
NMF said:
That would be incredible, but maybe replace one of the CB's with someone more realistic.

But I think we'll line-up with a 4-3-3 most often.
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I would love to see this. I would sell Rooney and buy Sanchez.

 
Silverman said:
I would love to see this. I would sell Rooney and buy Sanchez.

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That looks pretty amazing. I think that Blind would also be a good signing (OK, based on one game!) not necessarily to displace any of the players in your line up but to cover both full back and midfield positions. In reality, he would get plenty of game time given injuries, etc.
 
With the right players 3 at the back can easily change to 4 at the back, you just need the two outer defenders to be comfortable at fullback and your regular fullbacks to be comfortable in midfield. Which for me is the benefit of playing that way.

3 at the back takes away the spare man in defence, yet when defending, you can switch to 4 for more security.
 
Silverman said:
I would love to see this. I would sell Rooney and buy Sanchez.

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Our defense would instantly improve just by having Strootman and Schweinsteiger in midfield protecting them, I'm confident we'll sign Strootman but most likely in January given his injury, Schweinsteiger remains to be seen it's been quiet lately.

Also like Sparky mentioned Blind would make a useful signing to offer very good and reliable cover for positions, not a priority though.
 
Possibly. But I think there's also a possibility that we might not.
 
All we can do is speculate. But a 3-5-2 would allow van Gaal utilise Rooney, van Persie, and Mata in their best positions.
 
acnumber9 said:
Possibly. But I think there's also a possibility that we might not.
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It would be a good option to have especially in big games. Gives us extra security at the back without restricting our attack.
 
acnumber9 said:
Possibly. But I think there's also a possibility that we might not.
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Well, thanks for that input. It is a lot more possible than it ever was before, given that LVG is successfully using it with Holland right now, so it's worth discussing.

Of course, it may just be a case of LVG using a formation that best suits the players at his disposal for Holland, and he decides that a different formation better suits United's squad.
 
KiD MoYeS said:
All we can do is speculate. But a 3-5-2 would allow van Gaal utilise Rooney, van Persie, and Mata in their best positions.
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Not exactly we'd need to replace Rooney with someone pacier and direct like Sanchez.
 
The Netherlands' formation has been a forced alteration, do not forget. Ideally van Gaal will look to implement a 4-3-3, I'd imagine.
 
KiD MoYeS said:
The Netherlands' formation has been a forced alteration, do not forget. Ideally van Gaal will look to implement a 4-3-3, I'd imagine.
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I hope so I always wanted us to back to a 4-3-3 but of course it will depend on who's brought in.
 
KiD MoYeS said:
The Netherlands' formation has been a forced alteration, do not forget. Ideally van Gaal will look to implement a 4-3-3, I'd imagine.
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I dont think he's rigid in his choice of formation, just needs the right players to be able to adapt between formations.
 
Funny. I said it in LVG tactics thread some time ago and most people did not picked up on it really. But now 3-5-2 is trendy cause they hammered Spain.:lol:
 
UnofficialDevil said:
Back to 433? when did we ever successfully play 433?
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We used it on occasions around 2008-2010 never consistently through out a season. But what I really meant was I'd like us to move permanently to a 4-3-3
 
Silverman said:
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I think that is what most of us would like to see in some way shape or form.
We need a formation that will accommodate Mata as he is by far the best creative player we have.
I agree we need a better winger. We'd be stupid to not at least try and get Sanchez if he is really available, and we could always out bid Juventus.
Put him with Januzaj and in this type of formation, I'd happily give Nani a chance. Valencia and Young could go for me.

I wouldn't mind keeping Rooney, as he could rotate with Mata and RVP, but if the right offer came in, I'd listen to offers.
I'd like to see a more experienced defender to come in though, with Garay being cheap at 20m I think?

But to be honest, if we can get even one midfielder of that quality, it would improve us defensively massively, but to get two, then great
 
KiD MoYeS said:
The Netherlands' formation has been a forced alteration, do not forget. Ideally van Gaal will look to implement a 4-3-3, I'd imagine.
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Indeed. Van Gaal himself has explained that the switch to a 3-5-2 was the result of the injury to Strootman, the fact he couldn't find anyone he trusted to play at left fullback (which doesn't bode well for Buttner), and that he thought it would help the Netherlands deal with the particular difficulties you encounter when facing Spain. It's unlikely we'll see it at United.
 
KiD MoYeS said:
He's definitely flexible formation wise, but he will also favour a 4-3-3.
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Im hoping we find formations to be pointless, they are static. The game moves and players need to move with it. Being flexible to move between positions will give us the advantage.
 
AkaAkuma said:
Im hoping we find formations to be pointless, they are static. The game moves and players need to move with it. Being flexible to move between positions will give us the advantage.
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Formations are quite important though.
 
I think he's more likely to use 5-3-2 than implementing a 4-3-3 tbh.

Remember he wanted to utilise 4-3-3 assuming Strootman wasn't injured, but his injury has led to him using this formation.
Considering we don't have a player of Strrotman's ilk he'll have to deviate from his favoured tactic.

I hope 3 at the back can work for us, it will allow the likes of Jones and Smalling to continue their development alongside Evans and hopefully another experienced CB.
 
Sparky Rhiwabon said:
That looks pretty amazing. I think that Blind would also be a good signing (OK, based on one game!) not necessarily to displace any of the players in your line up but to cover both full back and midfield positions. In reality, he would get plenty of game time given injuries, etc.
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NMF said:
Our defense would instantly improve just by having Strootman and Schweinsteiger in midfield protecting them, I'm confident we'll sign Strootman but most likely in January given his injury, Schweinsteiger remains to be seen it's been quiet lately.

Also like Sparky mentioned Blind would make a useful signing to offer very good and reliable cover for positions, not a priority though.
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Yeah Blind would be a good player to have as back up and he would be well fit to come in and play his part.

Igor Drefljak said:
I think that is what most of us would like to see in some way shape or form.
We need a formation that will accommodate Mata as he is by far the best creative player we have.
I agree we need a better winger. We'd be stupid to not at least try and get Sanchez if he is really available, and we could always out bid Juventus.
Put him with Januzaj and in this type of formation, I'd happily give Nani a chance. Valencia and Young could go for me.

I wouldn't mind keeping Rooney, as he could rotate with Mata and RVP, but if the right offer came in, I'd listen to offers.
I'd like to see a more experienced defender to come in though, with Garay being cheap at 20m I think?

But to be honest, if we can get even one midfielder of that quality, it would improve us defensively massively, but to get two, then great
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I agree. I would keep Nani. He can produce pieces of genius but he needs to do it more often.
 
vi1lain said:
I think he's more likely to use 5-3-2 than implementing a 4-3-3 tbh.

Remember he wanted to utilise 4-3-3 assuming Strootman wasn't injured, but his injury has led to him using this formation.
Considering we don't have a player of Strrotman's ilk he'll have to deviate from his favoured tactic.

I hope 3 at the back can work for us, it will allow the likes of Jones and Smalling to continue their development alongside Evans and hopefully another experienced CB.
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Yeah, but we're going to sign Stootman.
 
van Gaal appears to be one of those managers that likes changing formations based on the opponent. Like @KiD MoYeS said, the 5-3-2 was a forced change and he will most likely go back to the 4-3-3 in other games. He's smart enough to realize the strengths and weaknesses in the Dutch side and his tactics worked wonders against Spain. Also, I remember him staying recently that if the opposing team uses two strikers then he'll field two strikers as well. Nothing really major, but it makes sense tactically.
 
This is how I would like to see us line up next season.

http://sharemytactics.com/13479/
13479
 
NMF said:
Not exactly we'd need to replace Rooney with someone pacier and direct like Sanchez.
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Nah we wouldn't, that front three would work excellent by itself - it isn't a prerequisite to have a lightning quick forward.

The role of the wingbacks in a 3-5-2 is much more offensive - think Cafu/Candela at Roma - they'll stretch the game and offer a direct threat so you need to included them in any discussions about a slow offence.

Rooney isn't even slow anyway - he's just not absolutely rapid. But as I said, lots of teams have played 3-5-2 without such a player. It's desirable but not necessary.
 
Sandikan said:
Not nearly enough attackers in there
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Rooney and Strootman are both very industrious, so are Shaw and Valencia and Blind and our two central defenders would rotate to close the spaces. It builds from the back though it might look offensively loaded.
 
KiD MoYeS said:
Formations are quite important though.
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Of course, but to say we should play this or that formation seems silly to me, when after watching holland play the other other day, we should be looking to play multiple formations within a game.

Tactics are important.
 
Sparky Rhiwabon said:
Of course, it may just be a case of LVG using a formation that best suits the players at his disposal for Holland, and he decides that a different formation better suits United's squad.
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That's exactly what it is, the 3-5-2/5-3-2 works well with what he has with the Dutch Squad now. He adapted to try and get the best out of the players. He'll do similar with us, he'll pick a formation that gets the best from the team, or else he'll try to make a few signings and make the team adapt to his vision. So no I don't think we'll see, at least not regularly, but if he feels it's the best fit we will.
 
This article on ZM outlines it perfectly: http://www.zonalmarking.net/2014/06/12/netherlands-world-cup-210/

LvG will basically evaluate the players first before picking up a formation and then would try to fit it in. But before that, I would say it would be training which would be important instead of only the formation. Like the Spain-Dutch match itself, the Dutch kept shifting between a 5-3-2 and a 3-4-3, but the roles that were given to the players, they were carried out perfectly, especially in the first half.

I would say LvG is a sly mofo. Be ready to see a massive shift in the playing style next season.
 
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