So I’ve been gone for a while. Been up to a lot of things:
Got my English FA Level 1 coaching certification and got married!!!
I have been wondering what happened to a great tactician
like Mourinho and why it looks like he has lost his magic touch. What I have
come to terms with is the fact that Mourinho had already set a standard we keep
expecting him to at least live up to. He is human and sometime in your career
it looks like everything is falling apart. What is important right now is that
he needs to set this United team on fire and to do that, he should alter his
tactics and get all his players believe in what he is trying to do.
United have lined up in many different fashions and with
different selections as they try to find that spark. After giving deep thoughts
to the quality of players, their abilities and how they can combine together, I
have come up with what I think will be a great line-up for Mourinho’s team.
Below image shows the formation and players to fit in. It is a 4-4-2 diamond formation:
With the quality in the team, I expect United to play more
direct and force their opponents into smaller spaces during games. They’ve got
a good blend of players with physical abilities, great technique, pace and
awareness. Looking at the quality in the squad, one expects United to dominate
games, create spaces to play in and get a lot of balls forward to their
strikers who have the ability to threaten defences with e combination of skill,
pace, aerial ability and power.
The central defenders will hold their own and keep it tidy,
with one of them occasionally stepping forward when the team is in possession
and attacking. The full backs are charged with the responsibility of running
the wings and providing the team with width. Going forward, the full backs can
play in the midfielders who act as pivots to get the ball to either of the
striker who drops to the side. The full backs and midfielders on each side
compliment each other; Pogba and Shaw, Herrera and Valencia. Carrick
comfortably shields the back four, so he needs no introduction. He knows his
job and does it very, very well.
Mata’s creativity will help the attack form different shapes
and allow them play in the midfielders from time to time. Mata will get good
passes to space and can rely on Rashford’s pace to make good the forward
passes. Ibra and Rashford will turn out to be a good partnership and allow
United alternate forward passes- to feet and to space. They can also send in
aerial balls, relying on Ibra to receive and play in Rashford, Mata, Herrera
and even the full backs, depending on the shape of the team when attacking.
This formation will allow freedom for the players and reduce
reliance on a few players to make things happen for the team. The team will
have balance and a blend of all needed qualities to get fantastic results.
