Team I would like to see

We are not talking about using Rooney there all season though, just the occasional game where a 4/3/3 (or 4/5/1) would be more suitable.

The way I see it, in such a formation...

you could have Rooney as a #10 or AMF, but run the risk of leaving a #9 completly out of the match (like Chico against Barca)....

Or you can play Rooney at #9, he will not be as good as he is at #10, but still very, very good and more influential than an out and out striker.

ps - Ashley Young was outstanding in the Villa games I saw last season, as a #10 type. I know it sounds backwards to move both players out of their traditional roles.... But, for now, we don't have a #9 that is good enough to really play that role (other than Rooney).

Hopefully Welbeck will progress, as he seems to be able to hold up the ball and play football better than Chico.

You're confusing 433 with 451

United havn't played a true 433 since Ronaldo left

433 entails 3 strikers like we did when we played combinations of Rooney Tevez Ronaldo and Berba

Even Sir Alex laughs when the media suggest we play 433 when in reality it's 451 with a lone striker, usually Rooney
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United played 4-3-3 at Arsenal in 09/10 with Park, Rooney and Nani as the forwards, that was definitely not 4-5-1.

How United line up is up to them but 4-3-3 is not an inherently narrow system, it depends on what type of wing-forwards you use whether they play wide a lot, or tuck in a lot.

Ji Sung Park's Cousin

Barcelona would definitely be one of those games where I'd play Rooney as the furthest forward player, though I would give him license to come off the front even if it leaves no-one in the CF position.

We also played 4-3-3 at Ewood Park on Monday, this time we had Valencia and Welbeck in a front 3 with Rooney.

United played 4-3-3 at Arsenal in 09/10 with Park, Rooney and Nani as the forwards, that was definitely not 4-5-1.

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No, they did not

That was 451

Park is not a striker and neither is Nani

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Here is a direct comment from Sir Alex Ferguson himself

'It make me laugh when the media claim we play 433, we haven't played that system snce Ronaldo left

You are confusing 433 with 451

In a 433, you can't play Park and Nani in the front 3.

Since when has Park been a striker?

In that game v Arsenal we played 451 I assure you

Nani had just come back in on the right for Toni and played fantastic

This was the lineup minus the defence

Nani-----Scholes-----Carrick.....Fletch------Park
------------------------Rooney--------------------------

Sir Alex wanted to pack the midfield and it worked

It was not 433

comment by Arab of Manćhester (U11781)


posted 2 minutes ago

We also played 4-3-3 at Ewood Park on Monday, this time we had Valencia and Welbeck in a front 3 with Rooney.
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That is probably as close as we have come but still it wasn't really a true 433.

Our biggest forward threat on the left was Evra and Valencia had the space to run at their FB time and time again because Olsson was playing too narrow giving Toni all the space in the world

433 doesn't utilise out and out wingers like Valencia. It's why it worked with Ronaldo. He can operate in a narrow forward position as he can on the flank.

Even when Rooney has operted on the left in the last couple of seasons, it isn't a true 433

UnitedRedMacca- I taught Rooney and Berbatov the overhead kick (U2024)
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What determines the system being used is how high the players generally are in the system (not what their natural positions are), that afternoon Nani, Park and Rooney generally played on the same line, as forwards (all relatively deep though), Carrick was the deepest midfielder with Fletcher and Scholes in front of him.

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

--------Scholes Fletcher---------

Nani-------Rooney---------Park

is how United lined up.

We also played 4-3-3 at Ewood Park on Monday, this time we had Valencia and Welbeck in a front 3 with Rooney.
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Arab

Welbeck came on for the last 10 mins bud and Valencia spent the whole game on the flank

It was fairly easy to see it wasn't a 433, we never had anyone in the bloody box most of the game

433 is with 3 out and our strikers, not wingers. like we have.

Remeber when Spurs were 2-0 up against us at half time 2 or 3 years back? You know... That Pen!!!

We brought Tevez on at half time?

We had Ronaldo, Berba, Rooney and Ronaldo all on the park and we utterly smashed than in the second half?

433 is a narrow formation and doesn't utilise wingers in the mold of Valencia

Ah sorry Macca, looks like I haven't grasped the proper concept of a 4-3-3 like you have. Thank you for correcting me, so what formation did we play at Ewood? It was a 4-5-1 with Hernandez up top and Rooney on the left?

433 is with 3 out and our strikers, not wingers. like we have.
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No, 4-3-3 is with 3 forwards (they can be wing forwards or centre forwards, they could even be midfielders that just play as forwards on the day)