...but after re-reading decided I it'd be better serving as an article in its own right. Too long for just a comment anyway, so here goes,
De Gea
Rafa Smalling Vidic (c) Evra
Cleverley Carrick
Welbeck Rooney Kagawa
v.Persie
Can become,
De Gea
Rafa Smalling Vidic (c) Evra
Cleverley Carrick Kagawa
Welbeck Rooney v.Persie
Can become,
De Gea
Rafa Smalling Vidic (c) Evra
Carrick Kagawa
Cleverley Rooney v.Persie
Welbeck
For me is our strongest, most versatile and balanced line up. It has 6 players in it who are 23 or younger. With young players like Jones, Fabio, Zaha, Powell and Buttner all competing for places in the team and established players like Young, Nani, Valencia, Hernandez, Anderson and Evans not wanting to lose their places in the starting 11/match day 18, we are in the best shape of any team in the PL by a long way imo. Add in our old guard of Rio, Giggs and Scholes with all their big match experience and it isn't hard to see why we're 15 points clear.
This is why I don't think we'll sign squad players this summer and why I just don't foresee Garay signing(if he does I'll support the decision, but I'm not shy in saying I wouldn't buy him if it were my choice) coming to fruition.
Our rivals need to take extreme measures to catch us over the summer and will buy big. What we need to do, given that our squad at this point blows them out of the water is to buy one or 2 at the most big players to go with the Zaha signing and try to reach a level with an 11 that we can't do with our squad right now, deep and versatile as it may be.
It's why I think, even if it's a non-starter, we should make serious enquiries into resigning Cristiano. It may be impossible, but it sends the message that we want to go a step beyond. Having him in the above formation would be a more devastating proposition offensively than anything since our treble winning team, and maybe even better still.
If, as I assume it will be, Ronnie is unattainable, then we should look at players like James Rodriguez or Matts Hummels, young players who we don't "need", but who are already breaking in to the bracket of the best in the world in their positions, when they're still only 21/23 respectively.
Can you imagine a CB pairing of Smalling and Hummels for the next decade? Or a front 3 of Rodriguez/Rooney/v.Persie with Welbeck and Chico available from the bench.
To accommodate a new signing, someone would obviously have to leave with our squad being as large as it currently is, so the incoming player should therefor be better/younger/more suited to a role in our system than one who is departing.
Players like Nani and Rio, who have been mentioned as potential departures, wouldn't just be replaceable by (no disrespect intended) a Garay or a Zaha. If those 2, ones a quality but not truly special (as of yet anyway) CB who's almost the same age as Rooney, and an albeit very talented but also very raw winger who'll hopefully have a big future with us but might not be a starter for a season, maybe 2.
We have the youth, we have the squad, we have everything. All we need is the finishing glaze on our team that a "Ronaldo" can give us to be as strong in every way as any club on earth.
Posted as a comment...
posted on 24/3/13
Players like Nani and Rio, who have been mentioned as potential departures, wouldn't just be replaceable by (no disrespect intended) a Garay or a Zaha
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yet these two wouldnt make it in your line ups??
posted on 24/3/13
Not one of those teams has a winger in them?
the 3rd team is well unbalanced.
personally the 2nd team is the best.
When have we ever played 4-3-3?
posted on 24/3/13
Greg
They're the same team, in different line up's we often drift in to...
posted on 24/3/13
Dunc
No they wouldn't. That's no readon to knowingly weaken the squad though is it?
posted on 24/3/13
I'm assuming one of our best CB's, Evans doesn't make it in a team where Smalling has barely played and isn't anywhere near as good?
Also I agree with Greg on your last team, it's unbalanced and I can't ever recalling Kagawa sitting next to Carrick, Van Persie going left and Wellbeck even playing as a striker.
Not trying to criticise your post, but there are points to be made.
posted on 24/3/13
Dark
Disagree about Smalling not being nearly as good as Evans. I think they're not far apart at all. I think the point of the line ups is being missed here...
They are the same team, Kagawa has infant drifted in to CM often when he's played this year, and RVP and Welbeck do both drift out wide when they play as center forward...
Come on guys, I know it's displayed differently than normal, but try to use some footballing knowledge here. It's all about having a team that can adapt to any opponent and still retain its offensive style. Welbeck has played wide this year for his own development as a forward, and we're seeing the results already ala Madrid and his "dual-role".
RVP is the ideal player to drift to the left and allow this to happen, as he's as technically blessed and creative as any striker in the league. He gives a beautiful balance to the formation as well.
Kagawa's had a season to get used to the league now. In a quick passing and movement oriented system, with players like Cleverley, Carrick, Welbeck and RVP in the side he'd have no problem slipping into the center of a midfield 2. It's something he did often for Dortmund and part of why he won player of the year in Germany.
Put whatever players from our squad you like in the system, it's the system that's the important part. That, and that because there's so much debate about which player(s) should play in so many positions, it exemplifies the point I am making that the squad strength is 10/10, but that we could do with only 2 or 3 positions up for debate instead of 4 or 5. This is why we should go for even one top drawer player right now, instead of 2 or 3 quality players to be top drawer later. We've already got them.
posted on 24/3/13
We are 15 points clear. There isn't a great deal wrong with our squad. The line-up you have suggested is OK but would have its weaknesses just like other variations of players. We have no reason to stick with one set of players when we have so much quality in the squad.
What has become clear is that when Carrick cannot play we are severely weakened. So I think a top midfielder should be a priority this summer. I like Carrick and Cleverley as a partnership but we are too dependant on it.
Our wingers have also been dire this season. Don't think Young is starting calibre. Nani could be off. Valencia needs to improve or go. Who knows what Zaha will bring? I love Kagawa and think he's a good option for the left hand side but I would like to see us bring in a left footed winger who can go past players to add a bit of variety to the squad.
Two other minor points. Evans should be in the team. Hummels has a contract until 2017 so would be untrainable.
posted on 24/3/13
Nani in for welbeck or Kagawa. Just as versatile.
posted on 24/3/13
"Players like Nani and Rio, who have been mentioned as potential departures, wouldn't just be replaceable by (no disrespect intended) a Garay or a Zaha"
I don't know about Garay, but Zaha won't be able to replace Nani like you said.